Kalle Benallie and Aliyah Chavez
ICT
Despite waiting more than three months since making the commitment, making Avi Kwa Ame a national monument is still a priority for President Joe Biden, said Fort Mojave Indian Tribal Chairman Timothy Williams.
Williams was able to meet with Biden Tuesday before the president was set to speak at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada about his administration’s plan to lower prescription drug prices.
“It was definitely an honor to be representing Mojave in that moment, but his knowledge of Avi Kwa Ame and talking about it as soon as he walked up… there was no need for reminder there, he knew exactly what was taking place,” he said on “ICT News with Aliyah Chavez.”
Avi Kwa Ame, also known colloquially as Spirit Mountain, is a 450,000-acre site about 80 miles south of Las Vegas located between Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Nevada and California border.
Williams said Avi Kwa Ame is the place of the Mojave people’s creation and spiritual connection as well for the nine other Yuman-speaking tribes along the Colorado River, as well as the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute tribes.
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Biden announced plans to make the site a national monument at the Tribal Nations White House Summit last November. It’s been more than 100 days since.
Williams said despite the media reporting it was going to take place on March 13 and the date was rolled back, direct communication with the White House said otherwise and nothing was formalized.
The Honor Avi Kwa Ame coalition of tribal members, local conservation leaders and organizations issued a statement in a news release ahead of Biden’s visit.
“We look forward to continuing to work with his administration, the Interior Department, and our Nevada congressional delegation to see through this long-awaited and grassroots-led campaign to preserve this gorgeous space for future generations, before Avi Kwa Ame goes another hundred days without the highest federal protection.”
The Washington Post recently reported that the announcement will be next week. It would be Nevada’s fourth national monument.
Williams said elders are concerned about making Avi Kwa Ame a national monument to ensure its protection now and in the future.
“They were at the meetings. Believe me. They let their voices be heard when we were at the public meetings. That even strengthens us as a tribe, us being united in this effort,” he said.
He added that they look forward to the possibility of co-managing the site with the Bureau of Land Management and for tribal citizens to educate visitors.
“A lot of times when people are out there they just don’t know any better. We have our moments with people that are out there and desecrating the petroglyphs and things like that,” he said.
In the proposal for the national monument petroglyphs, historic mining and pioneer era artifacts, rare and threatened wildlife such as the Mojave Desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep would be protected.
Williams wants to emphasize part of the success of this initiative has been previous councils working on it and the tribe’s willingness to work with outside organizations.
“To know and understand that it can be done, it will be done. Be persistent out there as we fight for our lands, as we fight for our waters, as we fight for everything. Be educated and knowledgeable in the topics and man we can move mountains as tribes,” he said.
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