President Biden announced the establishment of two new National Monuments in California, the Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park, and the Sattitla National Monument in Northern California.  Below is NOA’s statement from Judith LeBlanc, executive director:

“These National Monument designations honor the history and cultural connections that Native peoples have always had to these places. A National Monument designation provides greater protection of sacred landscapes and helps ensure that generations to come, Native and non-Native, will learn the actual history of the United States. 

The designation of these two National Monuments reflects the hard work, advocacy, and commitment of sovereign nations to protect and steward these lands for the benefit of everyone. The Pit River Tribe has worked for the designation of the Sáttítla National Monument, a landscape that is a home where their cultural and spiritual connections run deep. The Chuckwalla National Monument is the result of years of dedication from Tribes and their allies to protect and steward this sacred place. Notably, the Chuckwalla monument will engage local tribes in crafting a co-management plan with the federal government, similar to the recent collaboration between five tribes and federal agencies to manage the Bears Ears National Monument. 

President Biden should also answer the call from the Quechan Tribe to designate the sacred Kw’tsán landscape in California as a National Monument.

President Biden’s actions right historical wrongs. All National Monuments and National Parks are on Native lands, and many were created by the forced and violent removal of Indigenous peoples from their homelands. These places are sacred to Native peoples, many are the places of our creation stories, the places where we gather traditional foods and medicines, and places where we go for ceremonies and prayer. 

Moving forward, engagement of Native peoples and sovereign nations in the stewardship of these lands should be standard practice. Native peoples know these landscapes better than anyone and their knowledge passed down through centuries are invaluable to protecting and managing these lands for the benefit of everyone.”