Advocacy groups are calling for President Joe Biden to declare the Great Bend of the Gila in Arizona as a national monument, a move supporters say will shield it from ongoing threats. According to a 12News report, the region is at risk from vandalism, theft of cultural resources, and irresponsible land use, with some calling the land a natural and cultural nexus in need of immediate preservation.
Arizona's history is underpinned by the turbulent coalescence of past and present. But the Great Bend of the Gila encapsulates an essence of ancestral spirituality and ecological wealth that stands beyond an ordinary desert landscape. The 370,000-acre stretch is sprinkled with Saguaro cacti against mountainous terrains, embodying the Sonoran Desert but also bearing the cultural marks of ancient civilizations. As Skylar Begay, Archaeology Southwest's Director of Tribal Collaboration in Outreach and Advocacy, articulated in a statement obtained by 12News, "A lot of people who are descendants of these folks think of them (petroglyphs) more as libraries, because they can understand them, they know what they mean."
These petroglyphs and other cultural artifacts, evidence of civilizations dating back thousands of years, face gradual erosion due to modern recreational activities. The echoes of target shooting and the physical remnants of shells and glass are a testament to the careless affection we can bear upon a place. "There needs to be more awareness that you can love a place to death very easily," Begay told 12News.
Tribes with connections to the Great Bend and local advocacy groups hope that national monument status will afford the site enhanced protection, management, and educational opportunities. Mike Quigley, Arizona State Director for The Wilderness Society, shared with 12News their hope is to get ahead of development and ensure the area can continue to house regional species while offering recreational opportunities. This sentiment is echoed on RespectGreatBend.org, where proponents argue for the need to include sovereign Tribal Nations in the planning and implementation of protected areas.
