Associated Tribes

 

Open Transcript 

Transcript

Film Credits:

WE ARE GRAND CANYON

THIS FILM WAS ENVISIONED BY THE GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP REPRESENTING THE ELEVEN TRIBES TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRAND CANYON

 
THANK YOU TO THE GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP

SHANANDOAH ANDERSON (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

TIM BEGAY (NAVAJO)

RICHARD BEGAY (NAVAJO)

CHARLEY BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS)

DANIEL BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS)

RONNIE CACHINI (ZUNI)

CARRIE CANNON (KIOWA)

CARMEN CLARK (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

MARCIE CRAYNON (HUALAPAI)

DARREN DABODA (MOAPA BAND OF PAIUTE)

DON DECKER (APACHE)

MAE FRANKLIN (NAVAJO)

MICHAEL GCHACHU (ZUNI)

AUTUMN GILLARD (CEDAR BAND OF PAIUTE)

RICHARD GRAYMOUNTAIN (SAN JUAN SOUTHERN PAIUTE)

ANA JACKSON (YAVAPAI)

STEWART B. KOYIYUMPTEWA (HOPI)

LEE LOMAYESTEWA (HOPI)

RICHARD POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

VINCENT RANDALL (APACHE)

OCTAVIOUS SEOWTEWA (ZUNI)

CARLETTA TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

DIANNA SUE WHITEDOVE UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

RONALD WADSWORTH (HOPI)

BENNETT WAKAYUTA (HUALAPAI/HOPI)

 

A BRISTLECONE MEDIA PRODUCTION

A FILM BY RYAN M CHRISTENSEN

IN COLLABORATION WITH

GRAND CANYON INTERTRIBAL WORKING GROUP

 

PRODUCERS

JAN BALSOM

MIKE LYNDON

MINDY RIESENBERG

 

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

TOMAS ARCEO

VINCENT DIAZ (HUALAPAI/WASHOE)

WEATHERCARROT

KELKIYANA YAZZIE (NAVAJO)

 

CAMERA ASSISTANT

ANDY ROBSON

KORY KIRCHNER

 

ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE

SUSAN ALZNER

AERIAL FILMWORKS

KEITH BYERS/SKYSHIP MEDIA

 

WITH SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY

SHANANDOAH ANDERSON (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

TIM BEGAY (NAVAJO)

RONNIE CACHINI (ZUNI)

CARMEN CLARK (SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE)

AUTUMN GILLARD (CEDAR BAND OF PAIUTE)

AUDRA JONES (HAVASUPAI)

JUSTIN JONES JR. (HAVASUPAI)

LORA JONES (HAVASUPAI)

ED KEABLE (NPS)

ALBERT LAUGHTER (NAVAJO)

LEE LOMAYESTEWA (HOPI)

STERLING SELANA (HUALAPAI)

ELYSSA SHALLA (NPS)

KRISTOPHER SIYUJA (HAVASUPAI)

EDMOND TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

DIANNA SUE WHITEDOVE UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

JAMES UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

JORIGINE PAYA (HUALAPAI)

JANELLE POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

RICHARD POWSKEY (HUALAPAI)

VINCENT RANDALL (APACHE)

OCTAVIOUS SEOWTEWA (ZUNI)

CARLETTA TILOUSI (HAVASUPAI)

JAMES UQUALLA (HAVASUPAI)

RONALD WADSWORTH (HOPI)

AVÉ WATAHOMIGIE-CORLISS (HAVASUPAI)

OPHELIA WATAHOMIGIE-CORLISS (HAVASUPAI)

  

IN MEMORIUM

CHARLEY BULLETTS (KAIBAB BAND OF PAIUTE INDIANS) 1974-2020

RONNIE CACHINI (PUEBLO OF ZUNI) 1965-2022

VINCENT RANDALL (YAVAPAI APACHE NATION) 1940-2023

 

CHARLIE BULLETTS MEMORIAM FOOTAGE

JILL STAUROWSKY

 

PHOTOGRAPHS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK ARCHIVES

HAVASUPAI TRIBE

SHIVWITS BAND OF PAIUTE

PIPE SPRINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT

 

"We Made it, Honoring Current Life Beings"

