Historical Perspectives

• Harbinger- The Navajo have always been oppressed, being forced off land they have lived on for 40,000 years, forced to adapt to new methods of farming, hunting and herding, or relocation. They have a history of resistance against exploitation and injustice, by opposing other dams located in their area, opposing relocation of their tribes, and opposing anything that would affect their sacred religious monuments such as Rainbow Bridge. The Navajo had signed the Colorado River Storage Project in 1956 to protect the future of their sacred land. It stated that the government was to prevent losses of, and improve conditions for fish, wildlife, and public recreational facilities, as well as paying for protective measures if they were constructing a dam that would harm sacred Navajo land or monuments.

• Tradition- The Navajo way of life has been rooted in the land and they want nothing more than to live simply within the natural limits of the land. The land has been considered sacred for centuries, and the construction of the dam would prevent the Navajo from performing religious ceremonies on the spot and desecrate the sacred nature of the site