Ola Cassadore DavisOla Cassadore Davis 89, passed into the spirit world November 25,
2012. Survived by her husband, Michael; one sister, two sons, four
daughters and 14 grandchildren. Ola was truly one of the great
warriors of our time fighting for the rights of her Apache Nation to
protect Mt. Graham and for the defense of all Indigenous Peoples'
sacred places. She traveled in America and in Europe to confront
threats to her native sovereignty, taking her message to the United
Nations and to the Vatican. Ola was a true leader who fought for her
people and the integrity of their traditions. She helped us all look
to the Mountain and make a place in our hearts for all such places.
She uplifted many people young and old and inspired us to fight
alongside her, and her contributions made a great difference in the
world..... many prayers .... Funeral Service at 10:00 a.m., Saturday,
December 1, 2012 at the Mormon Church on Mormon Hill in San Carlos,
AZ. Arrangements by Lamonte Mortuary.
Apaches in the West, particularly those of the San Carlos and White Mountain tribes, have considered Mount Graham (known as Dzile Nchaa Si’An or Big Seated Mountain) as one of their sacred mountains since time immemorial.
The estimated number of endangered Mount Graham squirrels that make their home atop the Pinaleno Mountains in southeastern Arizona is among its lowest in the past 15 years, but biologists are hopeful the small mammals will rebound.
Environmentalists, on the other hand, aren't so optimistic. They say the species won't be on the path to recovery without a significant effort to protect their habitat in the high elevation spruce-fir forest.
On Dec. 22, 2010, the Mount Graham Coalition, the Maricopa audubon Society and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), filed a Notice of Intent to Sue the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for failing to reinitiate Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding the Mount Graham Telescope Project which is situated atop Mount Graham, a mountain considered sacred since time immemorial to the San Carlos Apaches. Read more »
