Even though we did not change the minds of the decision makers, I felt like the Denver trip was a success in that we were finally able to voice and communicate our concerns about this permit in their Denver offices. This trip had a strong delegation of 45 Dine (Navajo), Hopi, and Hopi Tewa people who all voiced the same message of protecting our homelands and standing up for our inherent rights as Indigenous Peoples.
We are not giving up, even though this decision was in favor of Peabody and the Bush administration. We will continue to stand firm and defend our homelands from further desecration and corporate interest who continue to have had more rights than the original peoples of this land. Since this decision has come during a time of holiday and ceremonial season we will be regrouping in the next few days to see what are our next steps will be. And if you are interested in learning how you can help and/or be more involved please visit our website: www.blackmesawatercoalition.org or contact us at www.blackmesawc@gmail.com
We value all your support and prayers! Thank you to all who took the time to go to Denver, and thank you to all of you that donated funds to help get us to Denver for this very important trip.
Recap of
Denver 2008
10 December 2008
On Saturday morning the Hopi and Navajo delegation gathered at the Hopi Cultural Center and had a morning prayer done by Micah Lomaomvaya from the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office. We then got into the vans and began our journey to Denver, CO. Our first stop was in Gallup, NM at Denny’s for breakfast. Ironically there was a huge mural on the building next to Denny’s that read “We The People”. With the turmoil within our Tribal Government this mural was only fitting because it was “We The People” taking a stand against the Office of Surface Mining.
After breakfast we departed and headed for Albuquerque, NM making a quick stop for gas outside of Albuquerque and headed north to Santa Fe and on to Las Vegas, NM where we stopped for dinner and to refuel. From Las Vegas we traveled to Pueblo, CO where we stopped for a short break to stretch our legs. We left Pueblo and headed north through Colorado Springs, CO and on into Denver, CO. We arrived in Denver at approximately 11:30 pm, checked into our rooms and turned in for the night.
Sunday morning we gathered in the lobby of the hotel, got our cornmeal and went outside to pray. After giving prayer we left to have breakfast and after breakfast we met up at the Denver Indian Center with our Organizers for a day of training, planning, logistics and to make signs and banners. From 9:00 am to 12:00 pm we had a circle discussion with our hosts in Denver to give testimonials on why we came as well as to share our concerns on the Black Mesa Project.
During this morning session we chose a few members from our delegation to form a panel to address the public in a forum session. This forum session lasted roughly three hours. There were a lot of people who came in from the Denver area who expressed a great deal of interest and concern for our respected Tribes regarding the Black Mesa Project. Following the forum we had a Question and Answer session where the public was intensely involved in gathering as much information as possible. Our Hopi and Navajo panel, along with our organizers engaged in what was a very productive and educational session.
At about 6 pm the Denver Natives provided dinner but before we ate a member from the Ute Tribe offered prayer followed by words from “our” Chairman Nuvumsa. After dinner we headed back to the hotel. Some of the delegation turned in for the night while some of us kept working on press releases, unity statements, flyers, and call to action emails until about 1:30 am.
Monday morning we again gathered in the lobby of the hotel, took our cornmeal and offered prayer. We ate breakfast there in the lobby then headed to the downtown area at 7:30 am. After a brief meeting and prayer those of us that were going to meet with the Office of Surface Mining officials left for the meeting while those who were going to rally stayed to further plan and go over more protocol for non-violent direct action protest.
We arrived at the Office of Surface Mining building at about 9 am and met Chairman Nuvumsa in the lobby. Our meeting started at 9:15 am opening with a prayer delivered by Kevin Nash. Enei Begaye from the Black Mesa Water Coalition began our formal meeting by reading the Unity Statement and gave a brief introduction of the delegation then gave the floor to Chairman Nuvumsa. The Chairman made many key points as to why the Record of Decision should be delayed until the Obama Administration takes over. One such point was that there hasn’t been an official statement from the Hopi Tribe regarding the Black Mesa Project because of the internal turmoil within our Tribal Government. “Hopi is not a cooperating agency” is what he told the Office of Surface Mining representatives, including OSM Western Regional Director Al Klein and Black Mesa Project leader Dennis Winterringer.
Following the Chairman, Victor Masayesva addressed the OSM officials and presented a petition from the Village of Hotevilla. He stated that they had their own petition because they are without representation on the Hopi Tribal Council and that they were opposed to the Black Mesa Project. OSM responded at that point saying that the Final Environmental Impact Statement had already been accepted and that they were moving forward as planned with Alternative-B as their “preferred alternative“. Victor responded by telling OSM they failed to meet their public outreach obligations because his respected village was never aware of not only what the alternatives meant but that the EIS had gone from a Draft to a Final and was accepted by OSM.
I followed Victor and presented the Village of Tewa Resolution T-12-08, which was duly adopted by the Village of Tewa Board of Directors on December 5, 2008, at a duly called meeting at which a quorum was present with a vote of 4 in favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstaining, the Chairman presiding and not voting and signed by Dorthy Ami, Vice Chairperson.
