Sacred Mountain
Mt. Taylor, in northwest New Mexico, is considered a sacred mountain by the natives. It actually serves as a boundary of sacred land for the Navajo people:
"The Navajo people believe that the Creator placed them on land between four sacred mountains: Blanca Peak in Colorado, Mount Taylor in New Mexico, the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona, and Hesperus Peak in Colorado. According to their own history, the Navajos have always lived between these mountains. The Navajo people have been instructed by the Creator never to leave their sacred homeland."
Mt. Taylor lies within the Cibola National Forest. In 2009, the mountain was designated as an official Sacred land to the Navajo, Acoma and Laguna people after a fierce campaign. Many local residents in the area were outraged, believing this meant they would no longer be able to use the forest and mountain and that somehow the evil Natives would dictate such things as whether they could even sell their own property.
Once the resolution was passed, racial tensions became unbearable in Grants, New Mexico. Even to the point that marauding men would hunt down homeless natives, beat them and leave them for dead in the middle of the night. We're not talking the 1800s. This was last year (2009).
Sacred Mountain
Mt. Taylor, in northwest New Mexico, is considered a sacred mountain by the natives. It actually serves as a boundary of sacred land for the Navajo people:
"The Navajo people believe that the Creator placed them on land between four sacred mountains: Blanca Peak in Colorado, Mount Taylor in New Mexico, the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona, and Hesperus Peak in Colorado. According to their own history, the Navajos have always lived between these mountains. The Navajo people have been instructed by the Creator never to leave their sacred homeland."
Mt. Taylor lies within the Cibola National Forest. In 2009, the mountain was designated as an official Sacred land to the Navajo, Acoma and Laguna people after a fierce campaign. Many local residents in the area were outraged, believing this meant they would no longer be able to use the forest and mountain and that somehow the evil Natives would dictate such things as whether they could even sell their own property.
Once the resolution was passed, racial tensions became unbearable in Grants, New Mexico. Even to the point that marauding men would hunt down homeless natives, beat them and leave them for dead in the middle of the night. We're not talking the 1800s. This was last year (2009).