Hopi Council suspends Nuvamsa

By Felicia Fonseca
The Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Hopi lawmakers voted unanimously Monday to suspend tribal Chairman Ben Nuvamsa, but Nuvamsa contends the meeting was illegal and says he won’t recognize the council action.

The vote comes a week after the council convened under Vice Chairman Todd Honyaoma Sr. and voted to remove five council members and replace them. The council contended that Nuvamsa seated three representatives of First Mesa without certification of the village kikmongwi, or traditional leader, as required by the tribal constitution.

The village leaders of Mishongnovi, Shongopavi, Sipaulovi and First Mesa consolidated villages had recommended that Nuvamsa be suspended, saying he disrespected tribal tradition and religious leadership and violated tribal law.
They also accused him of harassment, intimidation and taking positions that are not in the best interest of the tribe.

“Because of this unconstitutional, disruptive, disrespectful, harmful and selfish behavior on the part of Chairman Nuvamsa, we the traditional leaders believe that we have a responsibility to bring an end to such behavior in order to protect our children, the Hopi people,” the recommendation said.

Honyaoma said Nuvamsa undermined the traditional leadership when he allowed the representatives to be sworn in on Sept. 1.

“The Hopi constitution and federal government officially acknowledge and recognize the kikmongwi’s and traditional form of government, and we must uphold the Hopi constitution,” Honyaoma said in a news release.

Bonnie Secakuku, a staff assistant to Nuvamsa, said because the villages are autonomous, it’s up to them to decide who is the traditional leader and the council should not question that.

“When the village shows up with their people and their elected official, and asks for that person to be sworn in, the council has to respect that,” she said.

Nuvamsa and the council have clashed since he was elected last year to replace former tribal Chairman Ivan Sidney, whom the council fired after less than 10 months on the job following police reports that Sidney had been intoxicated at a Winslow hotel.

Less than 30 days after Nuvamsa was sworn in on March 1, 2007, the council passed a resolution declaring his election invalid. Council members had questioned whether Nuvamsa fulfilled the residency requirements for the office.

Nuvamsa appealed, and the Hopi Appellate Court later ruled the council resolution unconstitutional.

Nuvamsa characterized the council’s latest action as a “power grab.”

“The courts have already ruled, and they lost,” he said. “They’re jealous over that. They’re just going to be objecting or being an obstacle to everything we’re trying to get accomplished for the tribe.”

He said he would not comply with the council resolution that calls for him to surrender all credit cards, keys and identification issued to him as chairman.

While he remains chairman of the 12,000-member Hopi Tribe and will receive a salary, Nuvamsa cannot travel using tribal funds and cannot represent the tribe, pending an investigation into whether he neglected his duties as chairman. Four of his staff assistants, a secretary and receptionist also must leave their offices.

Honyaoma, who chaired Monday’s meeting, will serve as chairman.

Honyaoma said the allegations that the council acted illegally are false.

“The chairman and vice chairman’s office does not have authority to be rescheduling, eliminating or changing the Tribal Council schedule or agenda,” he said.

“That authority is reserved to the Hopi Tribal Council and is only delegated to our office, and that includes the Office of the Hopi Chairman.”