Keams Register

This has become a strange twisted road to what could be a good thing for the Navajo residents of the Graymountain and Cameron areas of the reservation.  Once again, the “leaders” of the tribe are going through more contortions to further muddy the issues, hopefully some positive action will take place soon:

Council overrides Shirley’s veto of wind project
By Noel Lyn Smith
Navajo Times
Window Rock,  Nov. 24, 2010

The Navajo Nation Council approved an override of President Joe Shirley Jr.’s veto of legislation that would have started lease negotiations for a wind energy project on Gray Mountain, near Cameron, Ariz.

The override passed, 64-8, during a special session of the Council on Nov. 23. It initially failed but was recalled.

In order to pass the override, the Council needed to muster 59 votes in its favor.

Bobby Robbins (Coalmine Canyon/Toh Nanees Dizi), one of the bill’s sponsors, told the Council that the project has been four years in the making.

“We have been in front of a lot of barriers in getting this initiative off the ground for our communities,” Robbins said in Navajo.

Jack Colorado (Bodaway-Gap/Cameron/Coppermine), another bill sponsor, said the wind energy project would bring much needed economic development to the area, along with revenue for the tribe and scholarships for students.

“Although the action of the president indicates he has disrespect for the delegates who voted on these initiatives,” Colorado said.

Shirley vetoed the bill Nov. 8 after the Council approved it Oct. 21 during the fall session.

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Contributed by Native Unity (Reporter)
Saturday, July 03, 2010 10:37
Resolution To Restrict NTUA Fails
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
Gallup Independent

WINDOW ROCK – A resolution which would restrict Navajo Tribal Utility Authority from providing services such as water and natural gas to off-Navajo Nation enterprises failed to gain approval of the Resources Committee last week.

Sponsor Bobby Robbins and To’ Nanees’ Dizi Chapter Vice President Robert Yazzie presented concerns Thursday regarding NTUA possibly selling water to the Hopi Tribe, stating that the chapter objects to NTUA entering into a contract with the Moenkopi Hopi Economic Development Corp. to provide water and natural gas to the $13 million hotel and conference center just across U.S. Highway 160 from Tuba City.

Presenters cited the Navajo Nation’s pending water rights settlement in Arizona, drought conditions and lack of water for Navajo residents in the Cameron, Tuba City, and Grand Canyon area as major factors.

“In Tuba City, how severe is the water shortage,” Vice Chairman Curran Hannon asked. Robbins said that when the water is low, NTUA shuts it down. The water shortage is such that many residents suffer on a daily basis from not having ready access to adequate, clean water, they said. Read the rest of this entry →

you know -  fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and well Fry Bread! How do you take yours?

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On a recent trip back home, we visited the Grand Canyon.  On the surface, it didn’t seem like the land had changed any, but taking a deeper look revealed that things have changed and not always for the better.    This picture of a small area of the canyon shows how time begins to crumble even giant stone structures.  It doesn’t seem to matter how many times people say that change is good, it hurts a little to see familiar things erode, especially those that seemed so strong and immovable.   It’s a melancholy day…

We are careful with the thoughts we have

Because they become

The words we speak.

We are careful with the words we speak

Because they become

The actions we take.

We are careful with the actions we take

Because they become

The life we lead.

We are careful with the life we lead

Because it becomes

The legacy we leave behind.

By DAK RHS 1979

And so it goes, along with all the other projects that have died before becoming reality.  It seems that the Wind Project highly anticipated and hoped for in the Gray Mountain and Cameron area has been put on hold.  What  a surprise!

Given what we now know about how the Gulf Oil Spill has been handled, it’s not surprising that our little section of the reservation will not see the Wind Project come to fruition anytime soon, if ever.  It comes as no surprise that when Politicians become involved without taking into account the wishes and voices of the people that are affected, obstacles begin appearing and all too often will derail what is needed most.

What a disappointment to all the people who spent so much time putting together proposals, conducting the studies, attending meetings and providing input.

