SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – In an effort to promote cultural understanding, leaders from Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) and other Department of Defense (DoD) agencies in Utah recently took some time to meet with leaders from several Native American Tribes. At the heart of the meeting was a goal to gain a deeper appreciation for the Native American traditions, values, and way of life.
Federal agencies are required by law to consider the impact of all their activities and projects on cultural resources – archaeology, historic architecture and various areas of past human activity – on the lands they manage. The meeting, hosted by Dugway and held in downtown Salt Lake City, was designed to be a discussion between all those involved to understand the work being done and what steps need to be taken in order to protect culturally sensitive locations on DoD administered lands around the state.
Representatives from DPG, the Utah National Guard, Hill Air Force Base, and Tooele Army Depot took some time to share details on upcoming projects and what steps are being taken to protect the land. Tribal members from the Confederate Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, Navajo Nation, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northwestern Band of Shoshone Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribe of the Fort Hall Reservation, and Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone asked questions and voiced concerns about the purpose of the projects, and how business is conducted at the different installations around the state. These types of meeting play a vital role in the Dugway’s continued commitment to communicate and work with the tribes and communities impacted by the Army’s mission.
The day after the listening session, members from some of the tribes shared a small piece of their culture through art and dance. A small group of tribal members and DoD personnel got a chance to see the importance of preserving this land as they took a trip to a petroglyph site in Tooele County.
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