Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Elder Abuse by Pechanga?

Paulina Hunter's blog asks the question whether the Pechanga Bands disenrollment of their seniors constitute elder abuse? They have lost their medical care that they qualified for as members. And many were given so little notice, they couldn't get uninterupted coverage. The tribe wouldn't even allow COBRA.

There were over 50 Elders (Silver Feathers) forcibly removed from the tribe including those that have lived on the reservation for over 50 years. Does the AARP know about this? Who stands for the elders who suffered the termination of their cultural heritage.

Pechanga forgets that their most vaunted Silver Feather, Antonio Ashman knew Paulina Hunter as Pechanga when they both were on the reservation (pre 1895)

From their own website: The location is now near the west end of Loma Linda Road on the Temecula Creek Golf-course's fairway. The late Antonio Ashman, a vaunted Pechanga Tribal member born three years after the eviction recounted how the eviction-trek ended: "They just dumped them here"— pointing to a low hill near the golf-course. "Just dumped them!"

This means he was born in 1878 and was old enough at 20 to know Paulina Hunter when she was alive. Again,

Pechanga Council, you have shamed the memory of the elders who suffered and triumphed together in the 1870's.

No comments: