excerpts of interviews about Native tribes’ leadership in protecting Bears Ears

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Shaun Chapoose: Chairman of the Ute Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray;  tribal representative on the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition.

“I may be a Ute but I’m also an American citizen…”

Interview date 10-06-16

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Josh Ewing: Executive Director of Friends of Cedar Mesa.

“There was a single moment… Mark Maryboy got up …and did this really magnanimous “Welcome Home” …you could just feel the room go ‘whew’…the tension just left…”

Interview date: 4-20-16

Carleton Bowekaty

Carleton Bowekaty: Zuni councilman and co-Chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition.

“Why is Zuni involved?  They’re not even in this region...When you take that map; take out the state lines…because we didn’t draw the lines…”

“What we feel spiritually and emotionally and politically is correct for this initiative, others will see this as well… in this one we’re all unified…”

“We’re now doing something that has never been done before…”

Interview Dates 4-27-16, 6-6-17

 
Mark Maryboy

Mark Maryboy: The first Navajo elected official in Utah’s history.  He serves on the Board of Utah Dine Bikeyah.

 “We want to use and preserve that land for ceremonial purpose…”

Interview Date 4-26-16

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Charles Wilkinson

Brian O’Donnell: Executive Director, Conservation Lands Foundation.

“Look at the tribes involved; them all coming together around a landscape. O don’t think people realize how unique that is…”

“This is a tribally led effort...We will help where asked to help and butt out when asked not to help…”

Interview Date 7-27-16

Charles Wilkinson: Professor of Law (emeritus) at the University of Colorado, Boulder and a long time advocate for Native American rights.

“Other tribes will want to do this.  Every acre of land in the United States is former tribal homeland…”

Interview Date 3-7-16