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Community:
The Tohono O'odham (formerly
known as Papago) Nation sits in the heart of the Sonoran Desert,
sixty miles west of Tucson, Arizona. Approximately 18,000
of the tribe's 24,000 members live on this main section of
the Tohono O'odham Reservation. The Nation encompasses nearly
4,600 square miles (larger than the state of Connecticut).
Despite the richness of the Tohono O'odham culture and the
community's many assets, there are many extraordinary challenges
to be faced:
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Economics - Per capita income on the Tohono O'odham
Nation is $3113 (compared with more than $14,000
nationally), the lowest of all U.S. reservations.
65.7% of the population is below the poverty level
(compared to 13.1% nationally). 62.7% of the adult
population is unemployed. 47% of the households
have no telephone; 29% lack plumbing; and 47% have
no vehicle. (U.S. Census Bureau)
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Health - More than 50% of all Tohono O'odham adults
have adult-onset diabetes, the highest rate in the
world. Life expectancy is more than six years shorter
than the U.S. average. (Indian Health Service)
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Violence - In the past three years, the number
of Tohono O'odham juveniles charged with serious
crimes
has tripled, almost entirely related to the
introduction of gang |
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image for larger view |
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activity to the community. The homicide rate is nearly
three times the national average and twice the average
for all Native American communities. (Tohono O'odham Police
Department and Indian Health Service)
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Education - Fewer than half of the Tohono O'odham community's
adults have completed high school, the lowest rate of
all U.S. Native American tribes. A dropout rate in excess
of 50% continues to be the norm. (U.S.Census Bureau)
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Culture - Many aspects of Tohono O'odham language, traditions
and ceremonies are currently threatened with extinction.
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