Do
you believe in the power of prayer?
I do. Because I have seen
it first hand. Let me explain. On a warm and breezy day in March, a
small group of Hopi, Tewa and Navajo People made it rain. This I truly
believe. Those of us who bravely participated in the Hopi/Tewa Save
the Peaks March can look back on that day and see that good intentions,
carried out with happy hearts and humble minds, can bring good things
to us.
As we walked along the road, I wondered what would become of this action?
Who would hear our calls to protect a piece of land that is so important
to the Hopi, and many other Indigenous people? As I looked at the small
line of people who had showed up to make the walk, I knew that no matter
what happened during that day, somewhere out there, someone, or something
was watching and listening.
They came in the form we are most familiar with, clouds. Thin and wispy
at first, the clouds soon found strength to build into large, dark clouds,
carrying with them much needed moisture. Soon enough, these clouds let
go their answers to our prayers, and it rained.
I doubt the Forest Service officials that were there that day even knew
what was going on, or what it signified. If anyone has been listening
to their attempts to justify the further desecration of the San Francisco
Peaks, you know that it is impossible for them to understand what those
mountains mean to us. Yes, they did show up that day, with their posters,
charts and documents, all of them full of technical jargon that only
the most experienced could understand. I'll give them that much. They
showed up and listened, but they did not hear what was being said. To
them, our concerns over the Snowbowl expansion are growing old. According
to Gene Waltrip of the Forest Service, they want to hear something “new”,
not the same old cultural traditions that we have voiced. But my reply
to him is simply this, indeed our concerns are old. They are older and
more complex than he could ever imagine.
If his ancestors had lived in this land since time immemorial, as have
the Hopi and many other Indigenous groups, then perhaps he too could
have the opportunity to develop long and OLD ties to the land. But that
is impossible for him, as is for many who now call Flagstaff and Arizona
home. They are new comers to a land that is much older and wiser than
them. Where they see only opportunity and material gain, Indigenous
people see something different. We see history, responsibility, dedication
to faith and tradition, and harmony in physical form. Sadly, these things
are “beyond the scope” of what the Forest Service sees as
being important. Their inability to understand our values will again
result in our loss.
But I must not point fingers solely at the Forest Service. What about
us? What responsibility do we have as Indigenous people fighting to
preserve something central to our way of life? My reply is this. Voice
your opinion. Do no be afraid to stand up for what is inherently right.
Yes, our cultures tell us to remain humble and non-confrontational.
But if someone threatens our cultural existence, do we not have the
right to defend that existence? This requires our participation in the
“system” as foreign as it may seem.
As we sit and read, somewhere out in the world, some other group is
trying to decide what is best for us and our future. They make their
decisions based on information that we may, or may not have provided.
When all is said and done, will we stand by their decisions; will we
be happy with what is provided for us? If history is to be our guide,
the answer to those questions is probably not. We will say, “How
come...”, or “You should have...”, or “Why not....”.
And they will say because you did not speak up.
Our silence may be golden, but only to those who oppose us. As for us,
our silence prevents us from achieving what we really want for our people.
The time for sitting idly by, and hoping for the best is over. We must
take an active role in our future, and we must enter that role with
an open mind, and with the strength of our traditions and prayers. For
if we do nothing, then in the end, nothing is all we will have left.
I would like to thank the staff of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office
for sponsoring this event. They deserve our continued support to help
voice our opinions. I would also like to thank the many law enforcement
officers there that day. They provided us safe and clear passage along
the highway.
Finally, I want to thank all of the people who showed up to participate,
either in the march or by writing letters of opposition. They are all
brave individuals for taking a stand. Let us all follow their example.
To all Indigenous people out there, I urge you to let the Forest Service
know your opposition to the Snowbowl expansion. Now is the time.
Kwah-kway/ Thank-you,
Lyle J. Balenquah
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