GRAND CANYON — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland promised to meet with tribal leaders at the Grand Canyon on May 20 and visit the proposed Burj Nwabjo Ita Kukuveni Grand Canyon National Monument. accomplished. During his visit, Mr. Harland inspected the area where the plan was proposed. Hear from the tribe about years of efforts to strengthen the protection of the monument and to permanently protect their homeland and sacred sites north and south of the canyon.
In April, the Grand Including Leadership Representatives of the Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Kaibab Paiute, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Band, Moapa Paiute Tribe Band, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, Sun The Canyon Tribes Confederacy was formed. The Southern Juan Paiute, Yavapai Apache, Zuni Pueblo, and Colorado River Indian tribes have declared 1.1 million acres of their homeland (now federal public land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park) to President Biden. They started asking for it to be designated as a monument.
The Secretary’s visit is a strong signal that the Biden administration is taking the proposal seriously.
Powerful Words from Tribal Leaders
Many tribes maintain strong ties to the Grand Canyon region and continue to live, visit, and carry on important cultural practices to this day. Tribal leaders shared these connections with Secretary Harland and their desire to protect their homeland.
The areas proposed for monument protection are living cultural landscapes used by tribes for hunting, food and firewood gathering, medicinal, cultural and ceremonial activities. There are also thousands of archaeological and cultural sites, as well as trails, streams, and precious high desert springs and springs of cultural significance.
The Baji Nwabujo Ita Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument honors the tribes by preserving their ancestral lands under the Antiquities Act of 1906, an act that was signed by 18 U.S. presidents. (9 Democrats, 9 Republicans) have used it to designate or expand national monuments. Protect natural and cultural resources. All land proposed for monument protection is already federal public land. States, tribes, and private lands are not included in monuments.
“The Grand Canyon and surrounding areas reflect the beauty of our outdoor spaces and the importance of preserving them for future generations,” Harland tweeted after the visit.
Havasupai Tribal Councilor Carletta Tiluci was present at the meeting with Harland and commended her visit.
“I think all the tribal leaders felt encouraged that there was finally someone listening to the voices of the tribes in Arizona,” she said.
Ongoing public dialogue
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Secretary’s visit is part of ongoing federal efforts and public dialogue related to the proposal.
The Biden administration has been committed to increasing tribal participation in the management and care of federal public lands and waters of cultural significance to Indigenous peoples, as arguably is the land and waters around the Grand Canyon.
“Our home is still in the Grand Canyon…we know this place very well,” Havasupai Tribe Vice President Edmund Tiluci told reporters at a press conference announcing the memorial proposal in April. rice field. “As guardians of the Grand Canyon, we have a duty not only to our ancestors, but also to our children and future generations.”
Mr. Tirusi explained the importance of preserving the Grand Canyon area.
“The Havasupai Tribe, in exercising its executive powers over the President of the United States, has established the Burj Nwabjo Ita Kukuveni Grand Canyon National Monument to ensure that the majestic area of the Grand Canyon region is protected and preserved for all generations. I humbly ask you to establish a memorial. Come,” he said.
Mr. Harland’s visit seems to have brought the tribe one step closer to making that wish a reality.
