URL: https://www.indianz.com/News/archives/000743.asp

Friday, August 8, 2003

"The Zuni Tribe has tried for half a century to reshape its boundaries to include Zuni Salt Lake, which was wrongfully excluded from their reservation lands as part of the federal government�s goal to stop Zuni religious ceremonies there.

The late-Robert E. Lewis, the long-time Zuni Governor, worked valiantly to protect Zuni Salt Lake, but enactment of congressional legislation proved beyond his reach. This is a good time to remember Lewis, who was a giant in the movement of the 1960s and 1970s for American Indian religious freedom, sacred sites protection and cultural use of eagle and migratory bird feathers.

Lewis liked to point to Zuni�s red sentinel rocks and to imagine that he would take his place with his ancestors there to watch over the Zuni people. I have no doubt that he is there and had a hand in the Salt River Project�s change of plans.

Zuni Salt Lake and all the other endangered sacred places were remembered in myriad locations on the June 20 National Day of Prayer to Protect Native American Sacred Places"

Get the Story:
Harjo: Prayers to protect Salt Mother and sacred places (Indian Country Today 8/8)

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