Looting Native American Graves

Posted June 16, 2009 By Nancy

The Los Angeles Times and numerous other news sources have reported the arrest of 24 people who were charged with looting Native American grave sites in the United States Four Corners region. Artifacts stolen include ceramic bowls, woven baskets, tools and a rug made with turkey feathers. Looting Native American graves is a great concern to members of all Indian Nations. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush, signed into law the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, providing sanctity for graves on public land and the return of human remains and grave goods to their tribes from any museum receiving federal funds. NAGPRA, as it is called, does not prevent looting, but it means that looters will be prosecuted. 

We worked on an urban site that was a cemetery and ritualistic site. The Native American descendant assigned to the site decided to leave the site alone and allow a commercial development to be built on top of the burials. Considerations were as follows: it is better not to disturb ancestral burial sites; grave objects should remain with the dead and it protected the site from looting. The subject is dealt with in an excellent book, Sacred Objects and Sacred Places by Andrew Gulliford. It is a benefit of membership in Sacred Sites International at the Donor Level. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush, signed into law the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, providing sanctity for graves on public land and the return of human remains and grave goods to their tribes from any museum receiving federal funds.

Categories: american indian, preservation

Sacred Mountain Wins, Another Loses

Posted June 10, 2009 By Nancy

This week has been a provisional wind for the sacred Mount Taylor, in New Mexico and a loss for the sacred San Francisco Peaks in Arizona.The San Francisco Peaks, located in Northern Arizona, are sacred to the Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, and Apache Nations as home to their deities. As reported in the Arizona Republic, the San Francisco Peaks, lost a long court battle when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case filed by the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation contended that using artificial snow made from wastewater, was akin to dumping sewage on their sacred mountain. The Ninth Circuit Court had previously ruled against the Navajo and in favor of the management of Arizona Snowbowl.One major problem in the San Francisco Peaks case concerns mandated multiple uses of federal land by the public. The court ruling said religious use can not trump the mandated mixed use of federal lands. The Arizona Snowbowl is a permitted use within the Coconino National Forest.In the 1970s-1980s, a coalition of Native Americans and environmentalists had fought Snowbowl in court to prevent the resort’s owner from making “improvements.” That case was also lost in appellate court and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case.For more background information on these sacred mountains, consult Edwin Bernbaum’s Sacred Mountains of the World.  

Categories: Sacred Mountains, american indian, preservation

Great Sacred Sites Resource!

Posted June 9, 2009 By Nancy

We discovered a great resource for news articles and reports about the world’s diverse sacred places at U.S. News and World Report. Check this out and you can learn a lot!

Categories: Resources

Mount Taylor Wins Reprive

By Nancy

As reported in the New Mexico Independent, Mount Taylor in New Mexico has been granted temporary Cultural Property Status. This came after being listed as a National Trust Most Endangered Places. We hope that the site gains permanent status and is protected from mining and recreational development projects. Mount Taylor was listed on the National Trust Most Endangered List because of its significance to the Acoma who call the sacred mountain, Kaweshtima.The mountain, in addition, is considered sacred to more than 30 American Indian Nations.

The Navajo call the mountain, Tsoodzil; it as part of their creation story as one of four sacred mountains created by First Man and First Woman. It is the sacred mountain marking the southern direction. Navajo singers traditionally went to the mountain to gather medicinal herbs used in healing ceremonies.The mountain has been abused over time as it was exploited for uranium, a pursuit legal because oil, gas, mining leases are allowed regardless of a site’s cultural or spiritual significance to native people. It is sadly ironic that a place of healing is now contaminated.In addition to mining, the people of Grants, New Mexico, approved the building of a female penitentiary, which sits on a place of healing, happiness and well-being to native people. Now, with preliminary preservation status, native people must be consulted before leases are granted for the desecration of their holy mountain. We hope the mountain will be granted permanent preservation status.

Categories: Mount Taylor, american indian, preservation