LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After decades of efforts to honor their creation, the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe along with other tribal nations now have a national monument in the silver state.
President Joe Biden officially signed off on it March 21, 2023.
Friday, officials and tribal leaders gathered together for a celebration.
Avi Kwa Ame, also known as "Spirit Mountain" is sacred to tribal members and holds objects of historic and scientific value to tribal nations.
One Mojave tribal member spoke to KTNV, and said that the monument is a sacred place.
"It's hard to describe," said Colleen Garcia, secretary tribal council member with Fort Mojave Indian Tribe. "It's a feeling of joy, feeling of happiness. It's a feeling of, 'we are going to save our sacred area because Avi Kwa Ame to our people is a sacred place'."
The national monument is located outside of Laughlin near Lake Mojave.
