| The division of the Tohono O'odham and their traditional land base between Mexico and the United States has resulted in vastly different experiences on either side of the border. Rather than a mere accident of political geography, being born on one side of the border has major social, cultural, and economic ramifications and begs the question of what it means to be Tohono O'odham. This dissertation broadly investigates how Tohono O'odham society is impacted by the international boundary. Issues that caused the two sides to grow apart are identified and internal and external factors that motivate and make problematic the establishment of a common multi-national identity are discussed. Sources include archival, scholarly and popular media and extended personal interviews.; While concerns over the division of the Tohono O'odham by the border has been addressed in terms of the umbrella of membership in a single tribal political structure, a social disconnect between the two sides remains. The solution is more complex than genealogy and emphasizes notions of traditional land and language, which have both faded in Sonora, and recognizable family and community relationships that no longer transcend the border the way they once did. Although both sides have experienced a context of increasing ethnic empowerment, at the present time resolution remains elusive.; As the enforcer of national borders, the federal governments on both sides have also played a key role in defining and dividing the Tohono O'odham. Mexican O'odham border villages for some time were treated as part of the U.S. politically and functionally, but the sharpening definition of the border line today has diminished this relationship. Coping with recent increases in smuggling and corresponding law enforcement has proven to be a stress on the tribe as well as its relationship with the federal government, but also as an inducement to assert O'odham interests. The disconnect between tribal and federal concepts of consultation is dramatic and has implications for effective border law enforcement. The new border issues of illegal immigration and smuggling have also been a distraction from efforts to create a more multi-national O'odham community. |
