By Stuart Crane
On a recent weekend, I had the serendipity and privilege of seeing this bedrock mortar and numerous other mortars and artifacts across the site. Early Texans have lived here for more than 20 times the length of time the US has been in existence.
None of you or your children will ever see it.
Energy Transfer Partners, owned by Kelcy Warren, will destroy it in a few days as they run the Trans Pecos Pipeline through it. Mexico does not need the natural gas it will carry. Two other pipelines nearing completion carry more gas than all of Mexico's residential and commercial needs in 2028, even supposing Mexico retrofits coal plants as scheduled. However, once the gas is exported US prices to consumers can escalate to prices paid overseas.
ETP/TPP's own archeologist, in examining the route, identified the site as being one of the best preserved sites of this complexity they had seen and recommended they divert around it.
The pipeline company refused to divert despite the fact it would lead to little additional cost. They have taken over 40 local landowners (most of whom note bad faith negotiations and minimal warning about legal proceedings) to court. Texas currently allows the use of eminent domain through your land for any pipeline even if it is for private gain.
Numerous rallies have occurred over another ETP project, the Dakota Access Pipeline. If I am not there in person, I am with them in spirit, as will the local archeologists, landowners and residents who are filled with anger and grief over the senseless destruction of a vital link to our past.
We spent the sunset hour conducting a peaceful ceremony on the site. Ten of us sat in a circle, asking for a blessing, forgiveness and help. After gathering some gifts for our Mother, the Earth (mostly plants and seeds) we dug a hole nearby to cover them. Alyce Santorum brought most of the gifts - strangely enough, the unmarked parcel I opened from her bag contained coriander seeds. The previous afternoon Dr. Ian Pettie had engaged in a discussion with a visiting BBC documentary producer... on coriander, and its impact on different cultures from far away which was still very fresh on my mind. For better or worse, I began to connect more strongly to the place. I wandered away from the group when we finished, and about 50 yards away I found the metal remains of a hoe which looked to be 100 years old or so. Archeologist David Keller had not brought an implement from his truck to bury the gifts so he used the hoe, then asked me to return it to where I found it. I will remember gently laying it back on that rhyolite bedrock long after the dozers roll over it.
