Indigenous

The Hopi tribe is on the path to regain up to 20,000 acres of land near Winslow that will end years of checkerboard ownership and allow the tribe to pursue new development.

A new agreement will initiate the first in a series of condemnation actions to transfer a total of 110,000 acres from Arizona to the United States to be held in trust for the Hopi Tribe. Tribal leaders said they were eager to develop infrastructure to support long-term development plans.

The lands, scattered among Hopi-owned areas, have been leased to the tribe for ranching for many years. Once the Hopi Tribe deposits $3.9 million, representing estimated compensation for the state of Arizona, the land will become U.S. property and immediately placed in trust for the Hopi Tribe.

"December 20 is the historic day that this all came together when the Governor concurred with the land condemnation," Hopi Chairman Timothy L. Nuvangyaoma told The Arizona Republic. "I am thankful for everyone who had a hand in this. Everything is in place. We should be realizing the transfer of condemnation of the first set of acreage turned over to Hopi any day now."

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