Seriland, Sonora, Mexico. Here I encountered Antonio Robles, chief of the Seri Indians (who refer to themselves as Comcáac).
The Seri were recently featured in National Geographic Magazine, in an article about the world’s dying languages. And Robles was later featured in a New Yorker article about his work in the face of severe loss of indigenous culture in Mexico. I saw this firsthand when Robles took us to the only school in his village. The only book denoting the Seri language was a children’s vocabulary book that translated nouns into Spanish. There was only one copy.
Robles told us about the mysterious Tiberón Island in his rugged Spanish. The island is Mexico's largest, and completely owned by the Seri. It’s uninhabited today, but Antonio’s mother once lived there, hiding from the Mexican army that wanted to kill off the tribe.
When we visited the island, it was as still as a photograph. We interviewed Antonio there. He performed sacred songs. As he finished, the wind kicked up – it became the single windiest day I’ve ever experienced. Sand whipping into the eyes. It was a hot, dry wind. It felt like the spirits had been stirred and were angry, as though permission had been denied. I’ll never forget the feeling I had on the boat back to the mainland. A feeling like I’d overstayed my welcome.