Native American Heritage Month is a time to shine a spotlight on modern-day Tribes and Pueblos. We honor those before us, and give a platform to the unheard voices who persevered through decades of resiliency, advocacy, and determination. Their Ancestors fought to leave behind an unforgettable legacy for their children and grandchildren.
Within Indigenous cultures, respect is more than a characteristic trait - it’s an action and a thought process forever ingrained in traditional beliefs. As a young Navajo girl, I was taught to always shake elders’ hands when entering a room, and to always walk clockwise into a hogan, both of which are respectful, traditional practices that have been in families for generations. Among many others, being considerate of plants, animals, and the environment it encompasses is the way I was taught to show respect and appreciation for the land. It was, after all, once inhabited by our ancestors.
When we take from the land, we’re taught to give something back, almost like a balancing act to keep everything the way we found it. “Respecting the earth is part of life,” my nálí, Loren Crank, Sr. told me growing up. Respect is more than a word because it’s a mutual feeling that needs to happen between the land and the people. And this, as I was taught, will ensure a continued deep-rooted connection to the land for countless years to come.
In the case of Bears Ears, curiosity about the landscape combined with the heightened attention surrounding the region drew in tourists and locals alike. Most of them sought new adventures in a popular recreational wonderland. It soon became clear that there needed to be some guidelines for visitors to follow - tips to help conservation efforts in maintaining Bears Ears for future generations, especially those of the modern-day Tribes and Pueblos.
In 2016, Bears Ears Partnership (formerly known as Friends of Cedar Mesa) established the Visit with Respect campaign in response to the surge of visitors to the Bears Ears region. The campaign outlines nineteen tips and guidelines for visitors to follow when visiting sensitive cultural sites and landscapes. In the Bears Ears region, Visit With Respect is more than a program, but an entity that strives to advocate for respectful visitation of this physical embodiment of the past, present, and future of modern-day Tribes and Pueblos.
As noted by Troy Honahnie, “these places are still alive.” Mr. Honahnie is a consultant with Bears Ears Partnership and coordinates Indigenous outreach. His work is more than a job; it's a lifelong mission for him. He’s a member of the Hopi Tribe, which has ties to Bear Ears, going back generations. So nurturing and protecting the land is an integral part of who he is. “I am who I am today because of them, and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today,” a sentiment that also resonates with other Indigenous Tribes and Pueblos. Kayla Attcity, a Utah Navajo and successful Diné woman in her own right, states, “We continue to resist institutions and systems meant to erase us.” When we’re talking about Visit With Respect, context is important to acknowledge the why behind our protection of cultural landscapes.
Indigenous perspectives are important to bring into the conversation because there’s a lack of understanding behind protecting cultural sites. Although Visit With Respect has nineteen tips, highlighting Indigenous perspectives can help frame an understanding for why the tips are being implemented in the first place. In other words, discussing Traditional Knowledge can help visitors understand why these tips are needed.
I talked with a few people and asked them how they were taught in their culture to visit ancestral sites with respect. I’d like to share a few prominent tips to keep in mind the next time you’re at Bears Ears, or any other landscape and cultural site:
“My grandma always instilled in us that we must treat each dwelling as someone’s home and to be as respectful as you would today when going to someone else’s home. It is for this reason that I visit cultural sites at a distance. My grandparents were very appreciative of their environment and what it could provide, and chose to give thanks throughout the day for each gift from Mother Earth. I have the same gratitude for this incredible landscape and truly believe that each adventure in the area is worth it no matter what you see.”
-Lindsay Luttrell, Osage/Navajo
“When encountering these places, I take an offering, like traditional foods - anything dry, corn specifically, and leave it there. I’m also always carrying tobacco or tádídíín and leaving an offering.”
-Kevin Whitehat, Navajo
“Approach these places with dignity, respect, and a sense of humility. There’s an understanding that these places are alive, even if you can’t see or touch something, they’re still there. The sites could mean a lot of things to a lot of people, so don’t be loud or obnoxious because there’s a spiritual element that needs to be respected.”
