the people speak

i asked several friends what their feelings are about the sacred mountain slated to receive artificial snow made from reclaimed waste water.  with the help of raechel running, stephanie jackson and rey cantil, their words were written or painted onto their faces and the final images were wheat pasted.

                                                collage photo by john running    

activist klee benally (lead singer + guitarist of the punk band, blackfire), and his wife said "what we do to the mountain, we do to ourselves."

northern arizona university climate change solutions grad student, stephanie jackson said "i am the change."  she identified the things she'd like to change "...industrialization, pollution, drought."  she went on to identify "earth, air, water, fake snow, co2" as areas of concern.


sam minkler - navajo traditionalist, nau professor (and former member of the techno-traditional 90s band, lunar drive), said "...faces are sacred; faces are beautiful.  we walk on the face of the earth.  the peaks are a beautiful and sacred place that need to be protected."  borrowing from a traditional, navajo prayer, he concluded by saying "...in beauty i walk."

local flagstaff resident, john running asked of his neighbors to "...consider the san francisco peaks are sacred to natives + nonnatives."

meanwhile...

flagstaff born, chiapas, mexico based photographer + artist, raechel running is telling y'all to keep it real - the snow + everything else.

navajo dude passing by who swore shonto is black and not navajo.

navajo painter, shonto begay spoke from the perspective of the san francisco peaks.  his full comment was:

"long after you're gone, i'll be here.

i am earth, i am fire,

 i am air, i am forever.

the peaks, respect."