Avi Kwa Ame, sacred to tribes in 3 states, could soon become a national monument

Debra Utacia Krol, Arizona Republic
·3 min read
3
The Blythe intaglios were created on the desert floor hundreds if not thousands of years ago by native people for an unknown reason. The tribes view this land as sacred and want to preserve it for future generations. The one on the left appears to be a human figure while the one on the right appears to be an animal.
The Blythe intaglios were created on the desert floor hundreds if not thousands of years ago by native people for an unknown reason. The tribes view this land as sacred and want to preserve it for future generations. The one on the left appears to be a human figure while the one on the right appears to be an animal.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he supports the creation of a new national monument in southern Nevada that is held sacred by many tribes in Arizona, Nevada and California, but he stopped short of the formal announcement many organizations and tribes across the U.S had anticipated.

Avi Kwa Ame, also known as Spirit Mountain, spans nearly 450,000 acres in the southern part of Clark County, Nevada, and includes the eponymous peak and sensitive desert and mountain lands. The undisturbed lands, which include the Christmas Tree Scenic Drive, Grapevine Canyon and the Newberry Mountains, are prized by hikers, outdoor enthusiasts and environmentalists. The area is known for the rich biodiversity of wildlife and plants that call the rugged peaks and deep rocky valleys home.

But Avi Kwa Ame and the lands surrounding it are particularly significant to tribes in the lower Great Basin, the Colorado River Valley and most of Arizona. The Yuman-speaking tribes consider the peak their birthplace. Avi Kwa Ame was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a traditional cultural property in 1999 to help protect its petroglyphs, cultural landscapes and medicinal plants.

"When it comes to Spirit Mountain and the surrounding ridges and canyons in southern Nevada, I'm committed to protecting this sacred place that is central to the creation story of so many tribes that are here today," Biden told a group of more than 200 tribal leaders on Wednesday.

He said he was grateful for the work of the coalition and Nevada's congressional delegation to make the monument a reality.

A coalition of tribes, residents from local towns, including Searchlight, which would be surrounded by the monument, the Nevada Legislature, environmentalists and recreation enthusiasts has lobbied for monument status since 2020.  The following year, the coalition objected when a Swedish company attempted to build a wind-generating facility on part of the land, which is currently overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

The monument appears to have virtually no opposition. During a public hearing held by the bureau Nov. 17, nearly 300 supporters representing dozens of organizations packed the room to advocate for the monument's creation.

Sacred spaces:Indigenous people find legal, cultural barriers to protect sacred spaces off tribal lands

As word spread Wednesday that Biden planned to designate the tract as the newest national monument during the tribal leaders summit, environmentalists hailed the move. The Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and the National Wildlife Federation issued statements calling for a swift decision from Biden.

“The lands and waters we protect help tell and teach the story of our country,” said Craig Bakerjian of the Nevada Conservation League's Avi Kwa Ame campaign. “The Avi Kwa Ame National Monument will contribute to a narrative of an America that protects culturally, biologically, historically and economically important landscapes for our communities, and especially honors the stories of Indigenous communities, which have often been denied historical recognition."

Fort Mojave Indian Tribe Vice Chairman Shan Lewis, whose tribe is part of the coalition, said the monument's proponents hoped that Biden would formally designate the Avi Kwa Ame monument during the summit. He said the group was unclear what stalled the formal announcement but guessed that some last-minute items had sprung up.

"But I think we were pleased that he had an announcement of support for the monument," Lewis said.

Debra Krol reports on Indigenous communities at the confluence of climate, culture and commerce in Arizona and the Intermountain West. Reach Krol at debra.krol@azcentral.com. Follow her on Twitter at @debkrol. 

Coverage of Indigenous issues at the intersection of climate, culture and commerce is supported by the Catena Foundation.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sacred to tribes, Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada could become national monument