Since time immemorial, Tribal Nations have stewarded the lands now protected as Chuckwalla National Monument. Tribes, alongside local desert communities, led the effort to establish the monument and protect this culturally significant landscape. To mark the one-year anniversary of the Chuckwalla National Monument Intertribal Commission, we spoke with Interim Executive Director Bennae Calac about what Chuckwalla means to Tribal leaders and communities, and why protecting this sacred landscape matters. 

Who are the members of the Chuckwalla Intertribal Commission? 

The Commission consists of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, the Cahuilla Band of Indians, the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. The Commission reflects the connection of numerous Tribes to the landscape and their enduring commitment to protect these lands. 

What is the primary goal of the Chuckwalla Intertribal Commission?

The goal of the Commission is to ensure that Tribal values, expertise, cultural heritage, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge are incorporated into the management of the monument.

Preserving this region as a national monument is not simply about conservation; it is a necessary act of cultural survival and spiritual continuity. It affirms our right to maintain sacred relationships with the land and ensures future generations will be able to do the same. 

How is Chuckwalla connected to the Tribes who have called this region home?

The monument lies within the traditional homelands of the Iviatim (Cahuilla), Nüwü (Chemehuevi), Pipa Aha Macav (Mohave), Kwatsáan (Quechan), Maara’yam and Marringayam (Serrano), and other Indigenous peoples who have been the guardians of this region since time immemorial. The name of the monument comes from Cahuilla word čaxwal and refers to the Chuckwalla lizard, a species native to the region.

Why is it important that Chuckwalla is protected?

The establishment of the monument protected a landscape that sustains our identity, culture and worldview. The monument contains an abundance of historic artifacts and ancestral belongings, demonstrating its connection to diverse human communities since time immemorial. 

Sacred sites, village locations, songlines, and petroglyphs throughout Chuckwalla speak to our enduring presence. Places like Painted Canyon, Corn Spring Campground, an oasis for wildlife and migratory birds, and the Bradshaw Trail, a route created and traveled by Indigenous peoples are recognized and protected by the monument.

What do you hope people experience when they visit Chuckwalla?

The cultural, geological, and ecological values in the Chuckwalla region inspire and fascinate visitors from all over the world. We hope that visitors to the monument experience the wonder of this place and share our commitment to ensuring that it is protected for generations to come.

Even from afar, there’s a lot to learn and enjoy about Chuckwalla National Monument. If you visit in-person, please learn more about how to visit safely and responsibly.