It’s a real shame.

http://nativeunity.blogspot.com/2010/06/navajo-wind-project-on-hold.html

It began like any other day…the sun was shining, the birds were singing, I was having a cup of coffee and talking with my sister on the phone.  I was updating her on the newest addition to our family and telling her that I have started the process of introducing Navajo words to him at two months old.

I was slowly going down the parts of the body while he looked into my eyes with rapt attention.  I got to his arm and could not remember how to say the Navajo word for elbow.  WOW.  I asked my sister to please refresh my memory and she drew a blank.  UNBELIEVABLE.  My big sister knows more than all of us about our traditions and our language, and I had just stumped her.

Of course, this caused us to get really involved in naming ALL the parts of the body and we found we also could not remember how to say “cheeks” (the ones on your face, not the ones you sit on.)  This evolved into calling other family and friends who reminded us how to say cheeks but no one had a clue how to say elbow.

This was serious business!  My sister had chosen that day to take the long boring drive from Phoenix to Tucson and as she was driving along, it came to her.  She left me a message and she probably called everyone else back to update them as well.  Apparently the question had spread to other family members because I received a call from the heart of Navajo country from a relative that also supplied the word and chided us for being out of touch.  Much deserved chastising, I might add.

The language memory exercise brought home to all of us how much we are missing and losing due to lack of practice and use.  We made a vow and are determined to teach and use everything we know from our culture and traditions so that we can continue to teach our children.

Big lesson learned.

It is always interesting to me how something potentially good can be completely turned around and wasted because of greed and a desire for power and control.

My family has been telling me that there is a potential to have windmills installed on the mountain on our part of the Navajo reservation in the Gray Mountain, and Cameron areas.  They had attended several meetings at our local Chapter House to discuss the various aspects of the project.  It seems the original promoters (Sempra) may be suddenly pushed aside by others who think they can do the project “better.” 

Unfortunately for my family, their neighbors and the community in the two small townships, the inconsistencies between what they originally were told and what the new groups want to do are far different than they had agreed to and were expecting.  My appreciation and deep respect go to Sempra for the way they worked with the Chapter leadership and the residents of the area.

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Desert Rock energy debate continues and reaches far and wide.  Recently, Desert Rock opponents claimed a small victory when the EPA rescinded the Air Quality permit issued to the developers.  This may be only a temporary victory, depending on the steps next taken by the developers and the Navajo Transmission Project.

Interestingly, even President Obama and his administration are now part of the commentary.  While Obama is keen on expanding wind and solar energy for our nation, it seems that what actually transmits and delivers that energy is what is at the root of the problem. In addition to the disturbing information of how much pollution would be brought to Desert Rock and the surrounding areas, it is equally disturbing to realize that no plans have been made to share that energy with the great number of households that are in that area that currently have no electricity.  In fact, it seems the majority of the energy would be transmitted to more “deserving” large cities in the west.

I was recently doing some searches on modern day cowboys, hoping to come across the names of the ranches where my father worked.  A site came up that had nothing to do with my searches but had the intriguing title Cowboy Ethics.  Being the curious sort, I clicked on the link and came to the site maintained by James Owen, a wall street veteran who had written a book about how he felt Wall Street would benefit from the code and ethics of the old American West.  On his site there is a code of Ethics which is exactly like I imagine as a guide for cowboys before and during my father’s time in ranching.  It goes like this:

• Live each day with courage.
• Take pride in your work.
• Always finish what you start.
• Do what needs to be done.
• Be Tough, but fair.
• When you make a promise, keep it.
• Ride for the Brand.
• Talk less and say more.
• Remember that some things aren’t for sale.
• Know where to draw the line.

We don’t have to be cowboys to follow this simple code.  I’m glad I came across it, even if it really doesn’t satisfy my initial search for information.  After visiting this site, I am interested in learning more about why Mr. Owen felt Wall Street would benefit from the Cowboy way.  If you would like to visit his site, click here.