Remembering our Ancestors, Celebrating our Future
By Aaron Andrade
Chaffey College at Rancho Cucamonga is a host to a plethora of clubs, all of which represent our variegated gang. As of this past January, the Indigenous Tribes Club (ITC) added itself to the Chaffey coalition, with the main goal of celebrating indigenous cultures worldwide.
In my first meeting, I had the pleasure of meeting President Brian Watson, Vice President (VP) Jen Fuentes, Co-Advisor Selene Pineda, Secretary Karla Jimenez V, Treasurer Jeevan Malik, and Inter-Club Council (ICC) Representative Jesus Magdaleno. This introductory conference felt more like a friendly get-together, with ideas being shared freely and members being treated as equals. While there, I shared how I felt unfamiliar with my ancestors' origins, and to my surprise, others related to the same sentiment.
It had turned out that most of us only knew a generalization of who our ancestors were, blurred by lost histories. But in this gap of unsolicited ignorance, I felt a semblance of comfort in knowing there were others hopeful to know more. I saw how people from all walks of life share a belief in the importance of their roots. As individuals, we decided to face the difficulties that have befallen our ancestors head-on together, creating a tribe of our own.
To spread awareness of the club, our first event was a fundraiser where we sold aguas frescas to students, teachers and construction workers. Unfortunately, as put by President Watson, due to “funding reasons” the event was canceled at the last minute, but this has not put a stop to any upcoming plans.
In prior discussions, the ITC has come up with a ton of activities meant to bring the community together. From playing traditional games, and identifying local wildlife, to even hosting a Pow Wow, Brian wants to bring practices that teach the community Indigenous Knowledge. This collection of ancient stories, lessons and morals has been passed through generations of indigenous people interacting with and observing the natural world. These lessons live on in the world around us, however, due to the banning and inevitable loss of cultural practices, the words of our ancestors have fallen short.
To this day, indigenous rights are often left out in the cold. For instance, despite the American right to religion, the government has a shady history of disrespecting indigenous cultural practices. While being subject to massacres and misconduct, American Indians have simultaneously experienced the gradual whitewashing of their culture from generation to generation. By glossing over these tragedies, we have lost important history.
Projects such as the over 523 American Indian boarding schools, that took children from their families under threat of violence or ration seizing exhibit the horrendous treatment of Indigenous people, and the intent to diminish their culture. Furthermore,“kill the Indian and save the man" exemplifies the encouragement of these gruesome schools and the general adequacy in which they were perceived at the time.
The Indigenous Tribes Club at Chaffey is where Indians and Mann can come together peaceably. Looking back on our history, it is an interdiction to not recognize the importance of camaraderie and generosity. In the face of our wrongs, it is better to charge them hand in hand, than to face them alone in the cold.