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Black Mesa Indigenous Support

P.O. Box 23501, Flagstaff, Arizona 86002
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"Dineh Gathering Gives Navajo Leader More Then An Ear Full"

Big Mountain, Black Mesa. The Sovereign Dineh communities of Red Willow and Cactus Valley hosted a meeting where tribal officials were invited. Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley was able to attend this meeting with "HPL" resistors and residents. Numerous tribal council members were in attendance, as well as independent attorneys for Dineh resistors. A good number of traditional elders from local and regional areas were present, and this showed an adequate representation of remaining resistors from throughout the 900,000 acres partitioned by the U.S. government back in 1977.

Kee Watchman a Red Willow Springs resident and organizer of the gathering states that these elders who made testimony before the tribal officials and other guests showed a strong will for continued residency and to resist the relocation policies.

Elders were in solidarity to verify that the harsh relocation policies are still taken a toll on their daily lives and on the future for the coming generations. "It is not that we make up stories about our suffering, just look at us or live with us for a week and you shall see how much suffering we go through each day just to resist and hold on to our ancestral lands," one elder testimony stated. Another elder told the tribal officials, "we have been resisting, doing protest marches, confronting BIA Law Enforcement operations, traveling to Washington D.C. and abroad, but our suffering under these relocation policies are still unchanged." Another elder added, "You, Mr. President, like all other tribal leaders before they used us, resistors or our issues, for your campaign and now you have been elected. So, are we to expect the realization of your promises about what you said you would do for us?"

Other resistors presented issues of concerns for the surrounding vacant lands as result of forcible relocation. And that these territories should be reclaimed by current generation of youth whose parents or grandparents relocated while they, the youth, were never compensated. Elders have just recently questioned all the years of resistance when it had been stated that "those resistance were in the name of the youth," and why no further attempts are being made to inform the youth about this. This was one issue that the elders stressed to all those that were gathered.

Environmental concerns were brought up by some elders. It was reaffirmed that the communities were still in opposition to Peabody Western Coal Company's continued desecration of the Earth. A couple of elders expressed the community concerns about fire wood collections methods use by the hundreds of wood haulers and that they are destroying new tree growth. "The BIA Hopi Range Technicians and Police say they are protecting the woodlands but they only look for people to charge with unauthorized wood hauling, and they don't care about the destruction caused by too many wood-hauling trails and littering," one local resident said.

Watchman informed the tribal officials that the Hopi tribal government should be recognized for taken part in the inhumane relocation policies. An outstanding example is how they approach the Accommodation Agreement policy. The Hopi government have practiced 'divide and conquer, like policy' by making it known that they will only work with the "75-year Lease Holders." These practices have divided the people further, and this is obviously a violation of International Human Rights policies. Watchman further explained, "It is a deliberate practice of segregation to give privilege to a portion of a homogenous community and at the same time, deny the other segment the use of their ancestral region/home sites." The Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation Commission (NHIRC) is still offering benefits for those resistors who might still accept relocation. Watchman says that the Dineh resistors feel this is a waste of (American) tax-dollars and that those monies should be directed towards the rehabilitation of (HPL) Dineh culture and that includes the potential resettlement by the youth who are still entitled to those ancestral areas.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley addressed the gathered local residents and residents from surrounding traditional communities. President Shirley informed that he has had several meetings with Hopi Tribal Chairman, Wayne Taylor, and in those meetings, he has heard from a more humanly-concerned Hopi chairman. "The Hopi chairman expressed a better sense towards the (Navajo)-Hopi history of inter-tribalism and the intricate connections through intermarriage which has made him realize that, 'we are not only neighbors but relatives,'" the Presidents told the resistors and their guests. The Hopi Chairman has furthered expressed a need to seek resolution of reconciliation with the Dineh resistors and that, he does recognize that the relocation laws of 1974 has appeared to be harsh for any human being.

President Shirley tried to reassure to the gathering at Clarence Black Rock's resident that there is hope with this realization of the Hopi government, and that he will consider all the legitimate testimonies and concerns shared by all presenters at the November 8th meeting. Also, that he personally values the causes of the resistors of the Big Mountain regions, and he will continue to maintain a better dialogue with the Hopi tribal government.

The Dineh resistors are currently drafting up a Resolution which will be an attempt to make the Navajo Nation government address these various issues outlined from this recent meeting, and it will strongly emphasize reaching out to and encouraging the youths to become interested in reclaiming ancestral lands. The next meeting in the Cactus Valley community is set for November 25th to review and finalize the Resolution.

An On-Land, Non-Indian supporter had expressed concerns for vacant home sites left by former resistors, and one in particular is the Roberta Blackgoat home site at Thin Rock Mesa. Owen Johnson reported that the BIA-Hopi Range Technicians are heavily monitoring the Blackgoat home site, and there could be plans to demolish the late resistance leader's home. The Navajo Nation President was informed about this, as well and to show him, the meaning of what "daily suffering and resisting" is all about. Thus, the President needs to convey these concerns to Hopi Tribal chairman about all the intentions of destroying abandoned or vacant home sites.

Non-Indian and international support is still important to the survival of the land-based, traditional Dineh resistors. Supporters are still asked to continue the fight to save our Earth and its indigenous peoples by writing U.S. congressional legislators and the tribal governments. Letter and petitions should be informing these agencies and its representatives about the continuing genocide, injustices, environmental devastation, and violations of human rights in northeastern Arizona.