LEADERSHIP
Incorporated in 1981, the NAC-State of New Mexico serves as an association for the NAC community on Navajo, state of New Mexico, and across Indian Country. NAC-SNM supports the protection of American Indian religious, ceremonial, spiritual and traditional practices held sacred since time immemorial; fosters the development of the Next Generation of NAC leaders; and strives to address issues affecting the NAC.
Leo Dayish, President
Leathan Dayish, Vice-President
Linda Benally, Secretary/Advisor
Glen Scott, Treasurer
Cory Dayish, NACNA Delegate-at-Large, State of New Mexico
NACNA was established in 1949 and is a national religious organization representing over 300,000 members and 100 tribes with chapters in 30 states. The NACNA is a historical institution which has been entrusted by Indian Country to advocate on behalf of the NAC.
Jon Brady, President
Darrell Red Cloud, Vice-President
Jessica Williams, Secretary
Elroy Watson, Treasurer
Terry Dayish, Editor-in-chief
DELEGATES-At-LARGE
Arizona: C.J. Woodie
Iowa: Frank White
Montana: Josh Seaton
Nebraska: Ronald Kemp
New Mexico: Cory Dayish
North Dakota: Milton Beston
South Dakota: Darrell Red Cloud
Texas: Issac Cardenas
Utah: Sarah Fanman
Wisconsin: Buddy Powless
Wyoming: William Goggles
Canada: Ronald Laneman, Henry Traverse and Robert Badger
Priorities
Recommendations
United Nations – Seventeenth Session of the Expert Mechanism on Rights of Indigenous People
United Nations Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues
Resolutions
2022 BIDEN ADMINISTRATION & CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH – STATE OF NEW MEXICO
PRIORITIES & RECOMMENDATIONS
PRIORITIES:
1. Peyote Habitat Conservation.
The only place in the United States that Peyote grows wild is in the lands of southern Texas—a sacred place known as the “Peyote Gardens.” This area is privately owned ranchland along the U.S. and Mexico border in the counties of Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, and Starr.
When Congress amended the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) in 1994 to legalize the ceremonial use of Peyote, Congress did not create mechanisms to protect the Peyote in its natural habitat. Today, without any protection, the Peyote is being diminished by modern development, wind farms, roads, and certain grazing and agricultural practices.
The Peyote gardens sit on privately owned land. As such, access to Peyote harvesting, and Peyote preservation efforts are hindered. Access is contingent upon voluntary partnerships with private landowners.
2. Assure the exercise of federal preemption and enforcement of AIRFA to the full extent of the law.
Access to Peyote outside the Native American Church ceremony threatens the sanctity of Peyote and DOJ must exercise federal preemption in any state efforts that infringe on the ceremonial and traditional practices. Indian tribes recognize the Peyote to be a sacred and significant part of the religious, cultural, and ceremonial practices.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- White House Council on Native American Affairs, in coordination with Department of Interior and other federal agencies, conduct a review of federal programs to determine culturally sensitive approach to the protection of Peyote habitat.
- Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources hold congressional oversight hearings on AIRFA 1978 and 1994 Amendments to further tribal self-governance, tribal sovereignty, and tribal well-being.
- Hold government-to-government consultation to assure tribal ceremonial free exercise by collaborating with Indian Tribe on the issue of patenting medical treatments or other perceived inventions based on and/or using the Peyote, its derivatives, and/or any synthetic variants.