Cameron residents to protest high-wire stunt
By Krista Allen
Western Agency Bureau
CAMERON, Ariz., June 20, 2013
I n their own land, the Natives are not allowed to cross the threshold of the Little Colorado River Tribal Park where tightrope legend Nik Wallenda will walk across the "Grand Canyon."
"This guy is not going to walk across the Grand Canyon, he's going to walk across the Little Colorado Gorge!" exclaimed chapter president Milton Tso.
Before his big stunt on Sunday, crews are now preparing the location.
On Tuesday (June 18), Tso was denied a request to look in on the site.
"I went over there and I was denied to go down to the site," said Tso. "(I told them), 'I'm the chapter president, and you are on my land! Why can't I go down there?'"
"I had to get permission from (the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation) to go down there," added the infuriated chapter president who was directed to Helen Webster, the park manager of the LCR tribal park.
"(Webster) was kind of surprised and said, 'OK, as long as you don't raise any chaos,'" said Tso. "It was upsetting that I needed permission. Right now I really want to call out Parks and Recreation for not informing the local people about this event."
Tso says many of the community are still outraged at the lack of contact with the chapter.
"They're basically a bunch of hypocrites!" exclaimed Tso. "We know about the high-wire, that's obvious, but we don't know the details. We never gave permission or we were never informed."
Meanwhile, award-winning singer Radmilla Cody also announced that she would be withdrawing as one of the entertainers for the event.
On Tuesday, Cody wrote on her Facebook fan page, "I enjoy working with Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation however, I cannot support this event. This decision is based on my respect for our land and the sacredness that is connected to it ... this is ultimately why I have made my decision and stand with the elders and the surrounding community of Cameron."
Cody received 732 likes and 100 comments as of Wednesday.
The daring performer's walk into the history books will air live on the Discovery Channel at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
Tso says the community plans to protest on Sunday before the event.
Contact: Krista Allen, editor@navajotimes.com.