SUSURROS DEL DESIERTO DE SONORA:
AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE O'ODHAM PEOPLE
NATASHA CORTINOVIS
MULTILINGUAL REPORTER
Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham activist, writer and documentary producer who's long fought for migrant rights by maintaining several water stations in the arid basins of Baboquivari Valley pets one of his doggos, while Natasha observes his picture in Platon's The Defenders book.
The website's name, TheSentimentalExplorer.com., reflects who I am: a sentimental soul with a passion for the unknown. I explore places, people, animals and nature - whom I see with wildly romantic eyes.
In Susurros, I explored with tenderness what I could of this ancient civilization living among us in modern-day times. Their voices also blend with those of others from southern Arizona’s community.
There's also photographs, narration, some videos and information. It's by sharing this work that I hope to honor their past and present [but in my own way!] and to contribute to the appreciation of their existence.
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
​Susurros Del Desierto De Sonora: An Encounter With The O’odham People is a personal collection of feature stories that give voice to the Tohono O'odham people who met me to share their thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and lifestyles with me; it seeks to answer questions like:
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How do weavers weave baskets today? How do the last utilitarian potters make pots? What’s happening with the O'odham’s unique language? What’s the story behind so many U.S. Customs and Border Patrol vehicles, checkpoints, infrastructures in O’odham’s villages? Are tribal members more prone to harassment now that the new President’s administration is tightening immigration laws? What happened to the O’odham in Mexico? What's that place at the top of Camino a Tubutama in San Isidro? And who's I’itoi and where does he live? ​
Mike Wilson, his wife Susan and I driving towards the San Miguel Gate, the Tohono O'odham Nation's "official" port-of-entry into the U.S.
ABOUT BILINGUAL JOURNALISM
The Master of Arts in Bilingual Journalism at the University of Arizona is a two-year program designed to train journalists to report on and for Latinx, underserved and border communities in the U.S. and abroad, with a focus on fluency in both English and Spanish (or Portuguese). [In my case, I report using all my languages!]. This Master's Degree is one of the only fully bilingual journalism programs in the United States, emphasizing cultural competency and high-quality storytelling. It advances understanding of the history and culture of Latinx, Mexican American and other bilingual populations in the United States and Latin America. The program goes beyond teaching how to report on issues in two languages by offering courses about historical, social, cultural, geographic and political issues relevant to Latinx communities in Arizona, the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and the Latin American countries where many U.S. immigrants originated. In general, it is inclusive of all one's languages and encourages its use and appreciation.