Private Story
The War America Forgot - Alexia Application
Summary
The Apache Stronghold's fight to protect Oak Flat and other sacred sites has significant ramifications that will be felt throughout the US on many levels: religious freedom, environmental protection, and the handling of public land. I've been honored with unique access to create a comprehensive project documenting this fight, while examining the historical, spiritual, and cultural context for the issues facing the Apache people today. After 40 years at war defending their land and years of imprisonment on a reservation, they are healing from the past by working toward a better future for all.
Oak Flat, in Tonto National Forest, is threatened by a foreign mining company, Resolution Copper. The proposed mine will destroy this irreplaceable site, create a crater two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep, raise temperatures, contaminate the land, and use massive amounts of water despite the current severe drought. Congress exempted the corporation from all federal environmental law, meaning once the land is transferred, there will be no restrictions or oversight of their actions.
The Apache Stronghold filed a lawsuit against the United States to stop the land transfer on two fronts – the imposition on their freedom of religion if Oak Flat is destroyed, and a treaty from 1852, which never transferred Oak Flat to the US, meaning it is technically still Apache territory. The Apache Stronghold was granted a lien on the land based on this treaty. Regardless of how the lawsuit is decided, the precedent it sets will be felt nationwide on matters of religious freedom, environmental law, and the handling of federal public land.
Initially focused on Oak Flat, my project quickly expanded to examine the larger story, offering context for the fight to protect sacred sites: looking at Apache culture, ceremony, history, and daily life. The Apaches continue to fight for their way of life to be recognized. They still live near the site where the US military imprisoned their ancestors in a concentration camp, now called a reservation, after four decades of war in defense of their territory. The reality of Apache life today is inextricable from historical events and inherited trauma that led to this point. They work towards healing, protecting the sacred for generations to come.
This issue is vastly underreported, yet it will affect the entire country. The coverage that is currently available looks only at the effort to protect Oak Flat on the surface level, without taking into consideration the deeper historical and cultural context, as my work aims to do. I’ve been granted greater access, particularly to the cultural and spiritual side, than any photographer to date. I feel a responsibility to complete this work. With the support of this grant, I will create and share with the world the most comprehensive and well-rounded look into the realities and issues of Apache life today, which are normally hidden from view.
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