Effort for Piestewa family initiates cultural exchange<br><br>

Bert Tsavadawa (Hopi/Hualapai) performed with both groups.

The effort to provide the Piestewa family with a new home in Flagstaff was initiated by Jessica Lynch.

“Jessica Lynch has the ability to do public things,” said Andy Bessler. Bessler, who works for the Sierra Club, brought his young son downtown to watch the dancing. “I think what she did was a really good thing. She nominated the Piestewa family to receive this new home.”

From there, Extreme Makeover representatives approached the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) to provide support and sponsorship for the project. Through NCAI’s outreach, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of Southern California learned of the effort.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) provided support and sponsorship for the project. Through this organization’s outreach, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of Southern California learned of the effort on behalf of the Piestewa family.

According to Tribal Chairman Deron Marquez, there is no specific relationship between the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Hopi Tribe.

“There is no relationship other than we’re all indigenous people. We saw Hopi people in a time of need. We learned that there were two children needing a solid place to live, and that the grandparents raising those children wanted to retire to Flagstaff,” Marquez said. “It was an easy decision to make when you put those factors together.”

Members of the San Manuel Band would understand the need for a solid place to live. The 820-acre reservation they call home runs uphill and is crossed by three faults—one being the infamous San Andreas. Marquez estimates that only 40 acres of this land are actually fit for building.

When asked if, like other Indian nations, the San Manuel purchased this land, Marquez laughed.

“If we had, we wouldn’t have picked this land,” he said.

The San Manuel reservation was devastated by wildfire last summer, and according to Marquez, the tribe lost 98 percent of the vegetation there. But even with these challenges, the San Manuel Band’s successful efforts towards diversification has provided a large economic base that allows the tribe to reach out to others in need.

“We opened a gaming operation in 1985,” Marquez said. “We have hotels and office buildings in Washington, D.C., we have restaurants and warehouses.”

The tribe also operates a bottled water group that includes Big Bear Mountain Premium Spring Water as well as other private-label bottling for national retail outlets.

“When the White Mountain Reservation lost the timber for its sawmills, we donated a million dollars to keep the elder programs running. We are dedicated to helping when we have the means to help other tribal people in need. We were very fortunate that we had the means at that time, and were able to do it.”

The tribe, Marquez said, provided the land for the Piestewa home, something San Manuel is happy to have been able to do.

The Hopi and Navajo Tribes are also sponsors of the project.

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