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Day 2: Community Impact

Community, Human Rights, Migrant Death

This was our second day searching for migrant burials in Sacred Heart Cemetery, and we truly began to notice how much this volunteer effort means to the Falfurrias community. Word of our presence has surely been spreading since we received many more visitors and curious spectators from the town. We experienced a variety of different reactions to our work. Some people stared as they drove by our site, some waved, some came and offered to bring the team lunch and thanked us for our efforts.

I had the unique opportunity of attending a press conference today that was organized by Eddie Canales at the South Texas Human Rights Center. As a graduate student, it is invaluable to observe professionals in the field as they interact with the public and media. I think it is incredibly important that experts in this topic have the opportunity to speak to the public and provide truthful information about the type of work we are doing and our motivations for doing it. It is so easy to spin things out of context and to politicize the identification of unknown migrant decedents. In reality, the core of this work is that all humans are treated with dignity in life or death and are given an equal chance at identification if we can provide the resources to help
do so.

Interview with the mediaDr. Latham sat on a panel with some other forensic experts who play an active role in identifying migrant burials. There was press from at least 4 news stations, and it was nice
that they were able to have a light question and answer session to discuss the roles and techniques employed by the different volunteer organizations.

After we finished the long day of excavating, we stopped at the gas station for some Laredo Tacos. And WOAH, let me tell you: this barbacoa taco I had was one of the best I’ve ever had. While we were there, a few of us were approached by some people in the community who took an interest in our work. They wanted to know what we had found so far and how it was going at the cemetery. Compared to the field season last January, there is already a huge difference being in Falfurrias at a public site. I appreciate the ability to feel how deeply the humanitarian crisis impacts the locals in different ways.

Day two group photo

–Sammi

“Cheers” to day two and digging holes

Reflections, ,

Hello everyone! Thank you for following us so far into day two of our Beyond Borders Team members diggingJanuary 2019 field season. As your dedicated mapping apprentice, I can tell you that after 22 years of doing little to no intense physical exercise, I am sore from head to toe. We have been at the Sacred Heart Cemetery for a total of almost 20 hours and I reckon 17 of those hours were spent digging or doing some other form of physical activity, with the other 3 consisting of water breaks, lunch breaks, and mapping/strategizing. That may seem tough to the average person, yet we have all thoroughly enjoyed the time we have spent there so far. By the time we cheers with our Mexican Coca-Colas at the end of the day, I can’t believe the day is over and we have done so much work. Time flies.

Today we dug 3 ½ trenches, some of them almost 1 meter deep. At our briefing last night, we discussed that previously at this cemetery, remains have been found as far as 140cm deep. So as a team, we decided to dig and probe deep today in order to be confident that we were being as thorough as possible.Team members digging in the cemetery If we do not find remains in our area, at least we know that we have done all that we could have to be sure. Clearing a site is just as important as finding remains. If we clear our area and do not find any remains we can be confident in moving onto another area, and tick Area #24 off the list of possible burial sites.

I have never done an archaeological dig before, and I am learning so much so quickly. How to properly dig test pits, probe, take measurements, map, and various other methods and tasks. I am so fortunate to be learning mapping alongside Sammi. She is allowing me to help construct the map both in the field and when we get back to the hotel at night. She is mentoring me instead of instructing me which I really appreciate.

As you will read in Sammi’s blog tonight, the work that we are doing is impacting the community greatly. It is keeping our spirits up, knowing that the work that we do is not just meaningful and interesting to us and the families of the decedents, but also to those who have allowed us into their community.

All in all we have had a good couple of days in site. Lots of learning, lots of digging, and no lack in moral or motivation within the team. Again, thank you for following along; see you again tomorrow!

~Arden

Day 1: Buckets

Human Rights, Migrant Death

Today was the team’s first day working at Sacred Heart Cemetery. The morning was cool and cloudy, but we were all ready and excited to work. We made it to the cemetery by 7:45 and met with the team from Texas State who we will be working alongside to tackle multiple areas of interests in the cemetery. We unloaded all of the equipment and went over the gameplan, and the teams were separated into areas.

The UIndy team was given quite a large area, but we are not intimidated by the work that lies ahead! We decided to split our section into two smaller sections to start, and began probing our first section. The first thing we noticed was that the soil consistency varied, being soft in some places but more firm in others. Our first trench revealed several large roots that the team had to work around. Once the main trench was dug, Sidney & Arden began digging a smaller trench perpendicular to the first while Dr. Latham & Sammi continued clearing the first. My job consisted of emptying buckets. SO. MANY. BUCKETS. To be honest I didn’t mind the work. Every member of the team was working just as hard, and I think everyone who came by to see the work we were doing agreed.

Team members working in the cemetery Trenches

By the end of the day, we had dug our trenches down to about 60cm deep and have about half of our first subsection explored. We will continue this section tomorrow so we can be confident that we have thoroughly explored this area. I am very proud of our team, as this was our first time working together in this capacity, and I feel that we all jumped right in with the work that we have to do. We found a natural flow to the digging, and we reminded each other to take plenty of water & snack breaks. Even though we are all incredibly sore at the moment, we know that the work we are doing is important and it will all be worth it in the end.

-Angela

day-1 group photo
Day 1 is in the books!