Challenges to Sacred Sites Protection
Denver University Law Review, Vol. 83, p. 963, 2006
18 Pages Posted: 7 May 2009 Last revised: 16 Jun 2011
Date Written: 2006
Abstract
In this transcript of Professor Tsosie’s presentation at the University of Denver College of Law, she discusses the need to protect sacred sites and the rights of the native tribes associated with them. She identifies specific challenges which surround site protection including environmental, historic, and religious claims to land. Professor Tsosie suggests that an alternative to the current legal solution is needed in order to preserve indigenous people’s religious and cultural land rights. She suggests educating non-Indians to be respectful of Indian land use and justifying sacred site protection with property laws. Additionally, Professor Tsosie is working on building a new model, incorporating legal, ethical, and political theories, for addressing the issue of protecting sacred sites.
Keywords: Sacred sites, Native people, Land
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation