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A large blue barrel and milk carts of gallon water jugs in the bed of a truck.

On the Road Again

Reflections

I have had the honor and pleasure of being a member of this project since the beginning.  It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life; both physically and emotionally exhausting, yet somehow indescribably rewarding.   As one of the original actors in this performance, I thought I’d take a moment to bring everyone up-to-date.

Previously, in South Texas…

The project started with an invitation.  Dr. Baker and the fine people of Baylor asked if we would like to help excavate Sacred Heart Burial Park in Falfurrias, Texas.  Unidentified border crossers had been interred in the cemetery.  Without proper skeletal analyses and DNA samples, there was no hope for these individuals to be repatriated to their families.  The ultimate goal is identification so that loved ones can begin the processes of healing and closure.

A man supporting a woman leaning into a trench
Teamwork

The first season of excavations felt like a fever dream.  It was blisteringly hot, and proceeded at a dizzying pace.  Our team operated autonomously, as a small team embedded in the framework of the larger project.  This project was a summer course for the Baylor team.   They were there to learn how to do field work, how to properly grid and document, and how to do forensic excavations.  Eventually we were asked if we could help teach their students some of the tips and tricks we use while excavating, which we happily agreed to.  Dr. Latham’s philosophy is that life is full of “teachable moments”.  We travel to Texas to help in any way we can, and teaching has become one of our strongest contributions.

A group photo
Season 2 Excavation Team

The second season of excavations started with us in a teaching role.  The first few days were spent demonstrating proper excavation techniques to the new and eager Baylor students.  It also gave us a chance to work with all of the students more closely.  Instead of being a separate team from UIndy, we were now one big team trying to collectively meet our goal – repatriation.  My words cannot do justice to the amazing people of Baylor.  It was an honor to work with them.

The third and fourth field seasons focused on skeletal analyses at Texas State.  Excavating the remains is only step 1, the next steps are to analyze the remains, identify the individual, then return them to their loved ones.  This portion of our work does not make for the most exciting readings, but it the most critically important part of the process.  These field seasons also found us contributing in different ways, such as creating and filling water stations, volunteering at the Sacred Heart Respite Center in McAllen, and collecting family data from loved ones at Missing in Harris County Day.

This year we will be excavating with a team from Texas State.  I do not know exactly what this adventure will hold but I am excited to do my part.  Cheers to another year of awesome people and amazing work!

Justin

Looking Ahead

Reflections

With the school semester at an end and winter break upon us, I realize that there is still much I need to do in order to prepare for my first season working with the South Texas Human Rights Center and the UIndy forensics team.  Between purchasing supplies, packing my bags, and brushing up on my Spanish language skills, I have found myself entirely occupied by what lies ahead in Falfurrias. I am an anthropology student and will be working as a participant observer in order to study the work being done concerning migrant death and identification in Falfurrias, TX.  Further, my work will include assisting the forensic team with the identification process in any way I am capable and qualified to.

This trip will consist of a lot of firsts for me. It will be my first time visiting Texas and the American South in general as well as my first time travelling via airplane.  Most importantly, this will be my first real experience completing ethnographic work where I will be immersed within the inner workings of such a complex humanitarian crisis.  Unsurprisingly, the newness of such an experience is both scary and incredibly exciting.

It is always impossible to know exactly what one will be doing on any given day, but this will be especially true during the eight days I will be working in Texas.  This makes it difficult to truly mentally prepare for the tasks ahead, but this also makes me even more excited to get started.  With so many people and organizations working to assist migrants and their families in this time of crisis, I cannot even begin to fully understand what all work goes into these efforts.

I was instantly intrigued when I first heard about the University of Indianapolis’ involvement in migrant identification.  My hope for this trips is to absorb as much information about the work being completed in the area as possible.  I am excited to discover the culture and meet the people of Falfurrias, and I am so incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to be able to witness it for my own.

Sarah

Feliz año nuevo!

Reflections

The time is almost here, in just over a week i’ll be boarding an airplane with an amazing group of people to head to South Texas. It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we sat down for our first meeting and started discussing items on our agenda that, at the time, seemed so far away. I find myself having trouble putting into words how I feel or what I think the next couple of weeks are going to be like. All I can think about is how I still need to go shopping for last minute items, and making sure the animals and my partner have enough food to survive the next few weeks without me. All those things seem so minuscule and unimportant compared to what our group will be doing while we are in Texas.

While in Texas, our time will be divided up into doing excavations at the Sacred Heart Cemetery and most recently, we found out that we will be spending time at the Sacred Heart Humanitarian Respite Center, among other items on our agenda. At the center, we will be volunteering our time to assist immigrant families while they wait to be reunited with their family here in the United States. I wish I felt more prepared but I don’t think there is any real preparation one can do to make yourself feel 100% ready.

I have never experienced first hand a crisis like what has been happening in South Texas and other states along the border. What compelled me to want to participate in this humanitarian effort, is the thought of being able to give closure to families. To assist in getting these unidentified border crossers identified and then return them to their families. If I was in this position, I would like to think that someone would do the same for my loved one and my family although I cannot really understand what these families and gone and are currently going through.

As for now, I will continue procrastinating my packing and shopping for last minute items. I am actually looking forward to my first blog post after being in S. Texas for a few days. I am as ready as I can be when it comes to the amount of emotions I will be feeling and the culture shock that I will experience. Until then, cheers to the New Year and when I come home, I welcome the change that this experience will give me- just like with every new year, we strive to be different, to be better and never the same.

Jessica