The History of Land and Water in San Xavier

Abstract

This dissertation explores the historical and cultural relationship of land and water within the San Xavier Community. O’odham from San Xavier or Wa:k O’odham have farmed the land for time immemorial. They have always helped one another with planting, harvesting, and making sure everyone within the community had enough to eat and store away during the off seasons. However, that all changed in 1887 when the General Allotment Act which was adopted by Congress authorized U.S. President Grover Cleveland to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Native Americans. In 1890, the San Xavier Indian Reservation was divided into allotments, and it is the only land base on the Tohono O’odham Nation that was a part of General Allotment Act. There were 292 allotments, which total 41,000 acres. Following allotment, other historical events occurred in San Xavier; In 1971, a group of Allottee members formed the San Xavier Cooperative Farm to combine allotted lands that were previously farmed by individual/families into a farming entity. Pressure from the O’odham led the federal government to finally see the predicament that San Xavier would be left dry due to the overdraft of the groundwater by the outside entities, if they did not file suit against agribusiness men, copper mines, and the City of Tucson for its water use practices and which included the withdrawal of water from the aquifer beneath the San Xavier District. Additionally, the federal government should act to protect water rights for the O’odham as defined by the Winters Doctrine. In 1970s-1980s, Wa:k O’odham formed the group, Defenders of O’Odham Land Rights to contest a proposed land development that would have created a city of 100,000 just south of the San Xavier del Bac Mission on leased allotted lands. In 1991, the San Xavier Allottees Association, Inc., was created to assist Allottees as a group and individually to manage land related concerns including water rights, economic development, and environmental protection. In all, these historical events showcased how the Wa:k O’odham stood up to fight for the jewed (land) and su:dagi (water) as well as paved a way for the Wa:k Community to be able to continue their Traditional Ecological Knowledge.