BACHIA

Providing access to ancestral Yaqui foods, medicines, and plant materials within urban Yaqui communities. Facilitating a multi generational dialogue around health and food towards resiliency on a multiplicity of levels. This includes integrating healing by utilizing traditional knowledge of 'cultural keystone species' from the homelands of the Rio Yaqui. From bachia  to consumption, illuminating the biodiversity of species that uphold and reconnect Yaqui people to our evolving culture while living urban lifestyles. Growing these species in the existing Semalulukut Community Garden in  Guadalupe, AZ  can assist in furthering efforts by: creating a micro climate that grows our traditional plants, a place for multi generational gardening/food demos, connection to traditional language through translated species signage, and a place for community members to mentally getaway. 

Re-establishing our relationship to traditional plants and foods as a starting point towards health/food sovereignty in urban Yaqui communities. Yoeme people derive from Sonora, Mexico and have inhabited 8 original villages along the Rio Yaqui immersed in an ecosystem at the southern point of the Sonoran desert. Migration/movement of some Yaqui peoples fled to areas north of the homelands to escape violence from Spanish and Mexican governments, creating a disconnect overtime from our original environment and people. The populations of the Yaqui communities in AZ are as follows: PYT reservation-4,109, Old Pascua-403, Guadalupe - 3,332, Penjamo - 161, Coolige - 200, and Barrio Libre - 144. (2016 statistics) The tribe as a whole suffers from a variety of post colonial health related issues: behavioral health/substance abuse, suicidal incidences, underage drinking/substance abuse, uncontrolled blood sugar levels, diabetes, obesity, and domestic violence. 

Bachia translates as 'seed' in the Yaqui language.This project in itself is the 'seed' towards new growth that incrementally addresses current health disparities while building on existing community support networks to restore sacred medicines in the Guadalupe community. This entails building community garden programming capacity and infrastructure to engage community to co-develop/design a Yaqui cultural keystone species garden. These species hold connections to our ancestral diets, materials, medicines, languages, traditions, histories, and spiritual practice. Returning to ourselves in the context of nature assists with decolonizing our conditioned western rational mindset back towards our indigenous relational worldview. Tangible deliverables are: constructing an outdoor kitchen, shade structure for workshops/demos, local artist collaborations for developing species signage, installing a rain catchment system, and seed/water costs. The benefits are: growing ancestral foods, creating micro climates, uniting youth/adults/elders with traditional foods/plants, outdoor learning space to gather, community harvesting, and enhancement of a natural/organic space in the community. Planting this 'seed' is a step towards moving beyond reflection to take action towards breaking negative generational cycles in consideration of the well being of next generations of Yaqui's to come. 

The target population resides in the Guadalupe, AZ community but has potential to expand to other urban Yaqui communities over time. Current Guadalupe stats: population 6,270 (includes non Yaqui residents), poverty rate 32.7%, median age 32, and median household income $28,491. From a 2016 PYT Health Assessment the top 3 personal health concerns were pain (41.4%), allergies (36.4%) and overweight (32.9%). As of June 10, the confirmed Covid case count is at 110. 

I have personally engaged with our Guadalupe elder group and a youth group to understand their visions and hopes for the community as a whole, earlier this year before the pandemic hit the US. Both groups directly or indirectly spoke towards a need to ensure cultural practices continue as our community evolves. The project provides an approachable step towards this ongoing push to keep our culture alive by reconnecting to species that we utilize in our cultural practices through a locally grown supply of plant materials, medicines and foods versus continuing to import from the homelands for our fiestas. 

Bachia attempts to initiate an ongoing conversation towards addressing wicked community problems that are interconnected on various levels. It aligns with the fellowship goals towards developing indigenous resiliency, multi generational skill development opportunities, support for language/cultural preservation, addresses health/food sustainability issues, and provides a space that can act as an escape for those dealing with mental health issues. 

This solution is unique as it is informed by a vision for a sustainable future for the next generations of Yaquis to come. The project is embedded with traditional ecological knowledge that is unique to the Yoeme people and focuses on localization in place and nature. The project could be compared to other local efforts for community garden spaces such as Spaces of Opportunity in South Phoenix that brings people together to grow food and have autonomy over food production. This project differs through its specificity on Yaqui culture, but has potential to act as a bridge between other community garden efforts for furthering understanding of the indigenous roots of Arizona. 

The ancient wisdom that empowers this project resides in a lo-tech approach that focuses on traditional ecological knowledge (a cumulative body of multi generational knowledge, practices and beliefs). Returning to indigenous philosophy and vernacular approaches to generate sustainable resiliency through local, inexpensive, handmade, and easily constructed soft systems. A contrast to current sophisticated tech, which can often times be unapproachable or over complicated for community to utilize and maintain. The project aligns with the Lo-Tek movement "that prompts us to retrace our steps and reconsider the root of technological innovation," through a lens of indigeneity. After the project is established incorporating contemporary tech should be considered in next phase.

