 |
| Animas River located in northwestern New Mexico in the San Juan Valley in fall color change Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
I have returned back to the Animas River.
In August the U.S. Environment Protection Agency "accidently" released old gold mine waste pollutants into to the river upstream in Colorado. Many people were adversely affected by this disaster, especially the farmers who use the waters from the Animas for their crops and farm, including their livestock. This river contamination hit the Navajo Nation particularly hard, as many of the Navajo are sustenance farmers and use the water for basic living.
I am not a farmer or a person with livestock, yet this river contamination affected me. As a visual artist I was saddened that the river was forever changed for I visited the river daily as it is near my home. After the pollution of the Animas I kept my distance for fear of inhalation of the river fumes which contained and still contain poisonous heavy metal toxins.
But, as an Indigenous person whose family lineage is tied to the San Juan Valley and to this river, I was in mourning for the 'death' of this living entity. The two rivers of the area are the Animas River and the San Juan River and both have played an integral part of the cultural lives of the Navajo, Ute and Apache people for hundreds of years. For the Navajo, the river is 'life.' For generations the Navajo have lived in the San Juan Valley and have perpetuated their physical and spiritual lives with the presence of the river waters.
As I mentioned I have returned the river again, but I am still reverent as I trek along the river banks. I offer my prayers for protection and for healing, only our Creator God can remedy this situation. I have faith.
Bless the People.
To' ei' Iina'.
Water is Life.
