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Grand Canyon Tram Scam: Notes on NBC News’ story
Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma: "These landscapes and the canyon and the confluence today are still very, very important to the Hopi people and we'll never let that go. We're not going to give up on being good stewards of these lands. Never."
by Roger Clark, Grand Canyon Program Director
Photo credit Kristen M. Caldon
Navajo President Ben Shelly sees himself “as guardian of the Navajo people and nation.” But the titular president, who was seventh-runner-up in last year’s primary election, does not have the authority to “give the developers the ‘OK’” to build Grand Canyon Escalade, as reported by NBC Nightly News.
Shelly suggests that his approval of the tourist resort and tramway to the bottom of Grand Canyon will help lead to better education and business opportunities for his people. But before the lame duck president can act, legislation must first be introduced to the Navajo Nation Council to support the scheme, which Shelly’s staff secretly negotiated with outside developers[1] during his term of office.
Navajo President Ben Shelly sees himself “as guardian of the Navajo people and nation.” But the titular president, who was seventh-runner-up in last year’s primary election, does not have the authority to “give the developers the ‘OK’” to build Grand Canyon Escalade, as reported by NBC Nightly News.
Shelly suggests that his approval of the tourist resort and tramway to the bottom of Grand Canyon will help lead to better education and business opportunities for his people. But before the lame duck president can act, legislation must first be introduced to the Navajo Nation Council to support the scheme, which Shelly’s staff secretly negotiated with outside developers[1] during his term of office.
Navajo citizens have only recently had a chance to review terms of the developer-written proposal. Local residents and grazing permit holders must first grant permission for developers to lease their land, as required by Navajo law. And then democratically elected representatives of the Navajo Nation Council must debate and approve the plan, which also requires a $65 million appropriation for roads and utilities.
“A lot of people want to go back to the old ways. You can’t go back,” Shelly replied when asked about growing opposition by his people. In reality, Shelly’s prescribed path to progress is a throwback to past, “top-down” practices, like those that imposed uranium development on Navajo communities more than a half century ago. This time, Renae Yellowhorse and many other citizens are demanding a say in their community’s economic future.
"We are for economic development," said Yellowhorse, whose family still lives and herds cattle on the remote land east of the canyon. "Just not here at this place…. It is my church, it is where I say my prayers. It is where I give my offerings. It's where I commune with the holy ones, the gods that walk along the canyon."
Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, Director for the Hopi Tribe's Cultural Preservation Office, joined Yellowhorse and otherSave the Confluence family members during the NBC interview. Hopi claims to their cultural homeland also stand squarely in the way of plans imposed by outside developers.
"These landscapes and the canyon and the confluence today are still very, very important to the Hopi people and we'll never let that go," said Kuwanwisiwma. "We're not going to give up on being good stewards of these lands. Never."
Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga agrees with Hopi leaders. He added that if the tramway is built, “it will be a travesty for the American people.”
Grand Canyon Trust’s Native America Program is committed to supporting native groups in sustaining our region’s natural and human communities. In 2012, we accepted an invitation[2] by Save the Confluence families to assist their fight against Escalade developers.[3] The Trust stands together with Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and all citizens and native people in opposing profiteers’ assault on the Grand Canyon. Once lost, our sacred spaces cannot be replaced.
KEEP THE CANYON GRAND!
[1] Six of the ten Confluence Partners are not Navajo and none live in the area proposed for development.
Scottsdale-based developer Lamar Whitmer is the managing partner.
[3] While working in support of the Confluence families to stop the project, our team is also collaborating with community groups to help craft alternative economic development strategies that would bring much-needed jobs to this area of the Navajo Nation without threatening national park resources, sacred sites, or traditional culture. This community-based effort is a public process that continues as Escalade developers pursue private agreements between powerful allies who stand to profit from the proposed project. Please see:http://www.grandcanyontrust.org/news/2014/05/save-confluence-coalition-hopes-halt-escalade-development-project/
Save the Confluence Coalition Leads Alternative Economic Development Planning
Escalade Partners
The Escalade project continues to occupy the minds of many families wanting to save their sacred area, the land where many generations settled to raise livestock and live a peaceful existence. The development group continues to push the project forward in an attempt to get major approvals completed before the August 2014 elections for tribal president. To compound the issues, several candidates have expressed their support for the project. The campaign manager and current chief of staff for President Ben Shelly has been the main champion for the project. We expect the project to be presented at the July Summer session of the Council in some form.
The Trust continues to assist the families, organized as the Save the Confluence Coalition, with their campaign to raise awareness among the Navajo Nation, ranging from the nearby chapters to the Navajo Nation Council.
While helping the Confluence families stop the project, our team also has worked very hard to help craft alternative economic development strategies and recently formed the Navajo Nations first inter community owned Social Entrepreneurship Venture. This is a landmark move for the Grand Canyon Trust as it means that we will work with 7 communities, including Cameron, Bodoway Gap, Leupp, Coalmine Mesa and others to initiate major projects ranging from working towards a stronger Navajo Nation Parks system, helping launch a social entrepreneurship venture that will assist its community members to plan for, secure investment, and incubate local tourism ventures, meat and farm producing processing centers, create businesses to service the Twin Arrows Casino, and create major hub projects such as sustainable destination resorts. The important aspect of this initiative is that it offers the opportunity to create permanent solutions to ensure the peoples of the Confluence and nearby communities create the acumen and momentum towards economic self sufficiency. The work is just beginning and we will update you on some of the unique solutions and ventures that get created in the coming months.
