Wednesday, I'll make the long drive to Presidio, Texas, to attend the reburial ceremony of my distant relative. By distant, I mean she lived approx. 750 years ago near the sacred Chinati Mountains.
Her remains were unearthed on a ranch and taken by a public university for study. For years, she remained forgotten in storage. An academic mausoleum. To find her closest living relatives, Lipan ppl provided mitochondrial DNA, which is passed down the maternal line. My mother was a match.
The only tribal land my people have is a traditional burial ground in Presidio. Known as Cementerio del Barrio de los Lipanes, it was returned to us in 2021 and contains marked and unmarked graves of our ancestors. My ancient relative will be the first person reburied within our sacred land.
My ancient relative passed at an advanced age; she was buried in an arroyo, where water flows in the desert. She must've been loved. I wonder what the world was like in the 1200s. And what will the future be in 700 years? Will the mountains still stand? Will the water still flow? Yes. I hope so.
