Letter to the Editor: We must protect Grand Falls from too much visitation

Residents from the Adah’ilini (Grand Falls) and Leupp community have decided to temporarily close Adah’ilini (Grand Falls) to the public until further notice. The closure is addressed to visitors and non-residential individuals, with the exception of State and Federally Recognized Tribes for cultural preservation purposes only.

Adah’ilini is located within the sovereign Navajo Nation tribal reservation. Adah’iilini is within the boundary of the Navajo Nation Leupp Chapter.

The decision of the local community is supported by the Navajo Nation Parks. Adah’ilini is not under National, County, City, nor Park service.

It is the right of the local residents and community of Adah’ilini to determine this decision because they are Navajo tribal members who are Land Users and/or Livestock Permit Holders within the area.

The Adah’ilini community is acutely cognizant of the spiritual livelihood of Diné (Navajo) people and neighboring tribes whom also reside along the Little Colorado River from its tributaries to the Grand Canyon Confluence. Adah’ilini is a sacred location to Diné (Navajo) People and tribes of the Southwest.

The community has a right to steward the area as a result of an overwhelming increase in tourism affecting residents, livestock, land, sacred sites and water that are crucial to the indigenous herbal plants and animals, both wild and domestic, who unilaterally utilize the ecosystem.

The heightened popularity of Adahilini has resulted in an accumulation of overflowing trash, alcohol containers (Navajo Nation law prohibits alcohol), ATV groups off-roading into residential areas and non-designated roads, high tourism, deterioration of road maintenance, and disturbance of the natural ecosystem, its inhabitants and cultural sites.

Please respect the local community’s decision on this matter as it is within their right to steward the land for cultural and preservation purposes. Any visitors who are non-resident individuals entering the premises will be asked to leave; with the exception of State and Federally Recognized Tribes for cultural preservation purposes only.

Email any questions to protect.adahilini@yahoo.com.

Respectfully,

Navajo Nation residents from the Adah’ilini (Grand Falls) and Leupp communities

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