A deeply significant Reburial Ceremony for seven Ancestors of La Junta will take place on Saturday, November 1, at 9:00 a.m. at the Cementerio del Barrio de los Lipanes in Presidio. The event is open to the public, with a community reception to follow at the American Legion.
Organized by People of La Junta for Preservation, the ceremony represents the culmination of years of advocacy to bring ancestral remains home to their rightful resting place. For generations, remains of local ancestors were taken from their homeland by archaeologists and collectors and housed in distant institutions.
The Council of the People of La Junta, the traditional governing body of the descendants, partnered with People of La Junta for Preservation, an Indigenous nonprofit led by the Aguilar and Ornelas families, to lead the effort. Many local families also participated in DNA studies confirming direct lineage, allowing for the reclamation and return of the remains.
“This reburial is a profound act of love and responsibility,” said Melanie Hernandez, Executive Director of People of La Junta for Preservation. “For too long, the remains of our people were removed and studied without consent. By bringing them back to Presidio, we honor their lives, restore their dignity, and heal an open wound in our community.”
The event is part of a broader effort to restore and preserve La Junta, one of North America’s oldest continuously inhabited and cultivated regions. It highlights the resilience of Indigenous families who have protected their heritage through generations of displacement and marginalization.
The restoration of the Cementerio del Barrio de los Lipanes has been made possible through the support of the Big Bend Conservation Alliance, the Mellon Foundation, and People of La Junta for Preservation.
📍 Cementerio del Barrio de los Lipanes — Corner of Market and Barton Streets, Presidio, Texas
☕ Reception to follow at the American Legion
