Pascua Yaqui, A family history

“It is said, we had been told in a revelation from Heaven, that God had given to the Yaquis a homeland around the Yaqui River. The Yaquis trained themselves to fight, withstand pain and die if necessary to protect God-given land and family life.”  Ernesto Quiroga Sandoval, Historian, Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

           While doing research for a book that I am working on that will focus on the Aztec mythology, I thought I would look into the tribe that my father’s family is from. The Pascua Yaqui Tribe, it is the only tribe recognized with having dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Mexico.

            I thought this was interesting, considering that there are many tribes in the U.S. and Mexico. I thought I would start by talking with my grandmother Emily about any family history that had to do with the Tribe; she didn’t have much to share. She told me that her grandfather was a member of the Tribe and that was all she knew.

            My father was a little more helpful; he had stories about his great grandfather who was still alive while he was growing up. Stories told to him by his great grandmother. He was told that during the 1910-1920 Mexican Revolution my great grandfather left for safety and came to California. This was exciting because I now had some information on my family history and I wanted to see where it would go next.

            I decided to go to a local Pow Wow, where I met several helpful people who where able to answer my many questions about the Tribe. I discovered from my research that my father not only belongs to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe but also to a Tribe located near Carmel California, this connection was from his fathers’ side of the family.

            My goal is to study the history and culture of these people which is very much alive and to share it.