PIMA CORRIDOR

Last nite there was a meeting about the "PIMA CORRIDOR" here in Salt RIver. Sadly only about 30 peeps showed up, and there were only 2 of us in the 30 and under crowd. The rest were peeps from the community who were 50+.

This meeting was regarding the guidelines that were to be used by the Tribal Council in order to define where commercial building could and would take place. In essence, where on the Salt River Rez that commerical building ( i.e. outside companies that were non-Native ) would be allowed to build.

THis was all brought about by a referendum by the people of Salt River to raise the guidelines from a mandatory building limitation from 3 stories high to 6 stories in the "Pima Corridor." However, the Tribal Council had never mandated where exactly the Pima Corridor is. This referendum was supposed to be, according to my understanding, pertaining to the Casinos in Salt River, with special regard for the proposed Resort.

Still with me?

My concern is with the seemingly inevitable encroaching of the "city", on our tribal land. The land that I make my home on, and that my family has lived on since its inception as a reservation, seems to be one that is being circled by the vultures..rubbing their hands together...and dangling money to those of us who see only the value of the green.

I understand that being a tribe that has prime real estate in an ever growing city, encroachments on our land would be a reality one day. IT just seems as though that day has come much to fast.

With the 101 snaking through our land, I knew it was only a matter of time before the enticement of money allowed some of us to sell out far under its worth.

The 101 was built on m grandmothers land, and they had to leave. No discussion, no deliberation, just you have to be out by this certain day, but we will compensate you with some cash and brand new houses.

So now my family lives of of Chapparrel..far from where our land originally was.

At the meeting, there was final comment by a community member. An older woman in a wheel chair, though she spoke softly and her comments were directed to the council...all I could hear was " We are not supposed to sell our land."

...

More to come peepz..

Peace.