Tribe may reclaim Canyon de Chelly
By Jason Begay
Navajo Times
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(Times photo - Donovan Quintero)
Horseback riders make their way into the mouth of Canyon de Chelley Tuesday in Chinle.
In a resolution making its way through council committees, the Navajo Nation looks to revisit a nearly 80-year-old agreement with the U.S. government, which gave the feds managing control over Canyon de Chelly.
"This legislation is very simple," said George Arthur (Burnham/San Juan/Nenanezad), the bill's co-sponsor who presented the issue to the Intergovernmental Relations Committee Monday. "But it has a very aggressive position."
The tribe would like to take over control of the 25-mile canyon.
The bill would repeal an agreement made between the Navajo Nation and the United States in a council meeting held at Ft. Wingate, N.M., on July 8, 1930. That agreement gave all rights of the canyon to the Navajo Nation but asked the federal government to maintain the site, which it has through the National Park Service.
"At the time, the Navajo Nation believed because of the uniqueness of the location and its artifacts and ruins, the canyon needed protection," Arthur said. "They didn't think they had the expertise at the time."
If the council passes the bill, which will likely come up for vote during the fall session in October, the tribal legislature would effectively declare that times have changed.
"It is demonstrably clear that the Navajo Nation has the capacity and competence to effectively assume responsibility for the full administration," of the canyon, the bill states.
Taking over the site would be central to the tribe's "sovereign integrity, self determination and economic development," it states.
If passed, the bill would allow the tribe to ask the U.S. Congress to sponsor and pass its own bill granting full administrative control of the canyon to the Navajo Nation. Such control would include all necessary federal funding currently granted to the National Park Service.
Tom Clark, Canyon de Chelly National Monument superintendent, said his office receives more than $1.8 million annually to administer the 83,000-acre site and hires up to 25 employees during the peak season.
In accordance with the 1930 legislation, the NPS is in charge of finding, identifying and protecting the archeological resources in the canyon. The department also provides visitor services and facilities.
Among the monument's staff are archeologists who identify sites and artifacts and resources within the canyon. They also monitor such sites to determine their condition and ensure they are protected from erosion and vandalism.
"There are all types of damage, things that could occur," Clark said. "Our folks still haven't identified all objects and sites in the canyon."
The park service also works with families living in the canyon by maintaining the roads and clearing the non-native plants that can wreak havoc on the land, livestock and ruins, Clark said.
"The people are an important resource of the canyon," he said.
Clark said he could not comment on how effective the council's bill could be. But he is willing to work with the tribe.
"It was the Navajo Nation who originally asked for (the federal government to administer over the canyon)," Clark said. "The tribe certainly has the right and authority to ask for it back."
Clark said he has been working with local delegates to develop a joint management operation plan.
"I can say that the Canyon de Chelly National Monument is worthy of being included in the national parks system," he said.
The legislation does not include language establishing a tribal department to take over the monument or relinquishing such administrative responsibilities to the Parks and Recreation Department.
If required, the council's bill would also direct any tribal official, like the president, to provide any presentation before federal representatives.
The council's Resources Committee, which originally drafted the bill, passed it unanimously. The IGR also passed the bill, but with two dissensions, among them Andy Ayze, who represents Chinle, the town at the mouth of the canyon.
Ayze said he has no problem with revisiting the 1930 legislation. His dissenting vote came purely as an attempt to recognize what he called a large group of local residents who oppose the plan.
"They are asking, 'What about us, with home site leases in the canyon?'" Ayze said. "They support the National Park Service because they get help and support from (NPS).
"All sides need to be listened to," Ayze said.
(7.74 out of 10)
Comment on this story!
37 comments so far (post your own)reclaim what is not owned however allow beauty way through orginal song. Kit carson campaign is not ours the peach trees feed the lords of the dersert.
Sanchez is NOT sticking to the topic. When is she going to comment about Canyon De Chelly? "Comment on this story" is the title, ramona Sanchez! Navajo Times should block her for good.
The NN needs to focus on the Fort Sumner site as well. The town is filled with idiotic Billy the Kid memorabilia of a man who slaughtered men, stole and comitted crimes, yet he's being praised for it long after his time. I say they tear down the billboards and forget he was ever alive. We need to draw more attention to where our people suffered and respect where they survived for us. Seeing Billy the kid is disgusting, he's a disgrace to America and should be forgotten.
we should cook the washishus, not eat them
everyone wants to go to heaven,though noone wants to be humble,and go to the spiritual world...
all souls are female besides the Lord himself,im a space cowboy.
"The earth is our mother and the sun is our father." It's a metaphor that is permanent and forever, and you cannot trash it although you will try. It came and belongs to chei and nali' from a different time. It means life is dependent on the soil, H20, air and the sun to cook that all up to give life, lifeforms are interdependent. Far easier to trash Greek mythology, idjiot! WR MacDonalds is greedy and rude.
There is always something to fight over...here on the rez we're all savages. We fight for the sake of it, it makes us feel superior.
Oh Great!!! Something else for the jawns to fight over again!!
Really an excellent article on the canyon. The kids from the college can do arch digs. We could build a point for hang gliders and repelling! Maybe a casino and lights on the rock walls! ya ha! Thats business!
This notion of Canyon de Chelley is alive and breathing is bull crap. What wrong with you nitwits. Also, the Earth is not your mom. Earth didn't have sex with your father and gave you birth...for crying out loud, give your mother respect she deserves.
The NPS has through the years done a lot of good things for the people in the canyon and the Canyon itself.Unfortunately, that has been going down hill over the years. We need to do what's best for the Canyon and its residents and ensure that we do this right by implementing a plan on what we as a nation can do to carry this out.Hopefully things will change for the better so that all walks of life can be appreciative of our Canyon's beauty and have respect for it.
