Visit Devils Tower in Wyoming - Balancing Religion and Recreation

I can't remember now if my first introduction to Devils Tower in Wyoming was from watching Steven Spielberg's hit movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," or if I saw Devils Tower first, then saw the movie. Either way, the monument is impressive and attracts over 400,000 visitors a year. Most come to look, some come to climb the tower, and some come to worship.

It is the latter group that has led to controversy about Devils Tower and how it should be managed. On our last trip to the tower, my wife and I noticed pieces of cloth tied to trees. We later found out the cloths are prayer cloths placed by members of American Indian tribes as part of their religious practices. The controversy involves a difference of opinion about how to see Devils Tower. For most visitors, the tower is a place of recreation-whether simply looking at it or climbing it. For the American Indians, Devils Tower is a sacred place.

The National Park Service has found itself caught between people on both sides claiming that their rights should be observed. According to a National Park Service website, Devils Tower National Monument, the first national monument, was established in 1906 because of its scientific and geological importance. It was later that officials discovered that the area also held cultural and religious significance. In 1978, The American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed. The act emphasized the importance of granting access to American Indians to their sacred sites and protecting the religious rights of American Indians.

The result has been a compromise balancing the rights of American Indians and the tourists, particularly those who would like to climb the monument. As a compromise between these two viewpoints, the Park Service has asked visitors to the tower during the month of June.to refrain from climbing the monument or climbing among the boulders at the base of the monument. Some Indian people consider June to be the most sacred month.

In all, approximately 20 American Indian tribes have some kind of cultural connection to Devils Tower. Six American Indian nations have a direct connection, having lived in the area of the tower at some point in their history. Those six are the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa, Lakota, and Shoshone.

Religious rituals continue to be held in the tower area. Fasting, praying, pipe ceremonies, waiting for visions, and worship in general are the most common practices. Prayer cloths can often be seen in the area. It wasn't until after our most recent visit to the tower that I discovered that it is considered insensitive to photograph the prayer cloths. By that time, I had already photographed the cloths.

The current emphasis on protecting the area for the benefit of American Indian religious practices has led to complaints that the government is violating the separation of church and state. Nowscape.com highlights the complaints.

However you see the current controversy, Devils Tower is a beautiful place to visit.

Sources:

www.nps.gov/deto/planyourvisit/upload/american%20indians%20&%20the%20tower.pdf
www.nowscape.com/atheism/articles/atheista.014.txt