For centuries, indigenous people — the Native Americans before there was an America — have lived in what’s now known as the Verde Valley. When there’s enough water; there’s no problem. When there’s not enough water; well, that’s another story.
Vincent Randall, an elder of the Yavapai-Apache Nation knows this very well. Everyone knows that without water there is no life, but for Randall who holds a degree in biology from Northern Arizona University, the precious liquid has a particularly sacred quality.
A former Yavapai-Apache Nation tribal chairman, Randall has been involved in tribal politics and water issues for over 40 years. Randall is the Nation’s Apache Cultural Preservation director, an elder statesman of the Nation’s water team and involved in the Nation’s water negotiations.
For the full story, see the Wednesday, Jan. 23, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
