Big Mountain ~ Black Mesa Article Index – Navajo (Dineh) / Hopi Land Dispute

Statements by; Cedric Kuwaninvaya, Chairman
Hopi Land Team, made to the Arizona Republic,
concerning the dismantling of Sundance site.

“This is just one of the steps that the Hopi Tribe will be taking
to enforce its jurisdiction over the Hopi Reservation,” said Cedric
Kuwaninvaya, chairman of the Hopi Land Team. “We will keep a close
eye on the former site of Camp Anna Mae to ensure that the
trespassers do not try to establish another camp at which they
hold unwanted gatherings and celebrate their lawlessness.”

“The Hopi will never again tolerate a situation where our lands
are stolen, our people abused and our laws ignored. We will protect
our lands and our rights,” he said. “When so-called religious
ceremonies become little more than political rallies, both the
Hopi and the Navajos lose. The actions of the resisters do not
support peace between the two tribes.”




Desecration of Sacred Sundance Ground

Desecration of Sacred Sundance Ground

BIG MOUNTAIN, AZ – Today (8-17-01) at approximately 5:00 a.m., the Office of Hopi Lands, Hopi Range Management, Resource Enforcement Services, Hopi Tribal Police, Navajo County Sheriff, and BIA impoundment trailers entered Camp Ana Mae, a sacred religious area...
Violation Against Sacred Ceremony

Violation Against Sacred Ceremony

Statement from Chief Arvol Looking Horse: I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nation would like to offer a statement concerning the violation against the Sacred Sundance Ceremony at Big Mountain, Arizona. The Sacred White Buffalo Calf Bundle...
ENOUGH! What happened to us at Big Mtn

ENOUGH! What happened to us at Big Mtn

ENOUGH! Statement by Leonard Benally in response to desecration of sacred Sundance Grounds site. To all the people Indigenous and non-indigenous people, On August 17th at 5:00 a.m. this was a disgrace, humiliating, and disregarded our right to pray which is supposed...
Hopi Stuff “Tree of Life” Into Chipper

Hopi Stuff “Tree of Life” Into Chipper

“Hopi Tribal staff stuffed the Tree of Life into a woodchipper and haul the other remains away in trailers” Camp Ana Mae, the well-known site of Sun Dances , home to Louise Benally and her children at the foot of Big Mountain, Arizona has been bulldozed by...
Witnesses Observe Dismantlement of Site

Witnesses Observe Dismantlement of Site

Big Mountain, AZ – Yesterday, Friday, August 17, 2001, at approximately 5:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time, the Office of Hopi Lands, Hopi Range Management, Resource Enforcement Services, Hopi Tribal Police, Navajo County Sheriff, and U.S. Department of the...
The View From The Hogan #XB

The View From The Hogan #XB

Ya’a’tee I’ve had difficulty getting the time to send out the latest VFH, so I add this addendum. The following is a statement made by Roberta Blackgoat just a few days ago. She would appreciate it if her words were distributed. Uncle Jake RELIGION...
Begaye On Bulldozing of Sundance Site

Begaye On Bulldozing of Sundance Site

Statement by the President of the Navajo Nation, Kelsey A. Begaye, on the bulldozing of HPL Sundance Ceremony site by the Hopi Tribe. Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona) – The Hopi governmentĂ­s decision to bulldoze the Sundance ceremony site at Big Mountain is...
Big Mountain Under Siege

Big Mountain Under Siege

From the Southeastern foothills of Big Mountain – We wish to say our words to our Indigenous brothers and sisters and other concerned people. By now you have heard the news that we were recently under military siege (armed Hopi Rangers, armed Navajo police,...
Dismissal of Charges Disappoints Hopi’s

Dismissal of Charges Disappoints Hopi’s

Over seven months after their arrest at Camp Anna Mae on the HPL, charges of trespass were dismissed against Joella Ashkie, Ruth Benally, Louise Benally, Elvira Horseherder and Pauline Whitesinger. The five Navajo women were arrested on July 11, 2001 and charged with...
Big Mountain Sun Dance 2001 Report

Big Mountain Sun Dance 2001 Report

“This tree is a prophecy. That’s what the Hopi rangers don’t understand. This tree is the fulfillment of a prophecy. This is the end of the 4th world in Hopi prophecy. The name of the 5th world is the World of Glittering Trees.” — Joseph...
Begaye Met With Big Mountain Families

Begaye Met With Big Mountain Families

On Saturday, August 25, 2001, along with Navajo Nation Council Speaker Edward T. Begaye and other Navajo officials, I visited the Navajo families at Big Mountain to discuss with them the destruction of the Sundance ceremonial ground by the Hopi government. As you...
View from the Hogan VIV ~ January 2000

View from the Hogan VIV ~ January 2000

Ya’a’tee First off, I apologize for the length of time since I last wrote, I had a dose of pneumonia, things have been real busy, and quite frankly I choose not to spend too much time staring at a computer screen. So Thanksgiving came and went, and a good...
Destruction of the Sundance Tree

Destruction of the Sundance Tree

I want to communicate with you on behalf of myself and the Sundancers who exercise their beliefs here in Big Mountain. I want to tell you what is happening to us in the millennium years. By now you must have heard about the desecration and destruction of the Sundance...