NACAC Travels to AZ for Oak Flat Run

By: Colin McGuinness ‘25 Contributor

Around one month ago, a group of students from Gonzaga’s Native American Cultural Appreciation club (NACAC) took an enlightening trip to Oak Flat, a sacred site for the Apache people. The trip, which took place yesterday, provided a unique educational opportunity for the children to learn about the site’s cultural and environmental significance. The main goal was to participate in a run, officially listed at around 65 miles, to raise awareness for Oak Flat. The members of Gonzaga’s NACAC arrived in Phoenix late one night. Still, they were awoken early the following day to take a trip to a spot on the border of Mexico and Arizona to a town called Nogales, Mexico. In Nogales, the NACAC volunteered at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), which provides direct aid to deported migrants at its Outreach Center in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. The crew also explored downtown Nogales and made killer deals on authentic tortillas and magnificent silver- ware! After attending school for a day with students who graciously hosted our eagles from Brophy Prepatory’s Native American Club (BNAC), the Gonzaga NACAC and Brophey’s BNAC departed for the Oak Flat run.

Oak Flat is a sacred site for the Apache people and has been used for generations for traditional ceremonies and gatherings. The site is also significant for its environmental and historical value, which includes hosting many native plant and animal species as well as being a site of ancient native Petroglyphs, which are rock carvings made by ancient tribes to record their history. The run itself was very spiritual but the feeling of entering the limits of Oak Flat is simply unparalleled. One member of the Gonzaga NACAC, John Holley, even goes far enough to say that “it was the single most beautiful and at the same time heartwrenching thing I have ever seen.” The reason that seeing Oak Flat was so horrible for John to look at is the same as the reason that the run takes place. There is a company by the name of Resolution Copper who have been taking steps to claim the land, protected by the US Government as part of the Tonto National Park and blow it up to claim the extensive amounts of copper that occur under the land for their gain. This act would erase centuries of native history, which is why we are working so hard to protect it and believe that all should do the same. Lastly, the president of the Gonzaga NACAC leaves us with a straightforward message. “It was eye-opening to learn about the cultural and environmental significance of Oak Flat and to hear about the ongoing battle to protect it, and our experience has led us to discover many situations in the world around us similar to the one in Oak Flat, so we should use our unique position of being located in the heart of D.C. to advocate for change and stick up for what we believe in,” said 16-year-old student, William J. Decker. In conclusion, the school trip was a fun and memorable experience for Gonzaga’s NACAC and a valuable educational opportunity to learn about different cultures and environmental issues. By learning about Oak Flat’s cultural and ecological significance, the children greatly appreciated the importance of protecting sacred sites and preserving our planet’s natural resources.