GCC & Grand Canyon National Park Win Best Cultural Preservation Award

Grand Canyon, Ariz.— Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) and Grand Canyon National Park have won the Best Arizona Cultural Preservation Award at the 2024 Governors’ Conference on Tourism for the state of Arizona. The award was for the development of an Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site at Desert View and the production of the film “We Are Grand Canyon” which welcomes visitors to the park from the perspectives of the 11 Grand Canyon tribal communities.

This award is presented to the individual, organization, or community that has made the most significant contribution to the cultural and/or historic preservation of some aspect of Arizona's natural, cultural, or aesthetic legacy to inspire domestic or international visitation to the state. It was presented on Thursday evening, August 22, 2024, at the awards dinner celebration at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa.

“These projects show how collaboration, patience, and trust can lead to meaningful change,” said Mindy Riesenberg, GCC’s Chief Communications Officer. “It is a priority for GCC and Grand Canyon National Park to address the inequities of the past, and to transform the way the story of Grand Canyon is told. Elevating the voices of the 11 Grand Canyon tribal communities through the transformation of the Desert View site and the creation of the film ‘We Are Grand Canyon’ is only the beginning of a process that will eventually spread across the entire park, telling the stories of the people who call the canyon home, creating new pathways for cultural and economic opportunities, and engaging visitors with the true history of this Natural Wonder of the World.”

Desert View Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site
Grand Canyon Conservancy, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Intertribal Working Group are transforming Desert View at Grand Canyon into a thriving space that celebrates the tribal heritages of the canyon. This will be an integrated natural, cultural, and tribal experience for visitors, and will also act as an economic and tourism driver for the associated eleven tribes. Tribal culture bearers are committed not just to bringing their cultures to Desert View, but to welcoming visitors into their communities for even richer cross-cultural experiences. The Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site will create opportunities for visitors to learn about past and present Indigenous life and culture at and around Grand Canyon. They will have the opportunity to interact directly with tribal members, listen to their stories, and observe a variety of cultural demonstrations. The site is part of Grand Canyon National Park's commitment to addressing the historic inequities inherent in Western land domination, creating a pathway to a new future. When completed, it will articulate a new relationship between Indigenous peoples and the National Park Service.

“We Are Grand Canyon” Film
Now showing every hour at the top of the hour at the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Visitor Center, “We Are Grand Canyon” is a 24-minute film that serves as an alternate “welcome video” for visitors. Through "We Are Grand Canyon," the 11 Grand Canyon tribal communities extend a heartfelt invitation to all who visit this sacred place—directly from the people who call this land home, who have been here for millennia, and who are still here. The film was developed by the Intertribal Working Group, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and Grand Canyon National Park, and centers on the Indigenous relationship with Grand Canyon since time immemorial.
“I hope that the visitor leaves curious, wondrous, and ready to ground truth,” said Havasupai Tribal Member Ophelia Watahomigie-Corliss. “This film is the first step in that ground truthing. I hope it causes viewers to visit these tribes in person. To support these tribes economically. To remember that respect is always the way forward.”

Intertribal Working Group
Grand Canyon National Park was created without the consent of Indigenous peoples. This resulted in the dispossession of lands within the park from Indigenous communities. Despite this difficult history, in 2013, tribal partners, Grand Canyon National Park, and Grand Canyon Conservancy, developed the Intertribal Working Group (ItWG), made up of representatives from the 11 tribes traditionally associated with Grand Canyon and members of NPS and GCC staff. The group’s focus consists of three strategies: 

• Joint development of first-voice interpretation and education programs between tribes and the National Park Service.
• Co-management, employment, and internship opportunities for tribal members.
• Maintain culturally appropriate connections and values among individual tribal groups.
   

Learn more about cultural and historic preservation efforts at Grand Canyon Conservancy.