Federal and State Partnership Marks Milestone for Hopi Tribe Land Settlement
The Hopi Tribe is witnessing a significant moment in their ongoing journey to reclaim land, as federal and state officials work together to execute a decades-old settlement agreement. This collaboration represents a pivotal event in the tribe’s history.
In a move to honor a settlement that dates back nearly thirty years, federal government attorneys filed documents on Friday to transfer over 31 square miles of state land near Winslow, Arizona, into trust for the Hopi Tribe. This land transfer, for which the tribe will pay close to $4 million, aims to address the fragmented ownership of lands utilized by the Hopi for ranching in northeastern Arizona.
A Long-Awaited Resolution
This action stems from the 1996 Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act, a congressional measure that endorsed an agreement between the Hopi Tribe and the federal government. The act was intended to facilitate the transfer of land into trust for the Hopi.
The history of land disputes in northeastern Arizona involves longstanding conflict between the Hopi and the Navajo Nation. The federal government’s initial efforts to have the tribes share the land failed, leading to a 1974 congressional decision that divided the land and mandated the relocation of tribal members from each other’s territories. This decision resulted in the Navajo Nation surrounding the significantly smaller Hopi reservation.
Since the 1996 settlement, the Hopi Tribe has been actively purchasing private lands and pursuing the acquisition of neighboring state lands to consolidate their territory.
A Milestone Celebration
The path to achieving this land transfer has been fraught with challenges. In 2018, the tribe sought local governmental support for a proposed land transfer south of Interstate 40, but these efforts were hindered by the inclusion of national forest areas.
In his statement on Friday, Hopi Chairman Tim Nuvangyaoma expressed gratitude for the collective efforts that brought the condemnation filing to fruition, noting the significance of the timing during the Hopi’s soyal’ang ceremony — a period of renewal and new beginnings.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who visited the Hopi reservation for the first time in 2023, acknowledged the prolonged struggle of the Hopi Tribe to secure their rights. She remarked, “Every Arizonan should have an opportunity to thrive and a space to call home, and this agreement takes us one step closer to making those Arizona values a reality.”
Future Transfers and Economic Prospects
In a related development, the Navajo Nation has taken a step in securing land near Flagstaff, following the federal government’s commitments to support displaced tribal members due to the Navajo-Hopi dispute. Navajo leaders are contemplating the development of a casino on this land, foreseeing potential economic advantages.
Similarly, the Hopi Tribe anticipates that additional land acquisitions will bring economic benefits. The state lands near Winslow, now part of the condemnation filing, have been leased to the tribe for ranching and agriculture, and their transfer into trust holds promise for further economic opportunities.
Federal authorities anticipate that Friday’s filing is the first in a series of actions that could eventually result in the transfer of more than 170 square miles of state land to the Hopi Tribe.
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