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Navajos reiterate sacred-site co"nc'e'r"n's00to fe"ds
IY NOEL LYN SMITH
NAvo TMES
i
i WINDOW ROCK - About 40
ople gathered here to deliver a
message to the U.S. Forest Service
On increasing the protection of
i
sacred sites.
In a March i4 listening session
sonsored by the Forest Service
sometimes a problem, and that
more needs to be done to help the
public understand what sacred sites
mean to tribes.
The Window Rock event was
one of three listening sessions held
this week on the Navajo Nation.
Theothers took place at Coalmine
Canyon and Shiprock chapters.
"As a non-Indian, its important
and the U.S. Department 'of that I do my best to understand
Agriculture's Office of Tribal how the things that are sacred to
Relations, Din6 medicine men and you that are in our stewardship, our
Rights Commission, presented
the commission's stance on sacred
sites, particularly two of the four
sacred mountains that are under
current threat from proposed
development; Dook'o'ooslffd
(San Francisco Peaks) and Tsoodzil
(Mount Taylor).
Federal laws like the American
Indian Religious Freedom Act
should have protected both
mountains, he said.
"It is unacceptable that a
Other concerned peopie:sd more
heeds to be done to protect sacred
sites.
They also told the officials access
to sacred sites for ceremonial plant
gathering or to leave offerings is
responsibilities that we take care of nation that proclaims to be the
the-m in the right way," said Corbin world's advocate on protecting
Newman, regional forester With the human rights has objected to the
Southwestern Regional Office. recognition of indigenous human
Steve Darden, a commissioner rights and implements laws and
with the Navajo Nation Human policies that diminishes our rights,"
Defense is key
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Darden said.
He noted his own moving
experience traveling near each of
the four "mountains held sacred
by Navajos - Dook'o'ooslffd,
Tsoodzil, Dib6 Nitsaa (Mount
Hesperus) and Sisnaajin£ (Mount
Blanca).
"I was telling my brother and
fellow commissioners, 'I don't get
to witness that everyday,'" Darden
said.
Preventing the further desecration
of Tsoodzil and Dook'o'ooslffd
was on a number of people's minds
throughout the session.
Norman Patrick Brown, a
founder of Din6 Bidziil Coalition,
suggested USDA officials should
press for an executive order from
President Obama to ban uranium
mining on Tsoodzil and artificial
snowmaldng on Dook'o'ooslffd.
Brown supported the move to
close Tsoodzil to further uranium
mining, which began in the 1980s
and gained strength three years ago
when the mountain was listed on
the New Mexico State Register of
Cultural Properties,
It was a victory, Brown said, but
now is threatened by repeal. He
wants the Forest Service to work
with the tribes to fight repeal of the
listing.
Brown also urged easier access
for traditional practitioners to
gather herbs and plants on Forest
Service lands.
"We want complete access
without any impediment. We
deserve that, I think we earned
that," Brown said.
Anthony Lee, a member of the
Din6 Hataali Association, said he
has experienced difficulty getting
a permit to access certain areas on
the San Francisco Peaks and on
Forest Service lands near Cortez,
Colo.
He also explained that importance
of the four sacred mountains to
Din6 life.
"These mountains are
representative of our physical
makeup," Lee said.
The white peaks of Sisnaajini'
iepresents bone, the blue associated
with Tsoodzil means blood, the
yellow of Dobk'o'0oslfid reflects
the organs, and the black of Dib6
Nitsaa represents hair, he said.
"They are the four elements that
makes life possible," Lee said.
"If one is desecrated, abused,
threatened certainly it's going
to have a tremendous amount of
negative impact on our livelihood.
This is what we're talking about."
Lee warned that based ori past
experience, many people think the
listening sessions are useless.
"What's the outcome going to
be? Are they really going to do
something about our concerns?
This is the thinking of the Din6
people." Lee said.
In a joint statement, the Din6
Hataali Association, the Din6
Medicine Men Association and
Azee' Bee Nahagha' of the Din6
Nation stated that the sessions
were conducted without consulting
the Navajo Nation and without
adequate notice to the public.
The .three groups urged both
the Forest Service and the Office
of Tribal Relations to schedule
more sessions in more Native
communities.
For years, tribal leaders,
tribal members and traditional
practitioners have yoieed their
concerns with both agenei about
the need to proct sae sites.
In response, the Forest Service is
reviewing existing laws, gulations
and procedures governing sacred
sites.
The goal is to integrate that
protection with its Other policies
to sustain health, diversity and
productivity of the nation's forests
and grasslands.
The agencies are expected to
issue final report, along with
recommendations; by November.
Send written Dan Meza,
Tribal Relations, U,S, Forest
Seice, Southwestern Region,
333 BroadwaySE, Albuquerque,
NM 87102, or via e-mail
TribalS acredSites @ fs.fed.Us.
Information: wWw:fs .fed .us/spf/
tribalrelations/sacredsites ahtml