Making Snow is Power Reserved for Creator

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

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WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA - The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission has voiced its opposition to the use of groundwater use for artificial snowmaking on the San Francisco Peaks on religious premise.

“It is a basic premise that 'making' snow is not within the domain of human kind,”

said Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission Chairperson Duane H. Yazzie.

"Instead that is a power reserved by the Creator and we, as Christians or traditional believers to infringe on that power or support it, it is a desecration in itself of the highest order."

The 22nd Navajo Nation Council is expected to vote today on legislation that would permit the use of groundwater to make artificial snow on the San Francisco Peaks, known in Navajo language as Dook'o'osliid.

Legislation is pending that allows the use groundwater versus recovered-reclaimed water to make the artificial snow. Some on the Navajo Nation Council support making artificial snow for recreational and economic purposes.

The groundwater legislation, which has received written public scrunity, states:

"The Navajo Nation believed it is in the best interest of the Navajo People that groundwater rather than the recovered-reclaimed water be used to make artificial snow thereby preventing Dook'o'osliid from being desecrated by reclaimed or recovered-reclaimed water."

"The Council needs to reject this proposed legislation,"

said Yazzie.

"If it were to approve the legislation, it would send a mixed signal and demonstrate to the world that the Náabik'iyáti' Committee is taking a position that is adverse to the established position of the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, the Diné medicine groups, the Hopi Nation, the ten other Arizona tribes and concerned citizen groups."

Yazzie continued: "The central question of the issue is our argument that the Snowbowl Ski enterprise and the US Forest Service are infringing on the religious freedom right of 13 indigenous nation of Arizona. We continue to argue that position and that position must remain at the forefront and not take away from it by discussing what water should be used to make artificial snow."

posted December 22, 2011 7:10 am est