As Will steered the car toward the cloud-enshrouded Peaks, I made a cellular phone call to Bruce Babbitt's advance man to confirm our interview. I was stunned. All the travails and frustrations of filmmaking crashed over me. I asked Will. Don't be attached to the outcome because things will go wrong.
Disappointments are inevitable.
We set up our camera on the edge of the White Vulcan Mine and the crowd grew to a hundred or so, mostly native people who had come to witness the signing ceremony and to begin to explore how best to heal the sacred mountain. A feeling of good will and historic accomplishment was strong as activists, Indians and government officials thanked each other for their efforts on behalf of the Peaks. This happened three times, and was noted by Undersecretary of Agriculture Jim Lyons. As the deal to shut down the mine was signed, a light rain began to fall. The delegation from the Hopi tribe was pleased.