Associated Tribes

Dupkia Hoyam Hopi Dancers performance at the Visitor Center Plaza, June 2023.

NPS/C. Kraus

November 2024—Celebrating Native American Heritage Month at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park proudly honors and celebrates the rich Indigenous heritage that has been an integral part of this landscape since time immemorial. As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Grand Canyon National Park invites everyone to join us in honoring the rich cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples. This month is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Native American heritage and the vital role it plays in our park's story.

Visit this website to learn more on all the exciting events and special programs planned for the entire month of November!

Join the conversation on the park's social media channels by using #GrandCanyonFirstVoices, #IndigenousHeritageMonth, or #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth. Explore stories in honor of Native American Heritage Month and also find resources to learn about Indigenous history and heritage in Grand Canyon year-round.

 

 

Open Transcript 

Transcript

Film Credits:

WE ARE GRAND CANYON

THIS FILM WAS ENVISIONED BY THE GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP REPRESENTING THE ELEVEN TRIBES TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRAND CANYON

 
THANK YOU TO THE GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP

SHANANDOAH ANDERSON (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

TIM BEGAY (NAVAJO)

RICHARD BEGAY (NAVAJO)

CHARLEY BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS)

DANIEL BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS)

RONNIE CACHINI (ZUNI)

CARRIE CANNON (KIOWA)

CARMEN CLARK (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

MARCIE CRAYNON (HUALAPAI)

DARREN DABODA (MOAPA BAND OF PAIUTE)

DON DECKER (APACHE)

MAE FRANKLIN (NAVAJO)

MICHAEL GCHACHU (ZUNI)

AUTUMN GILLARD (CEDAR BAND OF PAIUTE)

RICHARD GRAYMOUNTAIN (SAN JUAN SOUTHERN PAIUTE)

ANA JACKSON (YAVAPAI)

STEWART B. KOYIYUMPTEWA (HOPI)

LEE LOMAYESTEWA (HOPI)

RICHARD POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

VINCENT RANDALL (APACHE)

OCTAVIOUS SEOWTEWA (ZUNI)

CARLETTA TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

DIANNA SUE WHITEDOVE UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

RONALD WADSWORTH (HOPI)

BENNETT WAKAYUTA (HUALAPAI/HOPI)

A BRISTLECONE MEDIA PRODUCTION

A FILM BY RYAN M CHRISTENSEN

IN COLLABORATION WITH

GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP

PRODUCERS

JAN BALSOM

MIKE LYNDON

MINDY RIESENBERG

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

TOMAS ARCEO

VINCENT DIAZ (HUALAPAI/WASHOE)

WEATHERCARROT

KELKIYANA YAZZIE (NAVAJO)

CAMERA ASSISTANT

ANDY ROBSON

KORY KIRCHNER

ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE

SUSAN ALZNER

AERIAL FILMWORKS

KEITH BYERS/SKYSHIP MEDIA

WITH SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY

SHANANDOAH ANDERSON (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

TIM BEGAY (NAVAJO)

RONNIE CACHINI (ZUNI)

CARMEN CLARK (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

AUTUMN GILLARD (CEDAR BAND OF PAIUTE)

AUDRA JONES (HAVASUPAI)

JUSTIN JONES JR. (HAVASUPAI)

LORA JONES (HAVASUPAI)

ED KEABLE (NPS)

ALBERT LAUGHTER (NAVAJO)

LEE LOMAYESTEWA (HOPI)

STERLING SELANA (HUALAPAI)

ELYSSA SHALLA (NPS)

KRISTOPHER SIYUJA (HAVASUPAI)

EDMOND TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

DIANNA SUE WHITEDOVE UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

JAMES UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

JORIGINE PAYA (HUALAPAI)

JANELLE POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

RICHARD POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

VINCENT RANDALL (APACHE)

OCTAVIOUS SEOWTEWA (ZUNI)

CARLETTA TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

JAMES UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

RONALD WADSWORTH (HOPI)

AVÉ WATAHOMIGIE-CORLISS (HAVASUPAI)

OPHELIA WATAHOMIGIE-CORLISS (HAVASUPAI)

IN MEMORIUM

CHARLEY BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS) 1974-2020

RONNIE CACHINI (PUEBLO OF ZUNI) 1965-2022

VINCENT RANDALL (YAVAPAI APACHE NATION) 1940-2023

CHARLIE BULLETTS MEMORIAM FOOTAGE

JILL STAUROWSKY

PHOTOGRAPHS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK ARCHIVES

HAVASUPAI TRIBE

SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE

PIPE SPRINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT

"We Made it, Honoring Current Life Beings"

PERFORMED BY REX TILOUSI

"North Wind Blowing"

PERFORMED BY SHANAN MARTINEAU

SPECIAL THANKS

KIM BESOM

MARIE BUCK

TODD CHRISTENSEN

LAURA CROSSEY

RADER LANE

KARL KARLSTROM

THERESA MCMULLAN

JENNIFER O’NEILL

MICHAEL QUINN

ELYSSA SHALLA

TODD STOEBERL

SPECIAL THANKS TO GRAND CANYON CONSERVANCY STAFF 

ALL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WAS PROVIDED BY GRAND CANYON CONSERVANCY, OFFICIAL NON-PROFIT PARTNER OF GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK.

Duration:

24 minutes, 8 seconds

"We Are Grand Canyon" is a heartfelt film, welcoming visitors to Grand Canyon National Park from those who have called it home since time immemorial – Grand Canyon's 11 tribal communities. A project several years in the making, "We Are Grand Canyon" is a joint creation by the Intertribal Working Group, Grand Canyon National Park, and Grand Canyon Conservancy, and was filmed and edited by Ryan Christensen of Bristlecone Media. Film Credits are listed in the transcript below the video player.

 

The Grand Canyon region has been home to Native people since time immemorial.

The Grand Canyon is a place of immeasurable importance to Native people in the Southwest. The park shares boundaries with three federally recognized tribes; a total of 11 federally recognized tribes are traditionally associated with what is now Grand Canyon National Park. Park staff have been working with tribal people for more than 40 years, developing numerous innovative and collaborative tribal partnerships during that time.

We gratefully acknowledge the Native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today.

 

Traditionally Associated Tribes

There are 11 tribes that have historic connections to the lands and resources now found within Grand Canyon National Park.

• Havasu'baaja Havasupai Tribe – AZ
• Hopi Tribe – AZ
• Hwal'bay Hualapai Tribe – AZ
• Nungwu Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians – AZ
• Las Vegas Paiute Tribe – NV
• Moapa Band of Paiute Indians – NV
• Diné Navajo Nation – AZ
  • Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation
• Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah – UT
• San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe – AZ
• A:shiwi The Pueblo of Zuni – NM
• Yavap'e - Nṉéé Yavapai-Apache Nation – AZ

 

The map on the left shows approximate locations of the traditional homelands of the 11 tribes that have cultural connections to Grand Canyon. The map on the right show current tribal reservations as well as the boundary of Grand Canyon National Park.

NPS, Adapted from Stephanie Smith, 2020

 

Grand Canyon National Park Tribal Engagement Report

A biennial report highlighting Grand Canyon National Park tribal programming in 2022-2023.

View full screen >

 

Working with Indigenous communities

 

 

 

Additional Resources