NAVAJO-HOPI "LAND DISPUTE" UPDATE: NOV. 24, 1993
There was a meeting of representatives from the various HPL
communities held on Monday, November 22, 1993. The purpose of that
meeting was to address the religious issues and concerns as they
affect the Dine' families acceptance (or lack thereof) of the
Agreement in Principle and the proposed Hopi lease.
I did not attend the meeting, but did get reports from Larry
Nez and Elmer Clark, who were there. From the land, those who
attended included: Alvin Clinton, Teesto; Teddy Begay, Kee Watchman
and Sam Little, Cactus Valley; Mae Tso and Betty Tso, Mosquito
Springs; Louise Benally, Violet Ashike, and Jesse Biakeddy, Big
Mountain; John Yazzie and Alfred McCabe, Sand Springs; Calvin Nez,
Yadesgideh; Jack Hatathlie, Coal Mine Mesa; Rena Babbitt, Tonalea;
and Louise Begay and Mabel Archie, Jeddito. There may have been a
few others, but I haven't seen a report on the meeting yet. Percy
Deal was there, as well as some of our field staff. The only
federal representative was Ms. Katherine Hazard, an attorney for US
DOJ who works under direction from Peter Steenland and is usually
the only federal representative on hand at meetings on the land.
The U.S. and the mediator want to cut down the number of
people they have to deal with: they want to talk to
representatives. That is the reason they asked for Monday's
meeting. From what I was told, there was a lot of discussion of
this idea, with the outcome that the group decided to give it a
try. They decided to go back to their communities and discus what
has been proposed, and ask if the community will go along with the
idea of representation by elders. There will be another meeting on
Dec. 7, 1993, at the same place (Coconino County Administrative
Ctr.)
Elmer Clark said he thought that Cactus valley would probably
send the same people, Teesto already has representatives through
Dine Bikeya Committee and would send Mr. Clinton and maybe Roger
Attakai (Mr. Attakai was working Mon. and could not make that
meeting), and Sand Springs would probably go with Mr. Yazzie and
Mr. McCabe. Yadesgideh pretty much IS Calvin Nez and his family.
There is some concern that the U.S. wants to USE the group as
a vehicle to force people to accept the AIP and 75-year lease.
However, it was also in discussion that everyone has raised the
objection that they were not represented during mediation and now
it would look bad if they refused a chance to participate.
The U.S. and to some extent the mediator have been blaming the
"collapse" of mediation on the Navajo Nation, as if it was we who
somehow tricked the Dine' families into not accepting the Aip and
the 75-year lease. For that reason, our role in these meetings is
to transport people from the land, observe, and if asked provide
limited technical assistance.
LIVESTOCK IMPOUNDMENT
Yesterday, on my way back from Coal Mine Canyon I stopped by
the BIA impound corral at Keams Canyon. The same 2 horses were
there, no new livestock. All three livestock trailers were parked
there; one of them had a wheel taken off. These trailers are
license numbers I107902, I129756 and I118643. If the U.S. decides
to do "massive livestock impoundment" they will need more men and
equipment. If anyone on the land observes trailers with numbers
differing from the above, that means extra equipment is being
brought in and we are in trouble.
Today Patterson Joe told me the Relocation Commissioner sent
us a letter withdrawing the offer of the Chambers Ranch. His
reason he gave was that the Secretary of Interior had informed him
that the immediate likelihood of livestock impoundments has passed.
We have not received any formal notice, but given the fact that the
Hopi elections will probably not take place until February, it may
be that the feds have decided to wait-and-see. I wish they would
tell us what is going on.
COAL MINE CANYON
Tuesday morning Larry Nez I met with the families at Coal Mine
Canyon. They are related to Jack Hatathlie family up on top, but
consider themselves a separate community. Mrs. Anna Begay is the
spokesperson, there are about 5 families occupying a four-square-
mile grassy bench about 2/3 of the way down in the canyon. Mrs.
Begay is a real good mechanic. Who was there included Mrs. Begay,
Mrs. Joanne Yellowhair, and her son Leo Yellowhair.
The Coal Mine Canyon families discussed signing the AIP form
circulated under mediator McCue's July 19 order. For a while it
looked like they were going to, then they changed their minds.
They want to continue the mediation, partly to keep the door open.
They asked us to provide technical assistance in developing an
alternative lease document which they want to use as a tool in
renewed discussions with the Hopi Tribe. We worked with them on
this document, and they are going to look at it some more, pray
over it, etc. then meet with the Hopis.
Each community has its own character, and each is in a unique
situation. What is a good poition for Big Mountain or Teesto may
not be the best thing for Coal Mine Canyon, Tonalea or Sand
Springs. I think that as long as some families are discussing
accomodation with the Hopi Tribe, the mediation cannot be said to
be over. Mrs. Begay said they wanted to "keep the door open" for
the other communities. Also, I think that everyone knows what they
need and no one is going to sign any kind of agreement unless they
feel certain it will address those needs.
The wind was blowing like crazy, and the weather reports were
predicting rain. Larry and I went down in the blazer and left my
car on top. It is all clay, rough and steep going into the canyon
and you can't drive in or out when it rains or snows.