The Village of Tewa Resolution explained that the Village of Tewa is recognized as a village by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Hopi Tribe and that according to the Constitution and By-Laws “each village shall decide for itself how it shall be organized”. The Resolution also stated that due to lack of representation on the Hopi Tribal Council, the Village of Tewa was never afforded the opportunity to participate in any discussion of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement of the Black Mesa Project as it applies to Hopi people and land. The Resolution concluded in saying, “Now therefore be it resolved that the Village of Tewa, a recognized village of the Hopi Tribe, is not in favor of the permit for Peabody Coal Company to mine coal on Black Mesa to be renewed”, and “be it finally resolved by the people of the Village of Tewa that the Secretary of the Interior, United States Government, not grant the permit renewal at this time“.
I then took the time to explain that our Village Representative was removed from the Hopi Tribal Council amongst the current turmoil by a Vice Chairman who had resigned on February 12, 2008 and that our Representative’s term had expired on November 30, 2008 therefore the Village of Tewa is yet again currently without representation on the Hopi Tribal Council.
After I concluded my presentation the floor was turned over to the delegation to individually express their concerns. OSM told us after the testimonials from just a few of our delegation including Anna Silas, Kevin Nash, and Kim Sekakuku that the meeting would be over at 11:00 am. We had anticipated this action from OSM and had a strategy to counter this action if OSM tried to rush us out in a similar manner our Hopi Tribal Council did at the December 1, 2008 meeting.
After several minutes of deliberation from Enei Begaye, Chairman Nuvumsa and the OSM officials we were told that they DID NOT have another location for us to meet so we offered to find a location. Al Klein was reluctant to agree but did so after some hesitation. Shannon Francis, a Hopi/Navajo living in the Denver area, immediately set into action in finding a new location. When OSM saw that we were pulling in our resources together, their conference room on the 33rd floor all of a sudden materialized.
We then were escorted to the 33rd floor where we reconvened at OSM’s conference room and the rest of the delegation got to share their concerns and testimonials including extremely moving testimonials from Racheal Povatah, Samantha Honani, Maxine Wadsworth, Dale Jackson, Gordon Isaac, Gloria Johns, Shannon Francis, Wahleah Johns. We noticed during several of these testimonials that a few of the OSM officials were actually crying. [emphasis]
After all the powerful statements made by members of the delegation, Chairman Nuvumsa concluded by asking the OSM representatives to go home that night, look at themselves in the mirror, and ask themselves if they had it in themselves to make a decision that could end our respected ways of life. Enei Begaye then asked if they could hold off in making a Record of Decision until Obamas administration took over and could assess the impacts of such a decision. Al Klein answered “"We have a set of regulations, and when a company puts on paper in their application how they will fulfill the requirements, we do not have discretion. We have to grant them a permit ... At this point we will not be changing the calendar of events on this decision."
Enei Begaye then respectfully informed the OSM representatives that we would remain outside of the building to address our supporters, media, concerned organizations, and others who had concerns and questions. We then shook the representatives hands, thanked them for their time as well as for making accommodations to continue the meeting in their conference room. We then gathered across the street and held a press conference where Chairman Nuvumsa addressed the media stating that whatever decision OSM would make, the Hopi People will hold them accountable. There were numerous media groups covering this event. The night before the meeting the Black Mesa Water Coalition, and a couple of us from the Hopi/Tewa delegation, myself included, worked on a “call to action” email telling our contacts to call the Office of Surface Mining regional office there in Denver to voice their concerns. The response was so great on Monday that they had to shut the phones down at the Office of Surface Mining because of the overload from the global community calling in to voice concerns regarding the pending Record of Decision.
After the press conference we were beginning to feel the physical effects of the sub-freezing temperatures so we wrapped things up and returned to the hotel to warm up and debrief. During the debrief a real sense of unity was shared which is a huge step forward in working together as “front line peoples” in this ongoing battle with Peabody and OSM. After more moving statements from the delegations personal experiences from the days events we left the hotel to have dinner. The Denver Natives and our supporters joined us for dinner. The turnout was great and there was time for us to thank our supporters and volunteers. There were gifts given to the Denver area hosts and volunteers by our organizers. Trying our best to respect our cultural beliefs we left early to return to the hotel in respects to Kyamuya.
Once back at the hotel the Hopi delegation regrouped to draft our own press release. We worked on that for a while trying our best to recap on what was an emotionally draining day. After finishing our Hopi press release a few of us got together with the Black Mesa Water Coalition to work on statements and another press release. We wrapped things up sometime after midnight and turned in.
Tuesday morning we awoke to a thick blanket of snow anywhere from 4 to 14 inches thick. Our drive home was extremely hazardous with the road being ice packed for miles at a time. We were watched over and our early morning prayers were answered with all of us returning home safely late that night.
I would like to thank everyone involved with the Black Mesa Water Coalition, the Hopi and Navajo delegation and our families, the Denver area Natives, our hosts, Shannon Francis, The Village of Tewa for giving me the honor of presenting on their behalf. I’d also like to thank the youth that were involved for embracing the words that they are the future of our peoples and taking this future into their own hands and trying to bring positive change for our respected Navajo, Hopi and Tewa peoples as well as all of mankind. I’d like to give an extra special thank you to our honorable Chairman Ben Nuvumsa. Despite everything that he is going through he went up to fight for our culture, people, and our very way of life, and he should be recognized for his continued service without prejudice to all of our people in taking it upon himself to speak on our behalf.
Kun-Dah/ Qua-Quai/ Thank you,
Jayson Duke Paymella
Enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe from the Village of Tewa.
