Native American Heritage Month Volume 26 Number 18 TUESDAY, November 6, 2018 Hopi Youth Travel to Phoenix in Support of Protecting Tribe’s Water Rights Paatuwaqatsi - Water is Life By: ROMALITA LABAN, porters to attend the hearings. that made them happy. Even the Hopi Tutuveni and ATHIA Some schools and departments youngest of the girls expressed HARDT, Hopi Public Relations not having enough readily avail- liking the documentary until she able resources weren’t able to got hungry and sleepy which is PHOENIX ARIZ. – Since send an entourage as was hoped normal for a five-year old. September 11, 2018 Hopi lead- for. However, that hasn’t dis- Other observations about the ers, tribal staff, and other mem- couraged the Hopi Tribe or sup- documentary led the oldest of bers of the Hopi Tribe have been porters. The Hopi Tutuveni is a three girls to talk about how the in attendance at the Superior main source of print information connections to Chaco Canyon Court of Arizona in Maricopa for many Hopi tribal members. and the Hopi migration story County located in Phoenix, Ariz. As part of our initiative to get segment reminded her of her as a demonstration of protecting information to the Hopi people Current Events class at Flagstaff water rights for the Hopi Tribe we have been in constant contact High School. She shared how during the Little Colorado Riv- with the Chairman’s Office, law- she and about five other Hopi er Rights settlement hearings. yers and tribal public relations students were working on a class On October 29, 2018, three and will continue to get as much research project which included Hopi youth also walked into the information to the Hopi people discussion about the Confluence courtroom to show support in about the issue, as possible. at the Grand Canyon. She ex- claiming as many water rights as Over the past eight weeks pressed concern about how she possible for the Hopi people and many other notifications about did not want Hopis to be ignored their future, as well. other Hopi events and issues if and when others tried to devel- Over the past eight weeks in have also been shared with the op the area again. She recalled addition to being present during Tutuveni. One of which was from discussions with her Hopi the hearings, Timothy Nuvang- an email from the Hopi Cultur- classmates and the documentary yaoma, Hopi Chairman and his al Preservation Office (CPO) that the area near the Confluence staff have been doing their best announcing its hosting of the is where Hopis know it to be a at outreach about the hearings October 20, 2018 Preview of a part of the Hopi Emergence story with the local Hopi schools, PBS Four-part series titled, “Na- and she expressed that it should LaRain C. Lomayaktewa and Helaina P. Lomayaktewa, Hopi Youth from Tribal departments and by con- tive America” featuring Hopi. not be disturbed out of respect. Village of Walpi, Tim Nuvangyaoma, Hopi Chairman and Bruce Talawy- ducting interviews on the local The preview was presented to Then came a revelation and man, Chief of Staff Hopi Chairman’s Office. (Picture by Romalita Laban) KUYI Hopi radio station. The an audience of approximately the older sister turned to me and goal is to encourage as many forty-five Hopi and non-Hopi asked, “Is that what you have Hopi tribal members and sup- viewers ranging from the young been doing all your work on to elderly with female and male Grandma?” I clarified that some presence at Hotevilla on that Sat- of my time has been spent cov- urday ering the hearings. I explained In fact the Hopi youth who to them what I had observed Aubrey Rain Harvey showed support at the LCR over the past six weeks. I also Settlement hearings were also expressed how grateful I was in attendance at CPO event, as to have been physically present Crowned the New Miss Lori well. Neither of the young girls at such a historical event. I in- had any idea that attending the formed them the hearings would CPO sponsored event would affect the Hopi people now and Piestewa Post 80 princess impact them so much as to want in the future and how very im- to attend the hearings until see- portant it is for our Hopi people ing and hearing the preview and to be educated about the issue only time would tell how the and to become involved more so events would be interrelated. than ever. One Hopi elder female at the Then the tipping point came CPO preview passionately ex- when I expressed how I wished pressed that there is a need for more Hopi people could be at the more