GRAND CANYON, Ariz. Young adults 16-20 who identify as members of one of the associated tribes of the Grand Canyon are invited to apply for a spot on the second annual Grand Canyon Regional Intertribal Intergenerational Stewardship Expedition (RIISE), a nine-day intertribal Colorado River rafting trip through the Grand Canyon July 16-24.
The idea for this free trip began out of the high cost of recreation in the canyon. Amber Benally with the Grand Canyon Trust said she thinks the expense excludes many Indigenous people from visiting.She said she wants young Natives to know they have a place in this sacred area and in conservation.
Sixteen Indigenous youth will have a chance to raft the Colorado River through Grand Canyon this summer on a free nine-day expedition. The participants will learn from Hopi, Zuni, Navajo, and Hualapai elders and explore their spiritual and cultural connections to the canyon. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with Amber Benally, who manages the Rising Leaders program at the Grand Canyon Trust in Flagstaff.