The struggle to save the sacred Hickory Ground gained momentum March 26 during the National Indian Gaming Association’s Convention when a rally was held not just for the sacred land there, but for sacred land across the country.

Activists from a number of nations including the O’odham, Navajo and Havasupai gathered outside the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona to drum, speak and share stories.

“There are a lot of connections about sacred sites,” said activist Alex Soto, a citizen of the Tohono O’odham Nation and one of the rally organizers. “What’s going on back east with Hickory Ground is the same thing going on here in Phoenix with a proposal to build an eight-lane 22 mile freeway that will desecrate our sacred South Mountain and bring a level of pollution and hazardous waste to the Gila River Indian Community.”

An American Indian Song:

An O'odham land activist speaks at the rally:

Dennis Banks speaks at the rally:

Klee Benally speaks about the San Francisco peaks:

The first two videos were shot by ICTMN writer Gale Courey Toensing, the second two by Save Hickory Ground.