PERFORMED BY REX TILOUSI

 

"North Wind Blowing"

PERFORMED BY SHANAN MARTINEAU

 

SPECIAL THANKS

KIM BESOM

MARIE BUCK

TODD CHRISTENSEN

LAURA CROSSEY

RADER LANE

KARL KARLSTROM

THERESA MCMULLAN

JENNIFER O’NEILL

MICHAEL QUINN

ELYSSA SHALLA

TODD STOEBERL

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO GRAND CANYON CONSERVANCY STAFF 

ALL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WAS PROVIDED BY GRAND CANYON CONSERVANCY, OFFICIAL NON-PROFIT PARTNER OF GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK.

Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Duration:
24 minutes, 8 seconds

"We Are Grand Canyon" is a heartfelt film, welcoming visitors to Grand Canyon National Park from those who have called it home since time immemorial – Grand Canyon's 11 tribal communities. A project several years in the making, "We Are Grand Canyon" is a joint creation by the Intertribal Working Group, Grand Canyon National Park, and Grand Canyon Conservancy, and was filmed and edited by Ryan Christensen of Bristlecone Media. Film Credits are listed in the transcript below the video player.

 

The Grand Canyon region has been home to Native people since time immemorial.

The Grand Canyon is a place of immeasurable importance to Native people in the Southwest. The park shares boundaries with three federally recognized Tribes; a total of 11 federally recognized Tribes are traditionally associated with what is now Grand Canyon National Park. Park staff have been working with Tribal communities for more than 40 years, developing numerous innovative and collaborative tribal partnerships during that time.

We gratefully acknowledge the Native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today.

 
Tribal Medallion representing the 11 traditionally associated Tribes of Grand Canyon

Traditionally Associated Tribes

There are 11 Tribes that have historic connections to the lands and resources now found within Grand Canyon National Park.

 
Two maps side by side showing the traditional homelands of Grand Canyon's 11 associated tribes and their current reservation lands today.
The map on the left shows approximate locations of the traditional homelands of the 11 Tribes that have cultural connections to Grand Canyon. The map on the right show current Tribal reservations as well as the boundary of Grand Canyon National Park.

NPS, Adapted from Stephanie Smith, 2020

 

Working with Indigenous communities

 
Vendors sit behind a table as visitors look at handicrafts and jewelry
Native Vending and Demonstration Program

Discover the rich Native American culture at Grand Canyon National Park through our diverse tribal vending and demonstration programs.

A man sits at a table with silver works and a display of silver jewelry
Cultural Demonstration Program

Watch artists from traditionally associated tribes practice traditional and modern crafts and share their living cultural traditions.

A group of people standing in front of a stone tower with Grand Canyon behind them.
Desert View Intertribal Heritage Site

See the many exciting changes in store for the future of Desert View, including a new Tribal-run welcome center and improved paths.

 

Grand Canyon National Park Tribal Engagement Report

A biennial report highlighting Grand Canyon National Park tribal programming in 2022-2023.
 

Additional Resources

 
Prehistoric granaries along the Colorado River
Associated Tribes of Grand Canyon

Learn more about Associated Tribes of Grand Canyon on Arizona State University's Nature, Culture, and History at Grand Canyon website.

 Archaeological Resources
Archaeological Resources

Humans have present on the Grand Canyon landscape for up to 12,000 years. Find out what archaeologists have found inside the park.

A small single-story stone building with an entry on the right. Sign reads: Tusayan Museum.
Tusayan Pueblo and Museum

CLOSED FOR THE WINTER. Visit this 800-year-old ancestral Puebloan site and learn about people who called Grand Canyon home.

Tribal members hold a ceremony near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center
The Voices of Grand Canyon

Visit Grand Canyon Trust's website to see what it means to call the Grand Canyon home.

Cellist YoYoMa stands near the canyon with tribal member, Jim Enote
Arizona Native Tourism

The Arizona American Indian Tourism Association promotes the development of Indian Tourism while respecting the cultural integrity of tribes

The Navajo Bridge spans across the Colorado River.
Partnering with AIANTA

The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association serves as the national voice for American Indian nations engaged in cultural tourism.

Last updated: March 10, 2026

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

Phone:

928-638-7888

Contact Us