NPS/Patrick Myers A few of the regional tribal names for Great Sand Dunes: Tribal Consultation It is the mission of the National Park Service (NPS) to tell the stories of our country. By conducting tribal consultation, the NPS learns so much more about the landscapes that we are charged with protecting and interpreting. The benefits of the consultation are many, including the transmission of multigenerational cultural knowledge, continuation of traditional use practices resulting in connection with the ancestral landscape, protection of resources by engaging future management partnerships, and communication of Native American perspective and interpretation to the public. On This Page:
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Tribal Elder Bryan Vigil shares some traditional Jicarilla Apache stories about the North Star, Big Dipper, and Milky Way. NPS video description: The video opens with an image of Jicarilla Apache elder Bryan Vigil inside a tipi, with a campfire below him. For most of the video, Bryan sits beside a younger Apache man telling star stories, with the dunes and mountains in the background. Photos of the North Star, Big Dipper, and Milky Way over the dunes appear as he speaks of each one. 
NPS/Patrick Myers Sisnaajini: A Navajo StoryBlanca Peak (14,345 feet/4,372m), located just south of Great Sand Dunes, is one of four sacred mountains to the Navajo (Dine') people. In this 8-minute video podcast, Park Ranger Ravis Henry sings and tells their story of Sisnaajini - the White Shell Mountain, as well as the importance of Great Sand Dunes to his people. For clearest and fastest viewing, choose the best resolution for your connection and device using the icons at lower right. Closed captioning also available. Special thanks to Timothy Begay and Tamara Billie of the Navajo Nation for their ongoing input and consultation with Great Sand Dunes staff. |
Last updated: March 5, 2025