Honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day

In acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples' Day on October 13th, Grand Canyon Conservancy honors the traditional stewards of Grand Canyon and their enduring connection to this sacred space, including: Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Navajo, Yavapai-Apache, Pueblo of Zuni, Kaibab Paiute, Las Vegas Paiute, Moapa Band of Paiute, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, and the San Juan Southern Paiute.

If you’ve visited Grand Canyon over the last 10 years, you may have noticed changes to interpretive signs and names of places, changes that now more accurately reflect the canyon’s cultural significance. This transformation was spearheaded by the Intertribal Working Group (ITWG), a collaborative effort between Grand Canyon’s 11 tribal communities, the National Park Service, and GCC. Since its inception in 2013, the ITWG has been dedicated to amplifying Indigenous narratives connected to Grand Canyon, which have long been overshadowed. 

Efforts to elevate Indigenous perspectives at Grand Canyon are far-ranging and include initiatives such as establishing the Desert View area as an Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site—the first in the National Park Service. This project includes the improvement of the arrival experience through a new Orientation Area, shade structure, picnic areas, and revision of the parking lots; the development of a Tribal Welcome Center; and the expansion of the popular Cultural Demonstration Program, where artisans from the 11 tribal communities of Grand Canyon share their traditions with park visitors. 

In 2024, the ITWG also developed and premiered a 24-minute film that now serves as an alternate “welcome video” for the South Rim Visitor Center. To broaden the existing narrative that predominantly focused on John Wesley Powell's exploration and geology of the canyon, the ITWG envisioned a visitor-focused video that now centers the Indigenous relationship to Grand Canyon since time immemorial. 

Plans for additional exhibits, audio tours, and educational programs are underway, with the goal of ensuring that every encounter in Grand Canyon National Park is an opportunity to learn about and honor the enduring legacy of its tribal communities.

Thanks to ongoing collaboration between ITWG, Grand Canyon National Park, and Grand Canyon Conservancy, visitors carry with them not only the awe-inspiring beauty of the landscape but also a newfound appreciation for the vibrant tapestry of cultures that call Grand Canyon home.