Back From Iraq, Marines Have One Last Christmas Mission

ByABC News via logo
December 19, 2005, 7:13 AM

Dec. 19, 2005 — -- A group of Marines who have just finished two tours of duty in Iraq have one last mission to complete before going home for the holidays. The Marines are being asked to help deliver holiday cheer to a tribe of American Indians living in a remote location.

The Havasupai Indians call the Grand Canyon -- one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World -- their home. But the beauty of the village of Supai is a trade-off for the difficulty of actually getting there. The village is located about 35 miles southwest of the South Rim's Grand Canyon Village, and it can take from three hours to six hours to complete the eight-mile hike. Mail usually arrives by mule, but this year Christmas will arrive by helicopters operated by the U.S. Marines, thanks to the Marines' Toys for Tots program.

When the program started in 1996, there were a few bumps in the road.

"It was very tentative the first couple years," said Mult Cruver of Toys for Tots. "They weren't sure how they wanted to celebrate their Christmas down here. They have their own native traditions, and we respect those quite closely."

Now the Marines have become a Christmas tradition to this community of about 450 Havasupai.

"Both the kids on the rim here and the kids in the Havasupai village associate the Marines with Santa nowadays so it's kind of fun for us to do that," said Lt. Col. Marcus Malais. "They see the helicopters coming in; they know Santa is on the way."

Since the 1300s, the tribe has hunted and gathered on the upper plateau during fall and winter, then planted gardens in the canyon in the spring and summer. In that time, the Havasupai -- which translates to "people of the blue-green waters" -- haven't come up with a word for Santa Claus.

"You know what, there's no words. It's always just a gesture of I will see you again and say it is good, that means 'Hanee que,'" said a village representative. "During this time what the children say is 'candi mavia,' meaning this is the time we eat candy."