Hopi chair calls it quits

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Hopi Tribal Chairman Ben Nuvamsa announced Monday in a memorandum to the Hopi Tribal Council that he will resign Dec. 31 and challenged Vice Chairman Todd Honyaoma Sr. to do likewise.

Nuvamsa said his decision came after considerable thought and discussion with his family and close advisers.

“This decision is not an easy one but it is made with the best interests and welfare of our tribe and tribal members in mind,” he said.

Nuvamsa’s announcement also came after two criminal complaints alleging disorderly conduct and assault were filed against him Dec. 2 in Hopi Tribal Court. The charges stem from an alleged incident at Hopi Veterans Memorial Center which occurred the day the Hopi Tribal Council met there to hear citizens’ concerns on the Black Mesa Project Environmental Impact Statement.

Nuvamsa said the political turmoil of the past two years has affected every tribal member and the very meaning of what “Hopi” stands for. “We are all tired of the seemingly unending political turmoil. It is affecting our daily lives. It is affecting our families and even our ceremonies. It is affecting our tribal government operations.”

Nuvamsa had not responded to calls from the Independent by 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The tribal chairman said his administration pursued the principles and tenets of a democratic form of government, preservation of constitutional rights, and transparency and accountability of the government to the people it serves.

“But when I look at our people, I see how this situation has affected them deeply. Many people come to me sobbing and telling me how saddened they are. So I said — no more. Our lives and our way of life as Hopi and Tewa people are more important.”

Nuvamsa said that as they enter the new ceremonial cycle of Soyal Muya, a new beginning, “let us look at this decision as a new beginning and an opportunity where we can all begin a reconciliation process — a healing process — and work together for a new and healthy year and a brighter future.”

He challenged Honyaoma to “honor his word and promise that he made to the people on two separate occasions to ‘step down’” on Dec. 31. Honyaoma announced Dec. 1 that he was considering stepping down at the end of the year in an attempt to eliminate the disharmony and disrespect being faced by all Hopi resulting from current controversies.

Nuvamsa also challenged tribal council and key officials to “look within yourselves and ask yourselves why you sit on the tribal council and why you work for the Hopi Tribe.” He said the tribal government must be returned to the people and said one way is to immediately move forward with the revision of the tribal constitution.

“Our tribal government must be brought back to where there are true checks and balances and where we honor and respect the civil rights of the people we serve; and where we respect and honor rights of our villages as true autonomous governments.”

He said there are other issues that must be addressed immediately, including the Black Mesa Project Environmental Impact Statement and restoration of the tribe’s Appellate Court. “Our natural resources are vitally important to us as Hopi and Tewa people. Our teachings tell us that we must not exploit our resources as they are important to the preservation and perpetuation of our tradition and our ceremonies and to our future as Hopi and Tewa people.

“Our sovereignty, albeit limited, is important. We must preserve it and strengthen it. We must protect it — and the most important way of protecting our sovereignty is by enforcing our laws through our judicial system. We cannot delegate our sovereignty or give it away to an outside organization.”

The Southwest Court of Appeals, American Indian Law Center at the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque recently was named by the Hopi Tribal Council to serve as the appellate court for the tribe following the termination of two appellate judges.