I feel that since some of our ceremonies and stories are directly connected to Canyon de Chelly we as Dineh need to take over the Canyon again. Otherwise our way of life will continue to be managed by the US Government as they are now. The National Park Service has been digging up our roots long enough.
Equity vs name brand = global market (unique) orginal. wild indian savages + navajo indian treaty + navajo indian reservation + navajo membership = world market place Strong Whole
Ortegas are now part of Navajo Nation known as Asarco which won the vendor contract at Monument Valley in the past. The vendor contract for Canon DeChelly would be a nice profit.
Navajo Nation has not progressed in ages, and NPS pays more. I do not care who u have fooled around with and u got pregnant for. Please, stick to the article. This is no Jerry Springer show!! This about Canyon de Chelly.
mexicans love to steal,lie and cheat,so they can have sex with their wife evry night.they love the sound of their voices,also.
+ What is the current annual NPS budget - take 10-14% off that for the Tribal Government. - Steal the retirement and other benefits from the current Navajo Employees. - Tribal Government maintenance & security. + whatever you can steal off the vendors + up all the fees + pay less Hmm, it may work. By the way, genocide has never stopped, killing continues with drugs, diabetes, etc
To the critics: Visitors want to see the rocks and the beauty of our Navajoland. The canyon is ours, so we should do hospitality services. Why put down our own Tribal Government and leaders?Not their fault in wanting the canyon to be returned.
Canyon De Chelly is a living, beautiful, sacred being that has served as a strong hold for our ancestors during the period of genocide!! It deserves respect and protection, as it continues to represent our survival as Indigenous Dinè! Once we begin to profit from it without Indigenous consciousness, we relinquish our right! Sovereign or not!
This is very interesting. The concept of the Navajo Nation take over the Canyon de Chelly is a big step toward our people's sovereignty. I hope it is something our nation is prepared to do. And if our Nation can provide good pension plans and benefits for the people by all means do it. Will it mean more employment for us?
Who would wanna pay $5 to look at rocks and dirt?
Again.Charge $5/person with a visitation of 350,000 gives $1,750,000 per year. Charge concessions, lots of money. Another entrance fee to enter the bottom of the canyon of $20/person for inner canyon maintenance. Special user fees for camping overnight. Another Quality Inn near the entrance with a buffet meal with bus parking. Large gift shop, bathrooms and a nice dining room.
Charge $5/person with a visitation of 350,000 gives $1,750,000 per year. Charge concessions, lots of money.
"It is demonstrably clear that the Navajo Nation has the capacity(temps?) and competence (politicos & abusers?) to effectively assume responsibility (CDs can't spell this word) for the full administration," of the canyon, the bill states. huh? who wrote this? "I can say that the Canyon de Chelly National Monument is worthy of being included in the national parks system" - doesn't this mean leave it with NPS?
Put the money in treasury and open a global bid for OPEC venture capital joint venture. High end the who canyon membership only and finally stop the trailer trash billaganno mind set. They still think they can tell us what toilet paper is to pottery. Out source a joint venture with deep pockets. DuBie interest will jump on such an opportunity.
Before you condemn Navajo Nation Goverment, after all, Canyon De Chelly was our land long before NPS took over. In fact, all bordertowns are located within the Four Sacred Mountains, too. Navajo Nation should have the canyon back. "Rome was not built in a day."
Leave the Park alone!
If it ain't broke don't try to fix it particularly with the political interventions of the Navajo Government. I agree, everytime the Navajo Govt. intervenes, it turns to s***!
"sovereign integrity" - what integrity!
"self determination" - at least until the Federals throw more money at the Government and the Navajo Council decides for itself on how it wants to spend the money (minus the people the federal money was meant for).
"economic development" - we've been trying to economically develop for the past 40 years!!!
Everytime Navajo Nation starts a project, it fails. How can we trust our tribal government? NPS pays good wages, while our tribe does not. Navajo Nation does no royalty sharing, so what is the point in letting our government runs a successful business? Give me a break!
its bout time NN start looking at themselves and realizing they are navajo!! kudos for the people of the canyons...
I am sorry, I can't help it to think is this proposal taken on because our NN government wants to add the $2millions into it's treasury. I think this move is all about money.
Sounds like the same stuff at the Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon village is a small city with 2,500 people full time, k-12 school, fire department, clinic, and a transit system. Hundreds of temps, some looking for the disco tech, rides to flagstaff, etc.
a few years ago some journalists i knew asked what could be done about stolen camping supplies and a joyriding trip some park employees made, they even left their beer bottle caps in the ride! the response was typical, ask so-and-so, but they're on travel! finally a manager said: the employees are temps and we don't know how to reach them. the odometer showed over 200 miles was put on the ride! it was embarassing that nothing could be done, could it get worse? you bet.
Great, Navajo Nation will have a hotel, big gift shop, restaurant, and conference center at Spider Rock. More jewelry sales and a paved road at the bottom of canyon dechelly, and an elevator to white house ruins. Just like Monument Valley. All jewelry vendor will have to sell outside the park and only licensed vendors will be allowed.
Leave the park to US Nat Park Service, It is a jumping stone for Navajo Graduates to go onto other Nat Parks in other states. The numbers are high, leave it alone! If the NN needs money, cut the huge internal bureaucratic waste originally designed by BIA. No to pay raises for Pres and VP, hire a NN bus manager and give that person the money. WR Macdonals is a taker not a giver, boycott the stinch.
What management plan is in place to take over Canyon de Chelley? Will it look like Monument Valley Park marred with matchbox shacks. Sad place to visit, it works only because the rocks are huge. How about the employees? Mess with peoples lives again? NN needs to buy the pension and benefits with continuity for the currrent employees and calculate costs to keep the attraction consistent.