With the Hopi traditional Sun symbol behind them, Hopi Tribal Leadership welcomed Madam Secretary, Deb Haaland at the tribal headquarters in Kykotsmovi, AZ on May 21, 2023. The Secretary of the Interior was here to personally see the development of major federal projects on Hopi. The completed project, “Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project” is an undertaking to bring clean, arsenic free water to Hopi villages, communities, schools and business on the eastern side of the Hopi Reservation. A second major undertaking soon to begin will be the closure of the Tuba City Dump to clean up and dispose of industrial waste in the Moencopi and Tuba City area.

Secretary Haaland recounted her childhood memories of growing up in Winslow, AZ with her grandparents and coming to Hopi for the Hopi ceremonies. Many Hopi, Laguna and Jemez families lived in Winslow, working for the railroad and protected their pueblo culture and language by performing ceremonies in Winslow, keeping connections to their home villages alive. Secretary Haaland expressed her gratitude for the generosity shown to her family and grandparents by the Hopi people.

Secretary Haaland expressed the commitment of the Biden administration to acknowledge and strengthening tribal sovereignty and to “lift each other up” by living up to the obligations of trust responsibility by the federal government.

Tribal Council members warmly welcomed our “sister back home” to the Hopi homelands. It was a good day for the Hopi Tribe to once again strengthen formal connections with the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland.