Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson: Beautiful Spanish colonial church called the White Dove of the Desert. But beneath its floor lie Tohono O'odham ancestors and the foundation of a sacred site that existed centuries before Spain arrived. Built in 1780s-1790s on O'odham land by O'odham labor to replace Indigenous spiritual practices with Catholicism. The O'odham never left. Today, they own the land, maintain the building, and gather for annual festivals. Not Spain's church—O'odham space recl
1:31
Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson: Beautiful Spanish colonial church called the White Dove of the Desert. But beneath its floor lie Tohono O'odham ancestors and the foundation of a sacred site that existed centuries before Spain arrived. Built in 1780s-1790s on O'odham land by O'odham labor to replace Indigenous spiritual practices with Catholicism. The O'odham never left. Today, they own the land, maintain the building, and gather for annual festivals. Not Spain's church—O'odham space recl
31.4K views9 months ago
FacebookVoices of the Desert
See more
Static thumbnail place holder