Associated Tribes

 
18 people arranged in three rows pose for a group photo on some steps leading to a stone building with a circular tower, in the style of ancestral Puebloan architecture.
Inter-tribal Working Group members pose for a photo during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site, May 17, 2022. The group is continuing its efforts to develop the exhibit plan for the Desert View Welcome Center, and is working on the next strategic plan.

NPS photo/Dan Pawlak

 

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.

 
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As we celebrate Native American Heritage, take a moment, wherever you are, to listen to the wind and the stories it carries. The history played out on public lands, like Grand Canyon National Park, has been dramatic and difficult, but learning from our shared past, present, and future will bring this nation together.

 
Tribal Medallion representing the 11 traditionally associated tribes of Grand Canyon

Traditionally Associated Tribes

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

 
Two maps side by side showing the traditional homelands of Grand Canyon's 11 associated tribes and their current reservation lands today.
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

 

We Are Still Here

Indigenous people are the first inhabitants and caretakers of the land that later became the United States of America and Grand Canyon National Park. Native people of this land still exist today and continue to have deep cultural connection to this land. They are the first to live in harmony with the environment and have intergenerational and invaluable knowledge of the landscape that can be utilized to solve some of the problems faced by federal land managers today. We would like to thank the Indigenous communities that continue to work in partnership with the Grand Canyon on the stewardship of these lands.

“The first people of this land need to be the first people our visitors see when they visit Grand Canyon. It’s important to me that we show the world that the indigenous people of this land are here" says Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent, Ed Keable. "We need to provide the support so they can tell their histories of the canyon and talk about their futures with the Grand Canyon.”

To discover what the park is doing to promote first-voice interpretation with our digital audiences, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and use the hashtag, #grandcanyonfirstvoices.

 
A concept rendering of the Desert View InterTribal Cultural Heritage Site
Concept renderings of the site, designed by Andy Dufford of Chevo Studios

The Desert View Vision


The Desert View Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site is one example of the future of first-voice interpretation at Grand Canyon National Park. The Park continues to work with the Inter-Tribal Working Group, tribal members, the Grand Canyon Conservancy, and a talented and motivated group of staff and designers who share a vision for Desert View as a vibrant and living landscape. Desert View will create opportunities for tribal members to provide first voice interpretation of the Grand Canyon so that park visitors can experience Grand Canyon from a truly local perspective.

We are pleased to announce that in January 2022 construction began on the first elements of the Desert View Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site. The Grand Canyon NPS Trail Crew is currently working on the new amphitheater in collaboration with Chevo Studios, out of Denver, Colorado. As part of this project, trail crew will also begin working on realignment of Desert View area trails to make them compliant with accessibility standards. Work will continue through summer 2022.
Desert View facilities will, for the most part, be accessible to the public during construction; however, there will be detours and occasional closures as needed for work adjacent to doors. During construction, access to these facilities may not be universally accessible. For the most up-to-date photos of progress being made to the Desert View area, please visit the park’s Flickr album.
 

Working with Indigenous communities

 
InterTribal Working Group members in front of the Watchtower
Desert View Intertribal Heritage Site

See the many exciting changes in store for the future of Desert View, including a new tribal run welcome center and improved paths.

A woman paints a piece of pottery using traditional native designs.
Cultural Demonstrator Program

Since 2014, the park has worked with tribes to encourage interactions with the public through demonstrations of traditional native crafts.

Members of the Yavapai-Apache Warriorettes Dance Troupe in regalia
2022 North Rim Heritage Days

Tribal members offer programs on a variety of subjects, ranging from astronomy to traditional music and dance.

 

Grand Canyon Tribal Affairs News

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    Additional Resources

     
    Prehistoric granaries along the Colorado River
    Grand Canyon's Associated Tribes

    Learn more about Grand Canyon' associated tribes on Arizona State University's Nature, Culture, and History at Grand Canyon website.

     Archaeological Resources
    Archaeological Resources

    Humans have present on the Grand Canyon landscape for up to 12,000 years. Find out what archaeologists have found inside the park.

    A small single-story stone building with an entry on the right. Sign reads: Tusayan Museum.
    Tusayan Pueblo and Museum

    CLOSED FOR THE WINTER. During 2023, visit this 800-year-old ancestral Puebloan site and learn about people who called Grand Canyon home.

    Tribal members hold a ceremony near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center
    The Voices of Grand Canyon

    Visit Grand Canyon Trust's website to see what it means to call the Grand Canyon home.

    Cellist YoYoMa stands near the canyon with tribal member, Jim Enote
    Arizona Native Tourism

    The Arizona American Indian Tourism Association promotes the development of Indian Tourism while respecting the cultural integrity of tribes

    The Navajo Bridge spans across the Colorado River.
    Partnering with AIANTA

    The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association serves as the national voice for American Indian nations engaged in cultural tourism.

     

    Last updated: October 26, 2023

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    Mailing Address:

    PO Box 129
    Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

    Phone:

    928-638-7888

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