A small tribe in northwestern Mexico faces some important choices as development comes closer and closer to its ancestral territory
The Seris used to live on Tiburon Island until they were removed by the Mexican government in the 1960s. Now they fiercely guard their culture and way of life amid outside influences like Spanish, television, hotels and highways.
"We're hardheaded," Ernesto Molina, 58, told The Washington Post. "We don't even want visitors. We don't have much contact with the people of Mexico. Mexicans are not welcome here."
Pedro Torres, the only tribal member with a doctorate, says the Seri will have to open up if they want to protect their culture. "Sooner or later, we're going to have this conflict with all this development. They're going to come down here and want to build hotels and we're not going to be prepared to stop them," he tells the paper.
The tribe has about 1,000 members who mainly live in two villages on the Gulf of California.
Get the Story:Ancient Tribe at a Crossroads (The Washington Post 6/28)
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