* GRAND CANYON TRAM ZWENDEL: NOTITIES BIJ HET NIEUWSVERHAAL OP NBC
Leigh J.Kuwanwisiwma: “ Deze landschappen en de samenvloeiing zijn nog steeds heel, heel belangrijk voor het Hopi volk en dat zullen we nooit loslaten. Wij zullen nooit ophouden om goede rentmeesters van deze gronden te zijn. Nooit!”
Door Roger Clark, Grand Canyon Program Director
Bron: Censored News: www.bsnorell.blogspot.com
Vertaald door NAIS: www.denaisgazet.be
De Navajo President Ben Shelley ziet zichzelf als “de hoeder van het Navajo volk.” Maar de titulaire president, die zevende opvolger was in de voorverkiezingen van verleden jaar, is niet bevoegd om de projectontwikkelaars van Grand Canyon Escalade groen licht te geven, zoals vermeld werd door NBC Nightly News.
Shelley suggereert dat zijn goedkeuring voor het vakantieverblijf en de tram naar de bodem van de Grand Canyon, zal leiden naar betere opleidingen en zakelijke mogelijkheden voor zijn volk.
Maar voor de ‘lame Duck’ president in actie kan treden, moet eerst het wetsvoorstel ingediend worden bij de Navajo Nation Council om het project scheme, dat Shelley’s staf in het geheim overeengekomen is met ontwikkelaars van buitenaf, te ondersteunen. (1)
De Navajo’s hebben nog maar onlangs de kans gekregen om het voorgestelde ontwikkelingsplan te bekijken.
De Navajo wet zegt dat lokale inwoners en houders van graasvergunningen de ontwikkelaars eerst nog de toelating moeten verlenen om hun land te verhuren.
En dan moeten de democratisch verkozen vertegenwoordigers van de Navajo Nation Council het plan nog goedkeuren, dat ook nog eens $65 miljoen toewijzing vereist voor wegen en nutsvoorzieningen.
“ Vele onder ons willen terugkeren naar de oude levenswijze. Wel je kan niet terugkeren,” dat was wat Shelley antwoordde toen men hem vragen stelde over de groeiende oppositie bij zijn volk.
De realiteit is echter dat het door Shelley beschreven pad naar de vooruitgang een terugkeer is naar praktijken ‘van de top,’ zonder de basis daar in te kennen, net zoals een halve eeuw geleden uraniumontwikkeling opgedrongen werd aan Navajo gemeenschappen.
Maar nu eisen Renae Yellowhorse en vele anderen zeggenschap over hun economische toekomst.
“ Wij zijn helemaal voor economische ontwikkeling,” zei Yellowhorse, wiens familie nog steeds leeft en schapen hoeden op het afgelegen land aan de oostkant van de Canyon.
“Maar niet hier op deze plaats....het is mijn kerk, het is de plaats waar ik mijn gebeden zeg. Het is de plaats waar ik offer. Het is de plaats waar ik communiceer met de goden die langs de canyon dwalen.”
Leigh J.Kuwanwisiwma, directeur van de Hopi Tribe’s Cultural Preservation Office, voegde zich bij Yellowhorse en andere Save the Confluence familieleden tijdens het NBC interview.
Hopi’s aanspraak op hun cultureel thuisland staat ook vierkant in de weg van de opdringerige plannen van de ontwikkelaars.
“ Deze landschappen en de samenvloeiing zijn nog steeds heel, heel belangrijk voor het Hopi volk en dat zullen we nooit loslaten. Wij zullen nooit ophouden om goede rentmeesters van deze gronden te zijn. Nooit!”
Hoofdopzichter van het ‘Grand Canyon National Park’, Dave Uberuaga is het helemaal eens met de Hopi leiders. Hij voegde er nog aan toe dat indien de tramweg gebouwd zou worden het een “tragedie zal zijn voor het Amerikaanse volk.”
Het Native America Program van de Grand Canyon Trust steunt de Native groepen in hun strijd voor de duurzaamheid van de natuurlijke en menselijke gemeenschappen in de regio.
“In 2012 hebben wij de uitnodiging (2) van Save the Confluence families aangenomen om de families te ondersteunen in hun strijd tegen Escalade ontwikkelaars. (3)
De Trust staat samen op met Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, en alle mensen en inheemsen tegen de aanvallen op de Grand Canyon door de woekeraars.
Wanneer onze sacrale plaatsen verloren gaan kunnen ze nooit meer vervangen worden.
Keep the Canyon Grand.
(1) Zes van de tien Confluence Partners zijn geen Navajo en geen enkele woont in het gebied van de geplande ontwikkeling.
(2) http://www.grandcanyontrust.org/news/2012/10/grand-canyon-trust-to-support-protect-the-confluence-coalition-efforts/
(3) Terwijl we samen werken met de Confluence families om het project tegen te houden, werkt ons team ook samen met gemeenschapgroepen aan strategieën voor ambachtelijke alternatieve economische ontwikkeling die de zo nodige jobs naar dit gebied van het Navajo volk kan brengen zonder de grondstoffen, sacrale sites, of traditionele cultuur in gevaar te brengen.
Lees meer (Engels):Save the Confluence Coalition Leads Alternative Economic Development Planning
Thanks to Alice Holemans, NAIS, for Dutch translation!
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