of the documentary type hearings and that I wished even videos to be shared with the they could attend. Both of the world. She also shared her con- older sisters expressed almost cern for the history of Hopi to simultaneously, “I want to go!” be told from a Hopi perspective with their younger sister chim- and not by non-Hopi individuals. ing in, “Me, too!” I confirmed, The Hopi elder also expressed “You do, would you really go?” that if this was done sooner we and once I received a resound- may not have lost our aboriginal ing; “Yes!” we started on the lands, some of which are being planning after getting approval occupied by Navajos due to U.S. from their mother and counted government action. She also the day away from school as expressed that our Hopi water being educational as it involved rights might not be threatened Hopi current events and history, like they are in the LCR Settle- as well. ment hearings either. The CPO Flash forward a week and a staff expressed appreciation to couple days to Monday, October the Hopi elder and notified her 29, 2018, when the young Hopi that more work was being done family got up early, got dressed to ensure that Hopis are telling in their traditional clothes, as Aubrey Rain Harvey, newly crowned Miss Lori Piestewa Post 80 Princess and Brina Humetewa, first at- our story now and into the fu- sign of respect, representing tendant to Miss Lori Piestewa Post 80 Princess (Photo by Carl Onsae/Hopi Tutuveni) ture. All the audience members and support for their Hopi peo- By CARL ONSAE accommodated the general dant to Miss Lori Piestewa Post were thanked for attending and ple, and headed to Phoenix. Two Assistant Editor public and a variety of visiting 80 Princess is Sand Clan from CPO staff chatted with some be- hours later upon walking into KYKOTSMOVI, ARIZ royalty to observe the pageant the village of Upper Moenkopi fore closing down for the night. the courtroom and observing – The Hopi Day School in and the two girl participants vie and is the daughter of Melissa Fast forward two hours lat- onlookers, one of which was a Kykotsmovi Arizona host- for the crown of Miss Lori Pi- and Bryan Humetewa. She is a er after the preview, when the female lawyer for the Navajo ed the Lori Piestewa Post estewa Post 80 Princess which sophomore at the Tuba City High young Hopi females were en- Nation, you could have heard 80 Royalty Pageant on Oc- resulted in having Aubrey Rain School and her inspiration for joying a late night snack while a pin drop. The Navajo Nation tober 30, 2018. The pageant Harvey, crowned the new Miss competing for the crown came discussing what they observed lawyer continued to follow the Lori Piestewa Post 80 Princess. from the fact that her family has a at the preview with their family. girls with her gaze and mouth Aubrey Rain Harvey, the new huge line of men and women vet- The two older girls mentioned dropped open, as they walked to Miss Lori Piestewa Post 80 Prin- erans and active serving military. how very intrigued they were their seats to observe the Hopi cess is water clan from the vil- Humetewa stated, “I never knew with the men shown in the doc- lawyers conducting their cross lage of Shungopovi and is the that my family had a huge line of umentary and that it created an examination of the Navajo Na- daughter of Meridith Van Winkle veterans, so I wanted to compete instant connection for them. The tion expert witnesses. and Daryl Harvey. She is a soph- to honor them and to represent girls talked about similar fea- The girls sat, observed and omore at the Hopi High School them the best that I can”. tures of their own family mem- listened intently until the pro- and her passion for contending Humetewa’s talent was de- bers which they could see in the ceedings were recessed for the for the crown was because her scribing her clan, which is Snake men in the documentary such lunch break. The Hopi lawyers sister is a veteran. Harvey, stat- and how the Hopi’s Snake clan as; dark hair and physical build made it a point to come and in- ed, “It is my passion to compete is part of the warrior clans that as compared to their father. See- troduce themselves to the girls ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED ADDRESS SERVICE tonight for my sister and all the reside here on the Hopi mesas. ing the men smoking in prayer and thanked them for attending Native veterans, because they are Both girls had great talents and reminded them of being in the before heading into afternoon the real heroes”.