The National Park Service recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the designation of Wupatki National Monument. Officials held a symposium at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff to highlight its natural and cultural history. The day-long event also featured presentations by park historians and scientists along with a Hopi archaeologist and a Navajo preservationist.
Central to the event was the elevation of Indigenous voices in the management of Wupatki. Native peoples lived in the area for centuries until they were forcibly removed by the U.S. Government beginning in the 1800s.
“We have never waived our right to that place. We still call that our home,” said Stewart Koyiyumptewa, director of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office and a panelist for the event. “It's not abandoned as archaeologists, anthropologists and even the Park Service may think. We still have deep connections to that area.”
The Native panelists recognized efforts by the Park Service to incorporate tribal history but asked for better cultural access to public lands as well as representation in administrative roles. They also criticized the lack of education on Wupatki’s history.
Park Service staff recognized the impact the management of Wupatki has had on Indigenous people.
“It's a painful part of our monument's history,” said Amy Horn, cultural resources program manager for Flagstaff Area National Monuments. “We want to acknowledge it and make sure that they are heard so that we can have a collaborative relationship in the future.”
The monument’s official 100-year anniversary is on Dec. 9 and officials plan a ranger-led hike and other activities.
