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Ep. 06: Moadag Thadiwa w/Andrew Pedro
October 09, 2016

Ep. 06: Moadag Thadiwa w/Andrew Pedro

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In this episode we feature tribal member Andrew Pedro who discusses concerns about the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway which was scheduled to be constructed on/near a mountain sacred to the O'odham and Piipaash. The threat of removing...

In this episode we feature tribal member Andrew Pedro who discusses concerns about the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway which was scheduled to be constructed on/near a mountain sacred to the O'odham and Piipaash. The threat of removing ancestral remains, objects, and desecrating sacred sites is what most concerned tribal members. The camp was set up to gather and prayer during this time. Not long after tribal leadership forced community members to close down the camp since there was no proper process to get a permit to have the camp site in the area.

Unfortunately, since the recording of this interview South Mtn Loop 202 was constructed and is now a full-fledged busy highway. Local tribes such as the Gila River Indian Community and Tohono O'odham Nation along with the Inter Tribal Alliance for Arizona (ITAC), supported and fought in court to try and stop the proposed highway. Also, during preparing for building of the highway, ancestral remains were removed from various sites on the South Mountain, petroglyphs on rocks have been moved in different areas, and objects found were either left untouched or removed for further study/out of harms way.

Recorded: October 2016