It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of a great young man, known by his Quechan name,"Mucaw". Just 21 years old, Mucaw tragically lost his life last week. For most of his young life, Mucaw was apprentice to his grandfather, Preston Arrow-weed, tribal elder of the Quechan Tribe, based on the Fort Yuma-Quechan Reservation. Together, Mucaw and Preston have strongly advocated for protection of sacred lands in Imperial County, including many lands that are now the subject of administrative and legislative protection under the state parks system and the BLM. Many more of these sacred lands are at great peril of destruction, including those affected by the Quechan's own casino/resort project near Yuma. Mucaw was a faithful carrier of the tribal traditions and customs imparted to him by his grandfather. Mucaw appeared in the recently-released movie, "
Journey From Spirit Mountain" (view trailer posted on the Yuma Sun site), in which he received the ceremonial rattle from his grandfather, Preston, as a symbol of the passing of tradition to future generations. It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to Mucaw, and it is with a profound sense of love and admiration that we extend our sympathies to Preston Arrow-weed and Helena Quintana, who were such an important part of Mucaw's short life -- and in the long tradition of the Quechan people.
The circumstances surrounding Mucaw's death are currently being investigated, as described in this article in the Yuma Sun:
Quechan mourners take spirit walk for youg leader
