Return Migrations

“Indigenous guides traverse ancestral paths on journeys of remembrance, learning, healing, and respect.”

In the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023, four Indigenous men participated in two Crow Canyon Cultural Explorations trips within the Bears Ears National Monument. Each was invited along to share cultural perspectives but also as a chance to reconnect to parts of their history found on the landscape. This webinar highlights their experiences as they pursue opportunities to train and work as Indigenous guides across their ancestral lands and rivers. Their discussions focus on issues such as increasing guide diversity, creating a familiar guide culture, and guiding as a means for community-based cultural preservation and education. Their participation, and this webinar, are the result of on-going collaborative efforts between Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and their Indigenous partners.

Participants include:

- Lyle Balenquah, Hopi

- Nate Francis, Tewa

- Ritchie Sahneyah, Hopi/Tewa

- Autry Lomahongva, Hopi/Dine

- Others