ON THE RESERVATION
September 2015
Today lives in infamy, but I
wonder how many people in this part of the country feel impacted by events of
14 years ago.
Shadows spread across the Little Painted Desert in the early morning light of September 11th. |
As we drive across the
wide grasslands of northern Arizona in the Navajo Indian Reservation, the
constructed towers of New York City seem years and worlds away. Here all we see as far as the horizon
stretches is flat plains of sage brush.
“It’s not even grass for animals,” said Andy, turning into the Indian reservation’s disintegrating asphalt road for Little Painted Desert. Useless sage grew abundantly.
With accents of yellow from the
flowering plants like snakeweed along the rim, the Little Painted Desert was a canvas of color
in the mid-morning light. My watch read
only 9 a.m., and temperatures hovered in the pleasant low 80’s. But in the
Navajo Reservation it was actually 10 a.m. because of Daylight Savings
Time. A cloudless sky and bright sun
promised another hot day in Arizona.“It’s not even grass for animals,” said Andy, turning into the Indian reservation’s disintegrating asphalt road for Little Painted Desert. Useless sage grew abundantly.
We stepped out of the car at
three different points along the short stretch of broken road that followed the rim. Beer bottles and cans gave evidence that
many had enjoyed the view.
“This view is perfect for morning
pictures,” said Andy, “and it would be so easy to clean up the area and keep it
that way.”
But our East Coast perspective--and perhaps our age--colors our attitude.
Castle Butte at 6,491 feet above
sea level presented an imposing landmark along Route #87 as we headed
north. “It’s pretty rugged all of a sudden,”
said Andy.
In the distance Castle Butte rises as a local landmark. |
The landscape was markedly green
for Arizona desert and Navajo Reservation, evidence of recent rain.
I spotted a coyote spring for a
breakfast catch in the grasslands near a collection of houses called Teas
Toh. He looked a lot healthier than the
Connecticut variety.
Wagons of the past remain outside Hubbell Trading Post as a memory of days gone by. |
As we drove across the
Hopi-Navajo Reservation, we noticed patches of corn stalks. It was something we had never seen
here before. “I’m guessing it’s grown for use
as corn meal,” said Andy. Readings about
ancient peoples had already taught us that the Anasazi people of 800 years ago
had four varieties of corn, presumably used for different purposes.
Inside, Hubbell Trading Post looks much like it did years ago. |
Hubbell Trading Post has welcomed visitors for 110 years. |
J.L. Hubbell opened the Hubbell
Trading Post in 1876. Today it is the
oldest continuously operated trading post in Navajo Territory. Hubbell used tin currency in this trade with
the Native Americans, because most of them didn’t have gold, silver or copper
coins. At first they were suspicious,
but the jingle of tin soon caught on, and Hubbell established a thriving business. Known for his honesty in business dealings and for his hospitality to travelers, Hubbell provided wise counsel to his friends the Navajos. Born John Lorenzo Hubbell in 1853, in Pajarito, New Mexico, he was the son of a Connecticut Yankee who had gone west as a soldier and married into a family of Spanish descent.
"Don Lorenzo" to the whites, he was called "Old Mexican" or "Double Glasses" by the Navajos. He consistently promoted excellence in craftsmanship and was the foremost Navajo trader of his time beyond question.
The trading post was a place of social life, as well as one of business. Here Navajos came to meet friends and relatives as well as sell their hand-woven rugs and turquoise and silver jewelry. The store was a center for news, gossip and endless talk.
"Don Lorenzo" to the whites, he was called "Old Mexican" or "Double Glasses" by the Navajos. He consistently promoted excellence in craftsmanship and was the foremost Navajo trader of his time beyond question.
The trading post was a place of social life, as well as one of business. Here Navajos came to meet friends and relatives as well as sell their hand-woven rugs and turquoise and silver jewelry. The store was a center for news, gossip and endless talk.
The Hogan and shelter at Canyon
de Chelly Visitor Center provided a feel for Native American life in early Navajo
times.
The South Rim pullouts at Canyon
de Chelly are best with an afternoon sun. There Native American girls sold handcrafted
jewelry and pottery at Tunnel Overlook and Junction Overlook. At Tunnel we bought three stone paintings by
Anthony. His sister sold them to us and
said the family lived in the valley about ten miles down the road. Her brother had been painting since age eleven.
Junction Overlook of Canyon de Chelly offers panoramic views of the valley floor. |
Tsegi Overlook was closed off with
a large gathering of Native Americans. We
wondered what was attracting all the attention, but we weren’t invited.
Andy poses for a moment in the bright sun of White House Overlook. |
The ancient White House across the valley floor holds secrets of the Anasazi past. |
The ruins at White House Overlook
seemed so small from the rim, but the river was dry.
“Do you remember our last visit
here?” asked Andy.
How could I forget! Drew was a
babe in arms, probably under a year old.
Andy carried him in the backpack and sunk up to his ankles in the
river. We crossed then though and viewed the
White House ruins all by ourselves. We
couldn’t go in, but we forded the flowing Chinle Wash for views as close as we
could get.
Hidden in the shadows of afternoon sun, Sliding House ruins holds its secrets from ages past. |
“Chinle Wash comes and goes in
the sand,” explained an elderly man from Phoenix. “There’s water in it up at Spider Rock.”
At Face Rock Overlook we bought
two more stone paintings from Christine.
They had been done by her son Tyson.
He had autographed the backs with his name and Dine, the word for Navajo.
Christine explained that Tyson was saving for a computer game. She showed us a picture of him when he was
five years old.
At Spider Rock Overlook, the double monolith rises more than 800 feet from the valley floor. |
Stories of being left at the top of Spider Rock far below scared young Navajo children into behaving. |
As Sue and Andy pose in the afternoon sun, tomorrow's challenges of climbing down into Canyon de Chelly await. |
Turkey vultures dipped and
circled overhead. “I wonder if they are
looking for quick sand victims,” I mused.
One circled so low we could see his yellow beak and naked red head.
On the return pass we stopped at
Tsegi Overlook, which had been blocked earlier in the afternoon. A couple farms lined the Chinle Wash down
below, and the canyon looked lush.
“I wonder why it was closed and
so many Native Americans had gathered here before,” pondered Andy out loud. “Maybe
someone got stuck down below in the mud and sand.”
Whatever it was, it certainly
attracted attention.
The overlook was calm and
peaceful at 5 p.m. Apparently everyone
headed into town for Friday night.
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