Biden listened, and in August 2023, he designated Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.
The new national monument spans 917,618 acres of forests and grasslands to the north of and south of Grand Canyon National Park, including cultural and religious sites, plants, animals, and important water sources that flow into the Colorado River.
Baaj Nwaavjo means "where Indigenous peoples roam" in Havasupai.
I'tah Kukveni means "our ancestral footprints" in Hopi.
The Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, which drew up the monument proposal, includes members of the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las Vegas Tribe of Paiutes, Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Shivwits Band of Paiutes, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Zuni Tribe, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.
The Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument spans tribes' homelands, cultural and archaeological sites, springs, hunting grounds, trading and migration routes, ceremonial lands, and other places that figure prominently in Indigenous histories.
From the California condor, to the Houserock Valley chisel-toothed kangaroo rat, to the Kaibab monkey grasshopper, the proposed monument supports populations of rare animals and plants and protects wildlife corridors.
The proposed monument is full of faults, folds, cliffs, canyons, and other geologic features. Red Butte, located in the southern parcel, is sacred to the Havasupai. They call it "Wii'i Gdwiisa," meaning "clenched-fist mountain."
Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument would protect precious water sources, including seeps and springs that flow into the Colorado River, from threats like uranium mining and industrial development.
"The Creator gave us a gift. And that gift is in the form of the Grand Canyon. That gift is not only to the tribal nations that have that intimate connection with it, but it’s a gift to the state of Arizona. It’s a gift to the United States. It’s a gift to the entire world." — Hopi Tribe Chair Tim Nuvangyaoma
Opinion polling shows that voters in the Grand Canyon state strongly support the creation of a new national monument to protect lands and waters near the Grand Canyon. See the numbers ›
All the lands within the monument boundary are federal public lands. No state, tribal, or private lands are included in the monument.
The court ruling reaffirmed that the Antiquities Act gives the president broad authority to designate national monuments.
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From endangered California condors to the House Rock Valley chisel-toothed kangaroo rat, meet the monument's creatures large and small.
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Almost 1 million acres of ancestral homelands north and south of the Grand Canyon get new protections.
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