Diné leaders schedule Peaks press conference
Prescott event will emphasize Native religious freedom

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation leaders have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday in Prescott on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as it pertains to Native American spiritual sites.

The press conference is scheduled for the noon lunch recess of the federal district court hearing on the San Francisco Peaks and will be held at Prescott's Hassayampa Inn.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr., Vice President Frank Dayish Jr. and 20th Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lawrence Morgan are scheduled to speak, according to Karen Francis of the Office of the Speaker.

Francis said the schedule for the Nov. 2 trip to Prescott via chartered bus will leave from the Navajo Nation Veteran's Park at 6 a.m. with 49 seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The bus is scheduled to arrive in Prescott around 11 a.m. and depart at 3 p.m.

The Diné Sacred Mountain Bike Riders also are scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. from Veteran's Park. President Shirley is expected to offer testimony at 9 a.m. Shirley attended the trial Oct. 17-18 and was prepared to testify in the case of the Navajo Nation et al vs. the U.S. Forest Service.

The Nation contends that the Forest Service's plan to use reclaimed wastewater on one of its four sacred mountains is an "outrageous desecration of a holy site," according to George Hardeen, communications director for the Office of the President/Vice President.

Hardeen said the Nation holds that the Forest Service decision violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits the government from burdening a person's exercise of religion, and that it does not comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Howard Shanker, attorney for the Nation, White Mountain Apache and Yavapai tribes said this is the first time a lawsuit has been brought that tests the 2000 Religious Freedom act as it applies to Native American religions or cultures.

The first Navajo to testify in the case was medicine man Steven Begay, an employee of Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Office, who spoke about the spiritual significance of the Peaks to Navajos and impacts to the Diné if the Forest Service proposal goes forward.

"The San Francisco Peaks play a role in all of our ceremonies. I can name all of the ceremonies that the Navajo people have today, and all of them are connected to the San Francisco Peaks," he said.

According to Hardeen, Begay testified that the proposed project would "significantly impact Navajo life" by contaminating an environment considered pristine by Navajos.

Apache educator Vince Randall testified that "religion" inadequately describes the Native peoples' spiritual connection to the Peaks. "If you want to call it a religion, that's your language," Randall said. "It's a way of life."

Use of reclaimed wastewater would have a devastating impact, he said, rendering the holy place "impotent."

"Once something is desecrated and the essence of God leaves that holy place, it is no longer powerful as an intermediary to God Himself," Randall said.

Ramon Riley, cultural resources officer for the White Mountain Apache Tribe, said that if allowed to proceed, the project would probably destroy his people and their way of life, according to Hardeen.

"Our prayers are not going to be strong," Riley testified.

Historically, the Navajo Nation has defined its national boundary according to spiritual tradition, which places the San Francisco Peaks as a geographic cornerstone and spiritual monument, Hardeen said.

The Peaks have served as a place of pilgrimage, inspiration and spiritual protection for Navajo people over centuries. It is viewed as a residence of Holy People who have influenced, guided and supported the Navajo people. Misuse of the site is viewed as gross sacrilege by the Navajo people, Hardeen said.

"The Navajo people as a whole reject further commercial exploitation of the San Francisco Peaks and, in particular, strongly object to the outrageous, profane violation of the sanctity of this holy place as envisioned by commercial interests," he said.

The Nation also has expressed deep concern over the lack of adequate tribal consultation on the part of governmental and commercial interests involved in expanding commercial activity on the Peaks, Hardeen said.