-Troy Hohnanie, Hopi
“Acknowledge that you are not alone when you visit these spaces. Not only is the land alive, but they are filled with stories and the spirits of those who came before.”
-Kayla Attcity, Navajo
“When you’re inside the sites, don’t say anything bad. Enter with a positive mindset and understand you’re in a spiritual place. Let the ancestors know that you’re coming in peace and don’t mean any harm.”
-Jon Loren Crank, Navajo
Remnants of the past are not actually “the past” for Tribes and Pueblos, and in fact, these sites and landscapes are sacred places of spiritual healing for us. As Mr. Honahnie says, the landscapes are “still living and breathing. Our ancestors are still inhabiting these areas,” and to further elaborate, he likens these sites, these sacred places to churches. “You wouldn’t bring a dog into a church now, would you?” Relatability and traditional knowledge provide insights about why these sites need to be visited with respect.
“Bears Ears is a very spiritual place from what families remember. You don’t go to certain areas unless you know the area itself. Medicine men and women are usually the ones who go there because there are stories, histories, and prayers done in places only they know about.”
-Kevin Whitehat, Navajo
“There are specific places that some medicine men and women go to only if they know the stories and history connected to that place. Certain songs are connected to certain areas. If you don’t know the actual personal connection to these places without understanding, then leave it alone because it’s not for you to engage with.”
-Joshua Dixon, Navajo
During the 1950’s, my grandmother, Marylou Crank, grew up in a town south of Bears Ears called Montezuma Creek. Because I admire her wisdom, I inquired about her thoughts on sacred sites one morning. As we sat in the living room with warm coffees in our hands, she told me how her grandmother used to warn her against entering any sacred sites. “Being Navajo, we have a lot of respect for what was left behind by the people before us. The old ones are still there. The same world we’re living in, but they’re just in a different time, a different dimension.” I listened intently as she took a moment to reminisce. I had the urge to ask, “Were you ever curious and entered a site anyway?” She starts laughing and with a coy smirk, she says, “Of course! Everyone gets curious sometimes. When I go there, I go quietly, but in my mind, I would wonder what they looked like, what they did, what clothes they wore, and what ceremonies they did… I just looked and used my imagination.”
I too was taught how to visit cultural sites. My grandpa told me to let the spirits know I’m coming and to do so with mindful intentions. I try my best to avoid touching anything, even resisting the urge to walk near pottery shards on the ground. I usually go to cultural sites on the Bears Ears landscape for work, so everytime I leave, I make sure to tell the spirits to not follow me. “Thank you for allowing me to be here. I came in peace and I’m leaving in peace,” I’ll say. To a person who wasn’t raised with this awareness, these words might sound peculiar, especially if science-based evidence is your background. But, to me and other Tribes and Pueblos, this is normal; this is respect.
Maintaining the longevity of this landscape for future generations, especially today’s descendants who still call this landscape home, is the continued goal for the Visit with Respect campaign. By doing your part in visiting with respect, you’re not only conserving these sacred sites for those who come after, but for the modern-day Tribes and Pueblos.
Native American Heritage Month isn’t just thirty days of celebration; it's about acknowledging the progress and resiliency of Indigenous people across the United States and the world. In the words of Kayla Attcity, “Amid 500 years of colonial violence, we are still here.” So, I want to leave you with a personal challenge: when you see someone being disrespectful at these sites, let them know. Educate them about why they should follow our tips and how they should leave these prominent sites the way they found them. Anyone can change the world, but together we can create change, and become better stewards of the Bears Ears landscape.
If you’re interested in learning more about Visit with Respect, or want information about becoming a Visit With Respect Ambassador, send me an email at
Semira Crank, Visit with Respect Program Director
I was born and raised in San Juan County, Utah. I grew up working the land and developing a deep connection to my roots as a reservation kid. My goal is to continue conserving and protecting the Bears Ears landscape for younger generations so they may know where they came from.