"Growing Up Chicana in Morenci, AZ"

1. Central Arizona Community College
Coolidge, AZ
September 26, 2012

2. Poem:
“Who Am I?”
by
Elena Díaz Bjorkquist ©2011

3. Morenci, Arizona
Morenci is 174 miles It’s near Clifton
northeast of Tucson

5. Morenci in early 1900’s

6. Miners working in underground mine

7. 1964
Most Chicanos were Catholic
and attended this church
1914
Holy Cross Catholic Church

8. Morenci in the late 60’s

9. Royal Theater and Shopping Center

10. Shopping Center and Smokestack

11. Same view 1987

12. Close up of same view

13. Same view in 1990’s

14. Open Pit Mine in the 60’s

15. Open Pit Mine 1987

16. 1967
1987

17. Morenci Pit 2000

18. NEW MORENCI – FORMERLY PLANTSITE

19. Chicanas de Morenci

20. Poem
“Standing on the Shoulders of My
Maternal Ancestors”
by
Elena Díaz Bjorkquist ©2011
“If I stand tall it is because I stand on the shoulders of my
ancestors.”
Yoruba Proverb

21. I, Elena Díaz Bjorkquist born in
Morenci, Arizona stand on the shoulders of
...
Natividad Díaz Herrera born in El
Paso, Texas who stands on the shoulders
of . . .
Teresa Limón Díaz born in
Teocaltiche, Jalisco who stands on
the shoulders of . . .
Josefa Cruz Limón born in
Teocaltiche, Jalisco who stands
on the shoulders of . . .

22. the unknown madre who I stand on their
came shoulders,
before, her name lost looking down at these
in the mist of time, wars, and beautiful madres.
conquest, I feel their strength
who stands on the shoulders of radiate up
a long line of nantin, as they support me,
the mothers know their sacrifices,
from the ancient tribes of their joys.
Mexico, I am who I am
Aztecas, Chichimecas, because of them.
Toltecas, Huachichiles,
Zacatecas, and Tecuexes.
Nantin who lived in that
part of Mexico known
as the “place of the temple.”

23. Natividad Díaz Herrera

24. Natividad Díaz Herrera
I was born in El
Paso, Texas on
December 24,
1921.
Mi familia.

25. Natividad Díaz Herrera
. . . everything was done at my
mom's. My mom made the food and
of course mole.

26. Natividad Díaz Herrera
For entertainment we
loved to go to the
movies. We went to
every movie that came
to town.

27. Natividad Díaz Herrera
Childhood
Miners at entrance of Longfellow Mine

28. María Manelli Ponce

29. María Manelli Ponce
We went dancing. You
know over there en El
Imperio? They used to
make dances.

30. María Manelli Ponce
I used to be neighbors with my husband.
We used to play together. I was four years
older than he.

31. María Manelli Ponce
Family Life
Morenci Houses

32. Josephine Martinez Granado

33. Josephine Martinez Granado
My mother was
Carlotta Limón
Martinez and my
father, Isidro
Martinez. They were
both from Jalisco,
Mexico but they met in
Morenci. My mother
was fourteen.

34. Josephine Martinez Granado
Of course we would go to
Mass and to the Rosary.
We were very devout
people, very Catholic
devout people.

35. Josephine Martinez Granado
My mother had six children. My brother
Santiago; I was next in line, and then
there was Isidro and Ernesto and Samuel
and Sara.”

36. Josephine Martinez Granado
The Depression
“There was a deportation during the
Depression where Mexicanos were sent
back to Mexico.”

37. Eduvigen Navarette Hernandez

38. Eduvigen Navarette Hernandez
I was born on October 21, 1918 in Eagle Creek,
about seven miles from the pump going down
from Morenci.

39. Eduvigen Navarette Hernandez
Every year there [on the ranch] my
father made jaripeos (rodeos).

40. Eduvigen Navarette Hernandez
Work Experience
I worked at the Copper Kettle and
then later I went to the
Longfellow Inn.

41. Emma Ruiz Pando

42. Emma Ruiz Pando
I was born May 31,
1915 in la Cuidad de
Chihuahua, Mexico.

43. Emma Ruiz Pando
My mother and my father brought me to Metcalf
when I was six months old. We moved to Morenci
in 1934 when the company closed Metcalf.

44. Emma Ruiz Pando
Married Life
Emma & Leo
Pando
July 1944

45. Josephine Díaz Todd

46. Josephine Díaz Todd
I was born August the
27th, 1924 in Morenci. My
parents were Teresa
Limón Díaz and
Wenseslado Díaz. They
came from Mexico.
Jalisco. We lived up in AC
Hill.

47. Josephine Díaz Todd
I met Donald Todd in a
carnival in Morenci. I just
thought he was for me and
I was for him.

48. Josephine Díaz Todd
Community Life

49. Reading:
“Mama Carmela”
an excerpt from Our Spirit, Our Reality
by
Elena Díaz Bjorkquist

50. Growing Up in Morenci gave me Values
that make me who I am today:
 Love of family – extended to love of community
 Courage to stand up for my rights and the rights of
others
 Patience and perseverance
A strong work ethic and a sense of commitment
 Honesty and Pride
 Hope for a better future
 Sharing what I have or know

51. Poem
“Writing as Salvation”
by
Elena Díaz Bjorkquist

52. Writing as Salvation
I write for salvation. I write to help me heal.
Writing lets me find myself — Writing gives me
to go back to my childhood A better understanding
explore who I was, of myself, my health,
where I’ve been. and relationships.
I write to share the lives I write so that others
of Chicanos won’t have to listen
in an Arizona town to complaints about
swallowed up my physical
by a copper mine. or emotional pain.
I write true stories I write for its rewards.
as fiction Writing is my passion.
based upon my life, Writing is my salvation.
the lives of my family, Writing lets me know
friends in Morenci. I’m alive.

53. Special thanks to Kurt Bjorkquist for scanning the photos