Washington.- The president of USA, Joe Biden, announced on Tuesday the appointment as National Monument of the sacred lands of the Native American tribes that surround the Colorado Canyon, which will prevent the creation of new mining projects.
Covering one million acres (about 404,685 hectares), the new monument will be called “Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni”: “Baaj Nwaavjo” means in the language of the Havasupai tribe “where the indigenous people roam”, while “I’tah Kukveni” means in the language of the Hopi clan “our ancestral footprints”.
“Today I am proud to be able to use my authority to protect one million acres of public land around the Grand Canyon and turn it into a new national monument,” Biden announced in the presence of tribal leaders, activists and members of Congress.
Biden recalled that when he first saw the Grand Canyon of Colorado, located in Arizona, he thought it must be the “cathedral of God” and admitted that he was amazed at its high plateaus, deep canyons and majestic red cliffs.
In addition, he argued that the designation serves to honor the tribal nations that for centuries have inhabited those lands and show respect for their way of life, for their ancestors buried there and for their ceremonies.
“Preserving these lands is beneficial not only for Arizona, but for the planet. It is positive for the economy. It is good for the soul of the nation. And I believe, in the depths of my being, that it is the right decision,” the president proclaimed.
DECADES OF NATIVE AMERICAN STRUGGLE
The designation follows decades of struggle by Native American tribes and environmental advocates, who have lobbied the federal government to protect land north and south of the Grand Canyon to prevent further mining.
Maya Tilousi, a young woman from the Hopi clan who appeared dressed in traditional clothing, a feather in her hair and her face painted with red lines, intervened in the ceremony.
“I am here representing the next generations who have the responsibility to continue this important work. This is our home and we will continue to protect it!” Tilousi promised.
Tilousi received loud applause from other leaders, also dressed in traditional costumes and sitting in the front row.
Tribal lands, which were designated a National Monument on Tuesday, are home to 1.3% of the known uranium reserves in the United States. However, the White House has insisted to the press that there are more significant uranium resources in other parts of the country.
For years, in the face of Native American attempts to protect the land, Republican lawmakers and the mining industry have argued that the uranium reserves at the site could be of great economic benefit to Arizona and allow the US to have more. uranium, with multiple uses both for energy and for medical and industrial purposes.
THE ELECTION BACKGROUND
In any case, the designation of those lands as a National Monument has an important electoral background, since Arizona could be key to the 2024 elections, in which Biden is running for re-election and in which the Republicans have yet to choose their candidate, although former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) starts as a favorite.
According to a poll by the nonprofit Grand Canyon Trust, Biden’s decision is quite popular with voters: 89% of Democrats, 73% of Independents and 65% of Republicans strongly support protecting those lands.
Important Latino organizations with weight in Arizona, such as Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO), celebrated the president’s decision on Tuesday.
In 2020, Biden won the state of Arizona by a narrow margin against Trump, becoming the first Democrat since Bill Clinton (1993-2001) to win that state, which had gone conservative in recent years.