Evidence that this traditional ecological knowledge works is backed by an extensive "cumulative body of knowledge, practices, and beliefs, handed down through generations by traditional songs, origin stories, and everyday life."

Read: Lo-Tek Design by Radical Indigenism

The theory of change for this project resides in reconnecting to our indigenous relational worldview through past, present, and future understandings of how the past constructed the present, the potential of our existing community infrastructure, and developing our aspirations for our next generations to come. Bachia enacts a vision for a medicine/food garden that can be a platform for cultural teaching/learning that can expand programming towards a health foods market, cooking classes, food business incubation, naturalistic health remedies, and expansion of traditional Yaqui culinary practices. As the project evolves and expands the vision could potentially lead towards and urban farming school that focuses on teaching youth to grow and cook food through an indigenous after school program. This phase could provide indoor/outdoor learning spaces while connecting next generations to cultural roots. Looking into the farther future these 'seeds' could grow into a bio cultural heritage oasis that supports careers for indigenous farmers, ranchers, gardeners, botanist, healers, and knowledge keepers through a migration between campuses in Yaqui communities in AZ and in Mexico as an ecological education program. 

The project will initially serve the Guadalupe community with a Yaqui population of 3,332 (one year). Second phase expanding to Tucson PYT reservation population of 4,109 (five years). And ultimately aiming to bridge communities to homelands of Rio Yaqui with population of 33,000 people. (ten years)

1 year goals:

Expand on current Semalulukut Community Garden in the Guadalupe, AZ community by building community garden programming capacity and infrastructure to engage community to co-develop/design a Yaqui cultural keystone species garden. Tangible deliverables are: constructing an outdoor kitchen, shade structure for workshops/demos, local artist collaborations for developing species signage, installing a rain catchment system, and seed/water costs.

5 year goals:

Continue development of programming aligned with year 1 goals and develop micro-economy through local Yaqui health foods market, yerberia, botany popup shops, and student led ancestral food restaurant. 

Establish connection with PYT reservation existing programming around health and cultural preservation to co-develop strategies towards an indigenous after school program.

Financial barriers include ensuring continuous funding for garden maintenance, water, and staff/admin compensation. 

Garden maintenance is currently ran by a local elder and a few other community members. There is a small portion of tribal funding currently for supplies/materials but not a strong yield of produce due to inconsistency of management of garden. Assistance from tribal funding could be expanded if more members of the community are engaging and benefiting from added infrastructure and educational programming. 

Water is another issue that is currently afforded by a garden sponsor but would be great to have funded by micro-economy from farmers markets and plant sales mentioned above for expansion of garden. Along with investment of rain catchment systems to store water from rainy seasons. 

Ongoing compensation for staff/admin of programming has potential to receive creative funding from tribal funding or other city based grants. 

Currently, myself with expertise as an architectural designer and recent MArch graduate from ASU and tribal community member.

An elder of the Guadalupe community, who runs and maintains garden. 

A tribal government employee in education department who runs an organization called Yaqui Pride who acts as an archival source of Yaqui knowledge and has strong connection to networks within homelands.

Our team has expertise in a diversity of areas in regards to this project and exemplifies a multi generational approach linking the younger generation, middle aged population, and elders of the community. The lived experience our team holds is a unique strength in our ability to accomplish and connect into the existing community networks we are already embedded in. 

Semalulukut Community Garden a grassroots supported garden.

PYT Guadalupe is tribal entity that owns the land and supports water funds.

Valley of the Sun United Way supported initial support funds for creation of garden.

Design Empowerment PHX a local design program that promotes a culture of collaboration through restorative design practices that connect, educate, inspire, and empower. 

ASU Indigenous Design Collaborative is a community-driven design and construction program, which brings together tribal community members, industry and a multidisciplinary team of ASU students and faculty to co-design and co-develop solutions for tribal communities in Arizona

Creative partnerships with tribal entity, city entities, and local grassroots organizations to support education, staff compensation and water. Eventually, moving to self sustained financial security through development of micro-economy through local Yaqui health foods market, yerberia, botany popup shops, and student led ancestral food restaurant.

Solve can assist in developing a viable business plan aligned with industry best practices to begin to engage professionally towards creative partnership with larger entities and navigating bureaucracy. 

Town of Guadalupe to gain support and ensure longevity of project.

City of Tempe to align local foods and sustainability goals. Potential funding for staff compensation and infrastructure funding. 

Native Seeds Search to get legacy seeds and initialize a seed bank in Guadalupe of Yaqui cultural keystone species.