Native American Issues

Bear Dance at White Mesa

The annual Ute Mountain Ute Tribe White Mesa Bear Dance is returning to the White Mesa community this weekend starting on Friday, September 2, and concluding on Monday, September 5. The event is open to the public for the first time in two years. Last year the bear dance was limited to tribal...

Road grater located near the Navajo Mountain Chapter House

Navajo Commission talks Navajo Mountain chapter house, road maintainence

by David Boyle News Director Members of the Navajo Utah Commission passed a resolution asking for matching funds for the Navajo Mountain Chapter Building Renovation project and also discussed road needs on the Navajo Utah strip at their latest meeting. At the August 22 meeting of the Navajo Utah...

Indigenous casting call for western film

A casting call for Kevin Costner’s western film Horizon is taking place in Monument Valley on Saturday, August 20 for Indigenous actors and extras. The film, set in the American west in 1861, has extra roles for indigenous men, women, and children of all ages, along with roles for men aged 18 and...

Navajo Nation Primary results set up Presidential, Council races for November

by David Boyle News Director The Navajo Nation held Primary Elections on August 2. Diné voters will return to the polls to vote to elect a president and representatives to the Navajo Nation Council in November. Unofficial results from the Navajo Elections Administration became available on August 3...

Navajo Utah Commission talks Bears Ears land management plan, Native American summit

Members of the Navajo Utah Commission (NUC) heard from the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, discussed the Bears Ears National Monument Management Plan and heard from Republican candidates for office at their latest meeting. At their July 12 meeting members of the NUC heard from Richard Begay,...

Navajo Nation Primaries set for August 2

Navajo Nation Primary Elections are approaching with Navajo Nation Council seats and the office of the President on the ballot. Absentee ballot requests for the primary must be received by July 18. Early voting is active now at election offices including in Shiprock and Tuba City. On election day,...

Keynote speaker Eugene Brave Rock addresses the conference. UNHS photo

Inaugural Indigenous Men's Conference held in Montezuma Creek

The Inaugural Indigenous Men’s Conference took place in Montezuma Creek on June 30, with fifty people in attendance and thousands tuned in to listen. The event sponsored by Utah Navajo Health System (UNHS) brought Indigenous men to speak at a first-of-its-kind gathering for Indigenous men. In an...

Navajo Utah Commission addresses elections, projects at area chapters using ARPA funds

Members of the Navajo Utah Commission received an update on Chapter ARPA projects, discussed elections, and passed resolutions on internet access and domestic violence at their latest meeting. During their June 14 meeting members of the Navajo Utah Commission heard reports on Primary Elections both...

Representatives from the BLM, Forest Service & the inter-tribal coalition pose after signing a co-managment agreement for the Bears Ears Monument. Pictured from left to right: Christopher Tabbee Representative Uncompahgre Ute, Malcolm Lehi, Councilman Ute Mountain Ute, Homer L. Wilkes Undersecretary Natural Resources and Environment, Tracy Stone-Manning BLM Director, Carleton Bowekaty Lt. Governor Zuni Tribe, Timothy Nuvangyaoma Hopi Tribe Chairman, Davis Filfred representing the Navajo Nation. DOI photo

Federal and Tribal agencies sign comanagement agreement for Bears Ears

Federal land agencies and tribal leadership formalized their co-management of the Bears Ears National Monument at a signing ceremony on June 18. The signing took place in White Mesa, afterwards, representatives traveled along highway 261 to unveil one of the new Bears Ears National Monument signs,...

Lt. Governor Henderson discusses water settlement, proposed roads, Westwater

by David Boyle News Director The State of Utah has been active working on projects in San Juan County, including at Westwater, and Navajo Mountain. Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson spoke with Red Rock 92.7 FM about their work on June 6. In less than two years since taking office, the Lt. Governor...