Much like the National Park on the South rim, Grand Canyon West is recognized as Federal Land Status. Unlike the National Park, it is situated upon the Hualapai Indian Reservation. While the views are breathtaking, it’s the history of its people, their courage, and resilience that truly ignite the spirit. Before you step on the reservation, consider the past that brought these proud People of the Tall Pines to offer their culture to you as a way to connect and understand America’s Indigenous people.
SKYLINE TO SKYWALK
Many generations ago, the Hualapai’s ancestral homelands consisted of over 7 million acres of land — ancestral homelands the tribe has sought to maintain and protect since time immemorial. The traditional lands begin at the Little Colorado River, continuing downstream through the entire Grand Canyon, with the lower 108 miles of the Grand Canyon the Hualapai Reservation.
Les terres sur lesquelles ils chassaient, commerçaient et vivaient abritaient quatre tribus, dont la tribu Hualapai (pai signifie peuple) : Les Hualapai, peuple des grands pins ; les Yavapai, peuple du soleil ; les Havasupai, peuple de l'eau bleu-vert ; et les Pai-Pai, peuple des Hualapai, qui s'est échappé du Calvaire dans les années 1870 pour se réfugier au Mexique. Au fil des ans, les tribus ont dû faire face à de nombreux ennemis : les Espagnols qui leur ont pris leur or, le Calvaire qui voulait toutes les terres pour s'étendre, et les colons, les éleveurs et les missionnaires qui empiétaient sur la terre des Hualapai. Lorsque des ressources naturelles comme le cuivre, l'or et l'uranium ont été découvertes et que les grosses machines à vapeur ont nécessité de plus en plus d'eau pour fonctionner, le gouvernement a retiré aux tribus leurs droits à la terre et à l'eau et les a forcées à vivre dans des réserves.
LE HUALAPAI RESERVATION
Contrairement aux Navajos, aux Pueblos et aux Hopis, les Hualapais et les Havasupais possèdent encore une partie de leur territoire d'origine dans les canyons. Les Hualapai doivent cette situation à leurs chefs, notamment Hualapai Charley (le grand chef), Leve Leve (un chef de la paix) et Schrum (un chef de guerre). Ces hommes ont lutté contre la prise de contrôle de leurs terres aussi longtemps qu'ils l'ont pu, en protégeant leurs femmes et leurs enfants. Finalement, ils ont été contraints de se rendre pour assurer l'avenir de leur peuple. En 1883, les Hualapai ont été réinstallés sur seulement un million d'acres de terres ancestrales Hualapai, avec ses 108 miles de frontière nord le long du Grand Canyon et jusqu'au milieu du fleuve Colorado, dans la réserve indienne Hualapai.
Despite attempts of assimilation and dislocation, the Huapalai consisting of 14 bands remain, with cultural practices carried through generations to support their cultural identity and their spiritual connection to their lands. Through trials and tribulations, the Hualapai people pulled themselves out of poverty and are now thriving today through tourism offered at Grand Canyon West.
TOURISM AND THE TRIBE
ontrary to some common misperceptions, the Hualapai are not in any way subsidized by the United States Government. Out of 23 Arizona tribes, this sovereign nation is the only one to enter the tourism industry approximately 33 years ago with a small casino. With its close proximity to Las Vegas, the Hualapai soon realized tourists didn’t want to come there to gamble — they wanted to go to experience their lands.
The Hualapai Reservation has the only road in and out of the west rim of the Grand Canyon. This route is used to not only bring visitors to Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point, and the Colorado River, it’s how they haul water from 200 miles away for use on the property. The wells here were exhausted many years ago. Not to mention, electricity is produced from generators since there are no main power lines out to, or on, Grand Canyon West.
GRAND CANYON WEST
The tribe continues to welcome travelers to the West Rim to see the sacred eagle in the rocks at Eagle Point, and the historic structures of the bat guano mining equipment at Guano Point, and marvel at the incredible views. Over the years, they’ve added more and more attractions for visitors to explore, including Helicopter tours and Rafting trips.
In 2007, a 10-foot wide, horseshoe-shaped glass bridge extending 70 feet out over the rim of the Grand Canyon was erected at Eagle Point. This engineering marvel gives a clear view 4,000 feet to the floor of the Grand Canyon below. In 2018, The Zipline at Grand Canyon West opened with two quad zip lines running side-by-side to allow groups to soar together nearly 1,000 feet above the canyon floor at speeds approaching 50 miles per hour.
TRADITIONS ON DISPLAY
When you visit Grand Canyon West, the tribe’s culture and traditions are also on display. The self-guided tour through Eagle Point’s authentic Native American Village shows you how Indigenous peoples actually lived with traditionally built housing (they didn’t all live in teepees), earthen ovens, and sweat lodges.
The outdoor amphitheater offers a shady spot to enjoy the musical sounds and magical dances of the Bird Singers of the Hualapai Tribe, as well as other tribes (dates and times to be determined). And, before or after a walk on the sky at Skywalk, explore the Hualapai Tribe and the reservation exhibits found on the first floor of the building, including a photograph of Hualapai Charley, Leve Leve, and Schrum, and a large display of all of the “Pai” affiliated ancestral clan/band territorial homelands.
