Indigenous Affairs

Ancient farmers dug canals that shaped Phoenix's modern water system

Those ancient farmers have been referred to as the "Hohokam" but it’s not the name of a tribe or a people, and their O'Odham, Hopi, and Zuni descendants do not call them that.

US court rejects a request by tribes to block $10B SunZia energy transmission project in Arizona

The project — approved in 2015 following a lengthy review — has been touted as the biggest U.S. electricity infrastructure undertaking since the Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s.

Uranium is being mined near the Grand Canyon as prices soar and the US pushes for more nuclear power

The largest uranium producer in the United States is ramping up work at a mine less than 10 miles from the rim of the Grand Canyon.

AZ House Committee rejects sober living homes regulation bill despite Senate support

The bill passed the Arizona Senate unanimously.

Arizona legislation to better regulate rehab programs targeted by Medicaid scams is moving forward

Hathalie said she anticipates a vote by the full House could come as soon as Thursday.

SunZia Transmission Project sparks legal dispute over sacred sites preservation

The Tohono O’odham Nation and San Carlos Apache Tribe seek to halt construction, citing threats to cultural heritage.

I’m taking this way too seriously as an adult: The growth of mountain biking in Arizona

In two very different stories about one of America's fastest-growing sports, we head to a 24-hour mountain bike relay race. Then we talk to some of the people behind a documentary about spreading mountain biking on the Navajo Nation.

Gila River Indian Community says it doesn't support latest Colorado River sharing proposals

The tribe is among the most prominent of the 30 federally-recognized tribes that use the Colorado River.

The US is springing forward to daylight saving. For Navajo and Hopi tribes, it's a time of confusion

The Navajo Nation, which also stretches into Utah and New Mexico, will reset clocks for one hour later despite being situated between two territories that remain on standard time: the rest of Arizona and the neighboring Hopi reservation.

The Buzz: The Legacy and impact of Land Grant Institutions

A look at how an 1862 act impacted Native lands and eventually led to UA's fossil fuel use despite climate pledges.

How Apache Stronghold's fight to protect Oak Flat in central Arizona has played out over the years

Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of international mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP, wants to develop the large deposit of copper ore deep under Oak Flat into a massive mine.

A US appeals court ruling could allow mine development on Oak Flat, land sacred to Apaches

Wendsler Nosie, who has led Apache Stronghold’s fight, vowed to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Arizona secures $10.3 million investment for ecosystem restoration

The federal investment strengthens conservation efforts and combats invasive threats

Federal energy regulators deny permits for a controversial project on the Navajo Nation

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said it was establishing a new policy about cooperation with Tribes.

Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture teaches next generation farmers sustainable practices

With a hope to sustain farming practices in Indigenous communities, the program is training the next generation of growers through their beginning farmer apprenticeship program.

The Buzz: Changes to Arizona's elections

Election moves come as the state prepares for more mandatory recounts.

Arizona Republicans challenge Biden’s designation of a national monument near the Grand Canyon

The monument designation will help preserve 1,562 square miles (4,046 square kilometers) just to the north and south of Grand Canyon National Park.

Tohono O’odham Utility Authority unveils expanded high-speed internet access

Funding for the project came from a $10 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect Program.

Tucson Indian Center to receive nearly $600,000 in needed renovations

The Tucson Indian Center is receiving federal funding for renovations to continue serving Tucson’s urban Native American community.

Friends of Aphasia celebrates the life and work of Pete Kozachik.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Local experts weigh in on feeding the future; Meet composer and pianst Larry Redhouse; and a new series of productions at The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre called The Late Night Radio Hour.

A new radio drama: "Six Ways to Get Bit by a Rattlesnake"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Hydropower on the Navajo Nation; Preview the upcoming Oro Valley Arts Festival; Listen to a poem by Rick Wamer, and a new song from Gabrielle Pietrangelo.

The Buzz: Why a 32-year-old federal law has failed to bring Native American remains home

A federal law was supposed to ensure returns of most remains by 1995. So why are thousands of Arizona tribal remains still not back with their people?

Conservation windfall in Arizona: America the Beautiful Challenge funds key initiatives

Statewide grant recipients develop nature-based solutions

Arizona teens share passions with others at White House Tribal Youth Forum

scussions at the forum, which was held at the Department of Health and Human Services, ranged from climate change to civic engagement, from the legacy of federal Indian boarding schools to mental health and substance abuse.

Artist Maria Arvayo

Pascua Yaqui artist draws inspiration from the Sonoran Desert landscape.

Navajo Weavers

Sisters Barbara Teller Ornelas and Lynda Teller Pete are 5th-generation master Navajo weavers

Museum of Northern Arizona

Founded in 1928, the Museum of Northern Arizona protects and preserves the natural and cultural heritage of northern Arizona through research, collections, conservation, and education.

Navajo Silversmiths

Navajo Silversmith Alex Beeshligaii seeks to preserve his artform by passing Diné traditions and language on to his children.

Note of Life: Gertie and the T.O. Boyz

As the only female band leader on the Tohono O'odham reservation, Gertie Lopez is a is a celebrated musician who has been a force in Tucson’s music community for decades.

An Endangered Language

With the majority of Indigenous tribal languages in the United States in critical danger of dying out, what does it take to keep them from becoming extinct.

We Are the Water Missing Home

Indigenous communities fight against border wall construction near a sacred Sonoran Desert spring. (10:06)

The Bahidaj Harvest

For thousands of years the Tohono O’odham have lived in the Sonoran Desert and for much of that time harvested the Bahidaj, the fruit of the Saguaro.