saving sacred sites.
Abalone Mountain run unites tribes
Posted by Webmaster on August 15th 2005 to Headlines
By Marley Shebala
Navajo Times
FLAGSTAFF - On July 23, 15 runners began a seven-day journey from the Petroglyphs National Monument in Albuquerque to the base of Doko’oo’slííd (“Shining on Top”), also called the Abalone Mountain, in northern Arizona.
At the same time, about a hundred other runners set out from Mount Graham, near Safford in southern Arizona.
On July 27, 22 runners, including six Navajo Nation police officers, headed south from Tuba City.
They were all part of the “Abalone Mountain Run, Journey to Protect Sacred Sites,” and each group of runners represented a sacred site, or sites, threatened by development plans.
On July 29, they converged at the base of the Abalone Mountain, better known to non-Navajos as the San Francisco Peaks, at a site on the Navajo Nation’s Peaks Ranch.
The runners from Albuquerque arrived first and were greeted by about 20 Navajo elders from the Cameron, Tuba City, Birdsprings, and Leupp chapters, and about 40 Native and non-Native supporters from the Flagstaff area.
The group from Mount Graham, who were San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, Yavapai Apache, and Tonto Apache, waited a short distance away until the runners from Tuba City and Hopi arrived, and then made their entrance, which was electrifying.
The Apaches came dancing, 10 runners abreast followed by columns of 10 runners and supporters each. As they approached they sang an Apache prayer, a girl and boy dancing in front of their ranks.
Wendsler Nosie Sr., co-founder of Apaches for Cultural Preservation, said the songs concluded a series of more than 30 prayers that were started when the group left the top of Dzil Nchaa si’an, or Mount Graham.
Nosie noted that this year’s run from Dzil Nchaa si’an to Doko’oo’slííd is the group’s 13th “Dzil Nchaa si’an Sacred Run.”
The Apaches are battling the Vatican and University of Arizona over the construction of the Mount Graham International Observatory, an 11-story observatory housing the world’s largest telescope.
Sonny Weahkee, coordinator of the Sacred Alliance for Grassroots Equality Council of Albuquerque, said his group seeks to protect sacred petroglyphs inside Petroglyphs National Monument just west of Albuquerque.
The petroglyphs are endangered by the city’s plans to build two major roadways through the monument.
The All Indian Pueblo Council, National Congress of American Indians, the Southern Pueblos Governors Council, the Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, the Pueblo of Sandia, the Pueblo of Isleta, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and several other tribes and organizations oppose the proposed construction.
Weahkee said the Abalone Mountain Run was organized to bring attention to the many sacred site battles that are occurring throughout the Southwest. Organizers hope to make it an annual event.
He said many Native American religious sites are being threatened by a multitude of reasons like resource extraction, urban sprawl, and environmental contamination.
“Our sites are being sacrificed in the name of the ‘public good’ and nothing good ever comes of desecrating anyone’s sacred places,” Weahkee said.
The Navajos and Hopis who joined the Albuquerque runners as they crossed the reservation, and those who started from Tuba City, ran to protect Doko’oo’slííd from plans for the Snowbowl ski area.
With the backing of the U.S. Forest Service, the Snowbowl plans to expand, including the use of recycled wastewater to make artificial snow for skiing.
In April, the Navajo Nation Council voted 63-0 on legislation reaffirming opposition to the further desecration of Doko’oo’slííd.
The Zuni Pueblo also showed its support by sending two runners, Lenora Manuelito and Brian Waatse, who joined the Abalone group at Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock.
The Zuni Pueblo, with the support of several tribes, environmental groups, and state officials, stopped the Salt River Project, one of Arizona’s largest utilities, from pumping the Atarque Aquifer to supply its coal mine at Fence Lake, N.M.
The Zunis called the plan a deadly threat to their sacred Zuni Salt Lake.
Posted by Webmaster on August 15th 2005 to Headlines
By Marley Shebala
Navajo Times
FLAGSTAFF - On July 23, 15 runners began a seven-day journey from the Petroglyphs National Monument in Albuquerque to the base of Doko’oo’slííd (“Shining on Top”), also called the Abalone Mountain, in northern Arizona.
At the same time, about a hundred other runners set out from Mount Graham, near Safford in southern Arizona.
On July 27, 22 runners, including six Navajo Nation police officers, headed south from Tuba City.
They were all part of the “Abalone Mountain Run, Journey to Protect Sacred Sites,” and each group of runners represented a sacred site, or sites, threatened by development plans.
On July 29, they converged at the base of the Abalone Mountain, better known to non-Navajos as the San Francisco Peaks, at a site on the Navajo Nation’s Peaks Ranch.
The runners from Albuquerque arrived first and were greeted by about 20 Navajo elders from the Cameron, Tuba City, Birdsprings, and Leupp chapters, and about 40 Native and non-Native supporters from the Flagstaff area.
The group from Mount Graham, who were San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, Yavapai Apache, and Tonto Apache, waited a short distance away until the runners from Tuba City and Hopi arrived, and then made their entrance, which was electrifying.
The Apaches came dancing, 10 runners abreast followed by columns of 10 runners and supporters each. As they approached they sang an Apache prayer, a girl and boy dancing in front of their ranks.
Wendsler Nosie Sr., co-founder of Apaches for Cultural Preservation, said the songs concluded a series of more than 30 prayers that were started when the group left the top of Dzil Nchaa si’an, or Mount Graham.
Nosie noted that this year’s run from Dzil Nchaa si’an to Doko’oo’slííd is the group’s 13th “Dzil Nchaa si’an Sacred Run.”
The Apaches are battling the Vatican and University of Arizona over the construction of the Mount Graham International Observatory, an 11-story observatory housing the world’s largest telescope.
Sonny Weahkee, coordinator of the Sacred Alliance for Grassroots Equality Council of Albuquerque, said his group seeks to protect sacred petroglyphs inside Petroglyphs National Monument just west of Albuquerque.
The petroglyphs are endangered by the city’s plans to build two major roadways through the monument.
The All Indian Pueblo Council, National Congress of American Indians, the Southern Pueblos Governors Council, the Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, the Pueblo of Sandia, the Pueblo of Isleta, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and several other tribes and organizations oppose the proposed construction.
Weahkee said the Abalone Mountain Run was organized to bring attention to the many sacred site battles that are occurring throughout the Southwest. Organizers hope to make it an annual event.
He said many Native American religious sites are being threatened by a multitude of reasons like resource extraction, urban sprawl, and environmental contamination.
“Our sites are being sacrificed in the name of the ‘public good’ and nothing good ever comes of desecrating anyone’s sacred places,” Weahkee said.
The Navajos and Hopis who joined the Albuquerque runners as they crossed the reservation, and those who started from Tuba City, ran to protect Doko’oo’slííd from plans for the Snowbowl ski area.
With the backing of the U.S. Forest Service, the Snowbowl plans to expand, including the use of recycled wastewater to make artificial snow for skiing.
In April, the Navajo Nation Council voted 63-0 on legislation reaffirming opposition to the further desecration of Doko’oo’slííd.
The Zuni Pueblo also showed its support by sending two runners, Lenora Manuelito and Brian Waatse, who joined the Abalone group at Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock.
The Zuni Pueblo, with the support of several tribes, environmental groups, and state officials, stopped the Salt River Project, one of Arizona’s largest utilities, from pumping the Atarque Aquifer to supply its coal mine at Fence Lake, N.M.
The Zunis called the plan a deadly threat to their sacred Zuni Salt Lake.