OPINION
Indigenous tribes should control public lands
Stars trail over Grand Canyon National Park as campers and hikers trek through the Stars and trees fade through the sky in a single exposure at Yaki Point in the Grand crevices that make up the canyon, Sept. 30. Storey Welch | The Lumberjack Canyon, Sept. 30. Storey Welch | The Lumberjack See PUBLIC LANDS on PAGE 8
NEWS
Indigenous Peoples Day protest outside Flagstaff City Hall DAISY JOHNSTON
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n Oct. 10, protesters marched from the pedway outside University Union to Flagstaff City Hall in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. Carrying signs and chanting, the protesters spread awareness for why they would not be celebrating Columbus Day. An Indigenous Peoples Day was first suggested at a United Nations conference to address discrimination against Indigenous people in 1977. In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first president to give a proclamation in support of Indigenous Peoples Day and promote it becoming a national holiday. Protesters showed up at the march wearing traditional Indigenous regalia and carrying signs reading “No pride in genocide” and “You are on native land.” Walking through downtown Flagstaff, the group chanted “Columbus Day has got to go” and “No cops, no KKK, no fascist USA.” Freshman Nizhoni Thomas said her moccasins were uncomfortable but she did not mind marching in them because they represent her culture. “It’s not Columbus Day to me, it’s more Indigenous Peoples Day,” Thomas said. “It’s remembering all of those who have passed due
to Columbus’ genocide and mass murder.” Thomas lives in the new Indigenous Peoples’ LivingLearning Community on campus. She said she enjoys living with other Indigenous students who encourage and support one another. For people who still celebrate Columbus Day, Thomas said they should do research and look into why so many people are choosing to only recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. “It’s about remembering all of our traditions and all of our culture as a way to stay alive and as a way to tell people we’re still here,” Thomas said. Once the group made it to city hall, NAU’s Indigenous Ambassador and senior Kaly Arvizu spoke first. Arvizu held a sign that read “T’ahdii kǫ́ǫ́ honiidlǫ,́” a Navajo phrase that translates to “We are still here.” In the mid-1800s, the United States military forced Indigenous tribes off their homeland by burning down villages and slaughtering livestock. As military forces began to target the southwest, thousands of Navajo people surrendered and had to walk between 250 and 450 miles to the Bosque Redondo Reservation. The phrase “T’ahdii kǫ́ǫ́ honiidlǫ́” was used during the
Long Walk as motivation for Navajo people enduring abuse and enforced assimilation. Arvizu said she was told NAU was not happy with her leading a march through campus. Although she was scared to get in trouble with the university, Arvizu said it was worth it for solidarity. “[I was] told ... that it’s against the rules for me to organize a march on behalf of my people, on our day,” Arvizu said. “What kind of ambassador would I be if I didn’t advocate for my people?” Furthermore, Arvizu said their identity as an Indigenous person will always come first. “That’s what matters most, my Indigenous identity will also come before these colonial rules,” Arvizu said. “They didn’t want this to happen today, but we made it happen.” After speaking, Arvizu offered the megaphone to anyone else who would like to share something. Coconino High School’s Native American Club President Heather Goldtooth spoke as well as others. Once the speakers were finished, some protestors stayed to hold their signs outside city hall.
Indigenous jewelers speak out against counterfeits AVA HINIKER ndigenous jewelry, a cultural staple in many Indigenous communities across the United States, is popular among general consumers due to intricate detailing and cultural connections. Recently, popular non-Native companies have profited off counterfeit products by using culturally relevant designs without proper accreditation or acknowledgment, which has taken business from Indigenous people selling authentic, hand-crafted jewelry items. While Native American communities sell original pieces, many prominent non-Native businesses sell appropriations and lower-quality items at lesser prices to attract larger audiences. Congress has acknowledged this practice, passing the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which outlawed falsely advertising art pieces as Indigenous-made. Counterfeit Native jewelry is still produced in the masses, with the U.S. Senate Committee of Indian Affairs estimating up to 80% of Indigenous jewelry marketed as Nativemade is fake. Often, major corporations will adapt traditional Native American styles into the clothing and accessories they sell. Indigenous jeweler Sahana Jackson said she often sees counterfeit products in her day-to-day life. “It’s frustrating that people would spend hundreds of dollars on this ‘inspired’ look and not pay the people who created it, make it full-time and do it in their own homes,” Jackson said. “It’s not just a style, it’s a way of life. It’s the way we dress and it’s the way we adorn ourselves.” Jackson is the owner and founder of Native Clay Co., an online store specializing in clay earrings designed with faux turquoise and tribal-inspired shapes. Starting production in Clarkdale in Yavapai-Apache Nation, Jackson uses her Afro-Indigenous heritage and Yavapai, Apache, Acoma and Hopi ancestry to inspire each of her unique earrings. Jackson said she is motivated by her family and knowing she is carrying on a generational practice. See COUNTERFEIT on PAGE 6
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