Chili Yazzie 'Relationship to Land Concepts: Who owns the land?'

Shiprock circa 1914

Relationship to Land Concepts

By Duane 'Chili' Yazzie

Censored News

There are two concepts of relationship to land, one is the belief that one can own the land, by whatever rationale, with a piece of paper to ‘prove’ land ownership. Land deeds, permits and leases are based on american law. 

The roots of Navajo government and the laws that talk about land relationship stem to 1923 when the federal government imposed a foreign way of governance on us with strange ideas of land ownership. The new government was formed, so a lease could be given to an oilman to develop oil in the Shiprock area. We did not consent to be governed by this foreign system; it was forced on us.  

American Indian Airwaves: Listen to Nuclear Colonialism Series

                                                     Dine' Leona Morgan Photo by Jake Hoyungowa

American Indian Airwaves: Listen to Nuclear Colonialism Series

Listen live this week on American Indian Airwaves and to Parts I and II on Soundcloud

By Larry Smith (Lumbee)
Co-host/Producer of American Indian Airwaves
Censored News

Nuclear Colonialism with Leona Morgan (Dine’ Nation) is a three-part interview broadcast over three consecutive episodes. The series focuses on our guest’s community work since 2007, which includes combating many aspects of nuclear colonialism.

Our guest not only helped prevent the construction of a new ISL (in situ leach) uranium mine in Eastern Navajo but also, has and continues to raise awareness about the extreme dangers of transporting high-level radioactive waste material by highway and railroad nearby and through “Indian Country,” along with the negative legacy of uranium mining and its unresolved impacts on the Dine’ & other Indigenous peoples.

Phoenix: Heard Museum Harboring O'otham and O'odham Remains

While promoting itself as the premiere showcase of American Indian Art, the Heard Museum in Phoenix has harbored the remains of Native ancestors, and one of its board members has worked for the most protested companies in Indian country, violating human rights and sacred places

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
January 27, 2023
Spanish translation by Lise Bouzidi
Translation French Christine Prat

https://chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=7645

PHOENIX -- The Heard Museum, promoted as a premiere showcase of American Indian Art, harbored remains of Native People, including local O'otham and O'odham, nearby Hopi, and ancestors from as far away as Oklahoma.

The Heard Museum has not made thirteen of the ancestors available for return. Only 46 percent of the 200 funeral objects that the Heard has are available for return to the tribes, according to new data released by ProPublica and NBC News.

Meanwhile, one of Heard's board members has spent his life working for the most protested energy companies in Indian country. These corporations were responsible for the widespread devastation of sacred places and the water, and human rights violations resulting in relocation and misery.

Genocide at Blue Quills School at Saddle Lake

Blue Quills Residential School operated by Catholic Church until 1970.

Genocide at Blue Quills School at Saddle Lake

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

Trauma alert. Genocide.

Children were murdered at Blue Quills Residential School in eastern Alberta, by the Catholic staff pushing them down stairs and feeding them poisonous raw milk, contaminated with bovine tuberculosis.

Leah Redcrow said, "I myself didn't know that my grandfather had 10 siblings die in this school."