The Flag Raiser from Gila River Indian Community

February 27, 2026

GRIN Staff

The journey of Ira H. Hayes continues to inspire as his community celebrates his legacy with ceremony, memory, and unity.

SACATON, Ariz. — Each February, the Gila River Indian Community, gather to honor one of their most recognized sons: Ira Hamilton Hayes, the Pima Marine who helped raise the flag on Iwo Jima and whose silhouette became an enduring symbol of the nation.

The annual celebration is far more than a solemn remembrance. It is a living gathering, filled with voices, drums, stories, and a deep sense of pride. For many young people in the community, Ira Hayes is a name they grew up hearing; for elders, he represents sacrifice, humility, and the complex history of Native peoples in wartime America. Throughout the park, among food stands and traditional artisans, the atmosphere blends commemoration with community life in a way that feels uniquely Gila River Indian Community.

Hayes’ story has always carried two intertwined truths: the national hero who returned home as an icon, and the young Pima man who bore the weight of fame, trauma, and discrimination.

During the celebration, both truths are acknowledged. Veterans speak of him with reverence. Community leaders highlight his courage. Children look up at the large photograph of the flag raising and learn—sometimes for the first time, that one of the men in that historic moment was “one of our own.”

As the afternoon unfolds, military honors are offered, family stories are shared, and recognition is given to Native veterans who followed in Hayes’ footsteps. For many attendees, the event serves as a reminder that the story of Iwo Jima is not distant history, it is rooted in the land they walk, the families they come from, and the collective memory passed down through generations.

The celebration closes with a message repeated year after year: Ira Hayes did more than raise a flag; he lifted the visibility and dignity of Native people at one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. And in Gila River Indian Community, every February, his community lifts him once again.