In 2016 the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo's Project Tiwahu: Redefining Tigua Citizenship program was a recipient of the prestigious Honoring Nations Award at Harvard University. Honoring Nations is dedicated to celebrating, documenting, and disseminating the stories of outstanding programs in self-governance that emerge daily from Native nations. The Honoring Nations Award highlights tribal government best practices. It helps expand the capacities of Native nation builders by enabling them to learn from each others’ successes. The high public visibility and news coverage of Honoring Nations also permit non-Native policymakers, the media, and the general public to see what Native nations are actually doing in the drive for self-determination. Established in 1998, Honoring Nations Awardees are at the foundation of the teaching, advising, and policy analysis conducted by the Project on Indigenous Governance and Development (Harvard Project) and its sister program, the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona. The following exhibit is a story of Tigua's success.
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo (YDSP) is one of three federally recognized Native American tribes, and the only Pueblo, in the State of Texas. The current YDSP population is approximately 4,226 members nationwide. Thirteen miles from downtown El Paso, the Pueblo have been home to the Tigua people for over 300 years.
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
Establishing the criteria for citizenship is an inherent right of national governments around the world.
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
This right determines who can be a citizen and how citizenship is transferred through generations.
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
Yet for Indian nations, history complicates efforts to fully exercise sovereignty. Project Tiwahu: Redefining Tigua Citizenship was an Ysleta del Sur Pueblo-wide initiative to reform and self-determine enrollment as an exercise of tribal sovereignty.
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
Reform efforts addressed the hard questions about belonging and built consensus around a new, more inclusive approach to tribal citizenship.
What can other nations learn from Ysleta del Sur Pueblo's Project Tiwahu?
Tribal efforts to change enrollment criteria – tribal citizenship – are a hallmark of self-determination. But the process can raise sensitive questions: Who belongs?
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
How might changes affect the distribution of benefits?
What impact has federal Indian blood certification had? How do citizenship rules affect the community overall?
Project Pueblo, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo - 2010 Honoring Nations Award (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
Project Tiwahu steered the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in addressing these issues and reclaiming its inherent right to self-determine citizenship criteria.
Project Pueblo - Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Honoring Nations (2010-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
The resulting broadly supported reform helps sustain the Pueblo’s identity, spirituality, and culture in perpetuity.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
1.) Defining the boundaries of citizenship is fundamental to tribal sovereignty.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
2.) Community engagement, data gathering, and ongoing planning are essential ingredients in building and sustaining strong Native nations.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
3.) Transparent, inclusive, and clearly communicated community engagement processes help generate plans and decisions that a tribal community "owns."
Project Tiwahu - Redefining Tigua Citizenship, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo - 2016 Honoring Nations Award (2016-07-01) by Honoring Nations, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic DevelopmentHonoring Nations
The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Tribal Council and leaders of the Project Tiwahu program at the 2016 Honoring Nations Awards.
HONORING NATIONS: 2016 HONOREE
Project Tiwahu, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Contact:
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Economic Development Department
119 S. Old Pueblo
El Paso, TX 79907
www.ysletadelsurpueblo.org
This exhibit was curated by:
The Project on Indigenous Governance and Development
Text within this exhibit is provided by:
Honoring Nations Awards 2016
https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/hpaied/files/projecttiwahu-final.pdf?m=1639579190
