Hands off the Antiquities Act

Editorial: Hands off the Antiquities Act
By asking Congress to exempt Utah from the Antiquities Act, the Deseret News (Dec. 3) places our state at odds with both the legacy of our history and the promise of our future. When the editors write, “Nearly two-thirds of Utah is owned by the federal government,” they miss an essential truth. I would say, “nearly two-thirds of Utah is owned by the people of the United States, managed and held in public trust by the federal government.” Utah has the nation’s second highest percentage of public lands because we are the second driest state. Disparity in rainfall explains why so few well-watered Eastern states retain so few public lands — and why they lack our sweep of undeveloped deserts and mountains, open to all. Our dry land couldn’t provide a living to homesteaders, and this is why so much of Utah remains publicly owned. http://bit.ly/2Ek1bDL – Stephan Trimble via Deseret News

The Genocide at Oak Flat
The San Carlos Apache Tribe is a leading defender of Oak Flat, a large public campground on the western flanks of the Pinal Mountains east of Phoenix. Oak Flat is sacred to many Apaches and other Native Americans and is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Tribe is among the parties gravely concerned about the Resolution Copper Mine, a joint venture of Rio Tinto Group and BHP Billiton Ltd. to privatize and industrialize Oak Flat’s public lands and minerals. Archaeological sites, place names, stories, and ceremonial uses affirm the pre-1875 Apache occupation and ongoing significance of Oak Flat. Historical records reveal how mining proponents combined industrial and annihilationist propaganda to portray Apaches in the Pinal Mountains as subhuman impediments to civilization and profit. http://bit.ly/2EnBfYb – John R Welsh via SAGE

Could Arts and Culture Help Rural Southwestern Communities?
“Every one of these cities has its own personality,” said Margaret Hunt, director of Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “I don’t see it as competing with Denver and the Front Range so much as focusing on their authentic stories.” http://dpo.st/2Eqo8oT – Denver Post

Historic Tucson Segregation Era Social Club Targeted for Demolition
The historic building on North Main Avenue north of West Speedway once served as an exclusive men’s social club for Tucson’s prominent black men who were not allowed into white social clubs. The circular, dilapidated building, built in the mid-1940s as a drive-in restaurant, also was a restaurant for black entertainers and professional baseball players who were denied lodging at downtown Tucson’s segregated hotels. A motel, which has since been demolished, was also built for the black athletes and entertainers. http://bit.ly/2q4XXBf – Arizona Daily Star

Reminder: Archaeology Café (Phoenix): Archaeology under the Downtown Streets (and Runways)
On Tuesday, January 9, 2018, at 6:00 p.m., Dr. Michael Lindeman will share some stories from his experiences leading archaeological excavations both downtown and amid the runways of Sky Harbor Airport. Come learn more about Phoenix underground. We gather at around 5:30 p.m. at the Changing Hands Bookstore (300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix AZ) to visit and enjoy food and beverages. The program begins at 6 p.m. This program is made possible, in part, by The Smith Living Trust and Arizona Humanities. http://bit.ly/2pBkLIh – Archaeology Southwest

Lecture Opportunity – Cave Creek
Desert Foothills Chapter of the Arizona Archaeology Society presents on January 10th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at no charge, Allen Dart. Mr. Dart shows and discusses Native American ceramic styles that characterized specific peoples and eras in the U.S. Southwest prior to about 1450, and talks about how archaeologists use pottery for dating archaeological sites and interpreting ancient lifeways. In contemporary perspective, this historical trajectory raises important questions about ethnic diversity, co-residence, and conflict. The meeting is held in the community building (Maitland Hall) at The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 East Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (near the Dairy Queen). http://bit.ly/2imIwP4

Lecture Opportunity – Dragoon, AZ
When Gabriel Ayala, a member of the Pascua Yaqui tribe heard about the events taking place near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, Ayala decided to stand with the Water Protectors, a group of predominately Indigenous community members who opposed the construction of a petroleum pipeline. Ayala was forever changed by his time at the Standing Rock Camps and will share his experience at the Amerind Museum on Friday, January 12 at 11:00 am. Visit amerind.org or call 520.586.3666 for more detail about the event.

Lecture Opportunity – Taos
The Taos Archaeological Society is pleased to present Mary Weahkee, Assistant Archaeologist OAS, who will demonstrate “Turkey Feather Blanket Production Demonstration” and “Indigenous Symbolism in Ceramic Iconography. This will take place January 10, 2018 in the Kit Carson Board Room, 118 Cruz Alta Road, Taos at 7 PM.

Lecture Opportunity – Winslow
On Wednesday, January 19th, the Homol’ovi Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society presents Eric Polingyouma of the Bluebird Clan, on “Hopi Migrations and Other Interesting Topics.” Eric has been researching this for many years, and has much to share on the topic. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Winslow Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (Historic Lorenzo Hubbell Trading Post), 523 W. Second St in Winslow.  You can also join us and the speaker(s) for dinner at 5 p.m. at the Historic La Posada Turquoise Room (on your own tab).