Post by blackcrowheart on Oct 24, 2005 9:30:09 GMT -5
by: Brenda Norrell / Indian Country Today
SANTE FE, N.M. - While Tesuque Pueblo urges the city of Santa Fe to enter into meaningful consultation with Pueblos regarding the site of the planned $55 million civic center, a New Mexico state committee has tabled permission for a permit to remove human remains at the site.
Tesuque Pueblo Gov. Mark Mitchell urged the city not to disturb the burial grounds at the site of the ancestral Tesuque Pueblo, located in what is now downtown Santa Fe.
Mitchell said the city's one meeting with Pueblo leaders does not constitute meaningful consultation. Further, Tesuque Pueblo has not received the documents or a site visit it has requested from the city.
''We support a new civic center - just not at this site,'' Mitchell said.
Tesuque Pueblo is still waiting for an overlay map that includes the proposed civic center and its new courtyard, the site map where remains have been found, a copy of the master plan for the civic center's development, results from a ground-penetrating sonar that was conducted at the site and a site visit.
Mitchell said the city has provided none of these documents and no site visit has been scheduled.
''We asked for this information to allow us to review what is being proposed and to state our objections.''
Mitchell described his concerns in a letter to the state's Cultural Properties Review Committee on Oct. 14.
''We respectfully request that the CPRC again table this matter to allow further meetings between my tribe and the city of Santa Fe.''
During its meeting on Oct. 14, the Cultural Properties Review Committee tabled until Dec. 2 its consideration of the permit to remove human remains at the proposed civic center site, where the Sweeney Convention Center now stands. Following the committee's action, the city Finance Committee postponed action on $44 million in bonds for the new construction.
Mitchell said the Pueblo hoped for good-faith negotiations with the city, but recent New Mexico media reports tell a different story.
''On August 19, 2005, the people of Tesuque Pueblo celebrated - we had finally been heard and were making progress in working with the city of Santa Fe. This was the day the CPRC heard Tesuque Pueblo and other tribal leaders from the area speak from the heart about protecting ancestral burial sites. This was the day the CPRC asked the city of Santa Fe and Tesuque Pueblo to enter into a consultation process in good faith.
''Today, I have to ask if one meeting over a two-month period constitutes meaningful consultation. When my people ask what is happening with the civic center and I respond to them that we were taking the process in good faith, but the local paper says otherwise - it is very disheartening,'' Mitchell said Oct. 14.
Mitchell referred to a recent Albuquerque Journal article and comments by Tim Maxwell, director of the State Office of Archaeological Studies. Mitchell said Maxwell ''gave the impression that the process was not fruitful.''
''After one meeting, this is an unfair conclusion. It is unfortunate that Maxwell feels frustrated, for whatever reasons,'' Mitchell said in the letter to CPRC.
''We agreed to meaningful consultation. We viewed the one and only meeting as historic and felt that good dialogue had been established. The city presented a compromise for our consideration.''
Mitchell said Tesuque Pueblo, located north of modern-day Santa Fe in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is a culturally strong and vibrant community.
''While I have found that Tesuque's relationship with many of its neighbors is strong and they appreciate the unique culture that Native communities bring to the area - there are a few who feel otherwise.
''Regardless, Tesuque Pueblo wants to continue to work with our neighbors and strengthen our relationships. Clearly, that would mean clear communications not only on this issue but many others.''
The city of Santa Fe and office of the Santa Fe Civic Center declined requests for comment.
SANTE FE, N.M. - While Tesuque Pueblo urges the city of Santa Fe to enter into meaningful consultation with Pueblos regarding the site of the planned $55 million civic center, a New Mexico state committee has tabled permission for a permit to remove human remains at the site.
Tesuque Pueblo Gov. Mark Mitchell urged the city not to disturb the burial grounds at the site of the ancestral Tesuque Pueblo, located in what is now downtown Santa Fe.
Mitchell said the city's one meeting with Pueblo leaders does not constitute meaningful consultation. Further, Tesuque Pueblo has not received the documents or a site visit it has requested from the city.
''We support a new civic center - just not at this site,'' Mitchell said.
Tesuque Pueblo is still waiting for an overlay map that includes the proposed civic center and its new courtyard, the site map where remains have been found, a copy of the master plan for the civic center's development, results from a ground-penetrating sonar that was conducted at the site and a site visit.
Mitchell said the city has provided none of these documents and no site visit has been scheduled.
''We asked for this information to allow us to review what is being proposed and to state our objections.''
Mitchell described his concerns in a letter to the state's Cultural Properties Review Committee on Oct. 14.
''We respectfully request that the CPRC again table this matter to allow further meetings between my tribe and the city of Santa Fe.''
During its meeting on Oct. 14, the Cultural Properties Review Committee tabled until Dec. 2 its consideration of the permit to remove human remains at the proposed civic center site, where the Sweeney Convention Center now stands. Following the committee's action, the city Finance Committee postponed action on $44 million in bonds for the new construction.
Mitchell said the Pueblo hoped for good-faith negotiations with the city, but recent New Mexico media reports tell a different story.
''On August 19, 2005, the people of Tesuque Pueblo celebrated - we had finally been heard and were making progress in working with the city of Santa Fe. This was the day the CPRC heard Tesuque Pueblo and other tribal leaders from the area speak from the heart about protecting ancestral burial sites. This was the day the CPRC asked the city of Santa Fe and Tesuque Pueblo to enter into a consultation process in good faith.
''Today, I have to ask if one meeting over a two-month period constitutes meaningful consultation. When my people ask what is happening with the civic center and I respond to them that we were taking the process in good faith, but the local paper says otherwise - it is very disheartening,'' Mitchell said Oct. 14.
Mitchell referred to a recent Albuquerque Journal article and comments by Tim Maxwell, director of the State Office of Archaeological Studies. Mitchell said Maxwell ''gave the impression that the process was not fruitful.''
''After one meeting, this is an unfair conclusion. It is unfortunate that Maxwell feels frustrated, for whatever reasons,'' Mitchell said in the letter to CPRC.
''We agreed to meaningful consultation. We viewed the one and only meeting as historic and felt that good dialogue had been established. The city presented a compromise for our consideration.''
Mitchell said Tesuque Pueblo, located north of modern-day Santa Fe in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is a culturally strong and vibrant community.
''While I have found that Tesuque's relationship with many of its neighbors is strong and they appreciate the unique culture that Native communities bring to the area - there are a few who feel otherwise.
''Regardless, Tesuque Pueblo wants to continue to work with our neighbors and strengthen our relationships. Clearly, that would mean clear communications not only on this issue but many others.''
The city of Santa Fe and office of the Santa Fe Civic Center declined requests for comment.