Support Black Mesa Family after Loss of Sheep Herd by Arson!

Long-time resisters of relocation in Black Mesa have had their corral set fire in early June of this year. All evidence points to this being an intentional act of arson and murder of their ancestral sheep herd. Since the recent passing of the elders of this homesite, the next generation has continued to maintain care for the traditional lifeways of the homesite, including care for their sheep herd.

This was one of the last remaining sheep herds in a community of Black Mesa resisting relocation, which was once far more densely populated with Dineh families and their sheep.

The family believes this attack on their home was motivated by settler colonial violence. This attack comes at a time when multiple resisters surrounding Big Mountain report increases in theft of their animals, threats, and intimidation by trespassing individuals. Residents of Black Mesa have reported these incidents and no known follow up investigations have been attempted.

The family is requesting assistance to rebuild the corral with the goal of regrowing the herd. 100% of funds raised will go towards the rebuilding effort and directly to the family. This includes

20 metal stock panels
Metal roofing and lumber to build protective cover inside the coral
2 or 3 large water tanks
Stock troughs for feed and water
Misc. supplies and hardware to assemble the new corral

Used materials are ok for donation.

If you have materials you would like to donate towards this effort, you can reach out to us here or at

bmsheepherders at gee mail

A brief history of the greater Black Mesa/Big Mountain communities -

Elders and families of Big Mountain / Black Mesa continue to sustain their traditional Diné life ways in the face of the devastating effects of colonial land theft and coal mining. The 1974 Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act redrew the boundaries of the Hopi and Navajo Reservations, which displaced hundreds of Hopi and 10,000 - 15,000 Diné. These borders reflected the colonial government’s collusion with corporate interests focused on massive resource extraction.

However, hundreds of families refused to leave their ancestral lands, which span 900,000 acres and 20 Diné communities. Nearly 50 years later, the coal mines are defunct, but the pressure to relocate remains. These pressures include livestock restrictions, threats and intimidation from law enforcement and government agencies, lack of running water, and impacts of climate change.

Learn More:

Linktree with informational resources: https://linktr.ee/bmsolidarity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmesasolidaritynetwork/