Baboquivari Peak, the most sacred site for the Tohono O'odham people, can be seen from many parts of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.
The Tohono O’odham Nation and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have signed a landmark co-stewardship agreement to manage the Baboquivari National Wilderness, a site of deep cultural and spiritual significance for the tribe.
"We have a seat at the table," Chairman Verlon Jose told AZPM News. "We will work together to use best practices to manage it for the generations to come."
Baboquivari Peak, located within the wilderness area, is regarded as the center of the universe by the Tohono O’odham people. The peak and surrounding lands were once part of the tribe’s ancestral homelands but were excluded from their reservation boundaries when they were first established.
“When we see it, we know we're home,” Jose said. “A lot of people, even non-tribal, see this majestic peak sticking out there, and they use it as a guiding light to where they're going.”
The Baboquivari National Wilderness came under BLM management in 1990 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The new agreement restores the tribe’s active role in conserving and preserving these lands while strengthening their connection to their sacred mountain.
"The ultimate objective is to continue to express the sincere role and responsibility of the Tohono O’odham Nation to maintain and manage our aboriginal lands, our traditional lands, our sacred lands, our sacred mountain—and for it to eventually become part of the Tohono O’odham Nation."
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