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Beauty In Indian Culture Biography
Thousands of years before the king of American westerns, John Ford, shouted "Action!" and John Wayne and the cavalry charged across the scenic landscape of Monument Valley, generations of American Indians called the vast region home.
The "Ancient Ones," the Anasazi, constructed elaborate cliff dwellings until they mysteriously disappeared. Then the Hopi peoples arrived and created fortresslike pueblos atop what would come to be called First, Second and Third Mesa in northern Arizona. The most famous of these, the pueblo at Walpi, maintains the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited community in America, its origin dating back to 900 A.D.
Today "The Big Res" is divided between the nations of the Navajo, the Hopis and the Zunis. And visiting the region (ideally with the assistance of an American Indian guide) offers a cultural, historical, artistic and geopolitical experience of the first order. There is much to see and learn in the realm of these nations within our nation.
Designated a Navajo Tribal Park, the more than 91,000 acres that comprise Monument Valley is Indian country's No. 1 tourist destination — and for good reason. To stand on the crest of Monument Valley at sunset or sunrise, as the great red sandstone pillars (made famous in myriad movies) cast their shadows across the plain is one of America's most spectacular vistas. Lucky visitors might even see a rainbow after one of the late-afternoon thunderstorms that traditionally roll in during summer months.
A tiny portion of the park is accessible without the accompaniment of an official Navaho guide. One spot visitors can get to on their own is John Ford Point. The view is unparalleled. But so are the crowds of tourists that swarm around the crafts tables and take turns posing on one sorry little horse, all fitted out with a 10-gallon hat and lariat, so they can pretend they're John (or Joan) Wayne riding tall in the saddle.
A guided tour is the best way to really comprehend the scope and grandeur of Monument Valley. The cost is minimal compared to the experience among the valley's sandstone monoliths, discovering ancient rock art and perhaps enjoying an impromptu concert on a native drum or flute performed in a natural amphitheater.
For many years the only accommodations at Monument Valley (other than for camping) were at Goulding's Trading Post, which is still very much in operation. Goulding's is the place where all those early movie crews bunked during shooting, and photos of John Ford, "The Duke" and others still line the walls.
Now, however, there is a spectacular alternative — the View Hotel, a clean-lined modern piece of architecture that offers deluxe rooms with balconies, a restaurant and patio that looks directly onto the most famous vista in the park.
Another new addition is the Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites in Tuba City, which can serve as the ideal jumping-off point for visiting Hopi Land.
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Less than a year old, it is the first hotel to be built on Hopi tribal land in 50 years.
The drive on U.S. Highway 264 between Tuba City, Ariz., and Window Rock, N.M., is one of the most visually dramatic in the United States. Sometimes winding like a snake, at other times as straight as an arrow, the highway ascends and descends the plateaus of First, Second and Third Mesa. This is big-sky country where on a clear day it really is possible to see forever.
As at Monument Valley, the best way to experience archeological sites like Dawa Park (an ancient gathering place renowned for its thousands of petroglyphs), along with pueblo communities like Walpi, is with the assistance of a registered Hopi guide. Though the ancestral roots of these villages are ancient, they remain living communities. Rules are strict, particularly regarding a ban on photography and the removing of anything found on the ground. Our guide (a former Marine) threatened to break my arm when I picked up a piece of turquoise no bigger than a pinhead.
At the same time, entire families of native craftsman are eager to sell visitors an array of carved native dolls (Kachinas), weavings, baskets and pottery. Learning about the meaning of these objects and the process for their creation is an important part of a visit to Hopi Land.
It would be naive, however, not to acknowledge the role that white America has played in the destiny of these people. It is difficult to reconcile a cultural landscape that is so spiritually rich but resembles the Third World, where natural splendor exists side by side with discarded, rusting car hulks, dilapidated buildings, scrawny pets and piles of rotting refuse. It's not unusual to have the feeling that one's presence is simultaneously welcomed and resented. Our guide even admitted that residents often wish there was a way they could benefit from tourist dollars without having to put up with the intrusion of tourists.
It's a paradox, but one that should not inhibit a decision to visit this fascinating part of America. It is an opportunity, as the Navahos say, to walk in beauty.
IF YOU GO
For excellent general information: www.experiencehopi.com, www.navajonationparks.org
Hotels: The Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites Hotel, Junction 160 and 264,
P.O. Box 2260, Tuba City, AZ, 86045; 928-283-4500 or www.experiencehopi.com/hotel
The View Hotel, Monument Valley Tribal Park, UT, 84536; 435-727-5555 or www.monumentvalleyview.com
Goulding's Lodge and Tours, P.O. Box 360001, Monument Valley, UT, 84536;
435-727-3231 or www.gouldings.com
For a good read prior to visiting Indian country, check out the mystery novels of Tony Hillerman, particularly "Dancehall of the Dead," which takes place in the pueblos of Hopi Land.
Jim Farber is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Beauty In Indian Culture Biography
Thousands of years before the king of American westerns, John Ford, shouted "Action!" and John Wayne and the cavalry charged across the scenic landscape of Monument Valley, generations of American Indians called the vast region home.
The "Ancient Ones," the Anasazi, constructed elaborate cliff dwellings until they mysteriously disappeared. Then the Hopi peoples arrived and created fortresslike pueblos atop what would come to be called First, Second and Third Mesa in northern Arizona. The most famous of these, the pueblo at Walpi, maintains the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited community in America, its origin dating back to 900 A.D.
Today "The Big Res" is divided between the nations of the Navajo, the Hopis and the Zunis. And visiting the region (ideally with the assistance of an American Indian guide) offers a cultural, historical, artistic and geopolitical experience of the first order. There is much to see and learn in the realm of these nations within our nation.
Designated a Navajo Tribal Park, the more than 91,000 acres that comprise Monument Valley is Indian country's No. 1 tourist destination — and for good reason. To stand on the crest of Monument Valley at sunset or sunrise, as the great red sandstone pillars (made famous in myriad movies) cast their shadows across the plain is one of America's most spectacular vistas. Lucky visitors might even see a rainbow after one of the late-afternoon thunderstorms that traditionally roll in during summer months.
A tiny portion of the park is accessible without the accompaniment of an official Navaho guide. One spot visitors can get to on their own is John Ford Point. The view is unparalleled. But so are the crowds of tourists that swarm around the crafts tables and take turns posing on one sorry little horse, all fitted out with a 10-gallon hat and lariat, so they can pretend they're John (or Joan) Wayne riding tall in the saddle.
A guided tour is the best way to really comprehend the scope and grandeur of Monument Valley. The cost is minimal compared to the experience among the valley's sandstone monoliths, discovering ancient rock art and perhaps enjoying an impromptu concert on a native drum or flute performed in a natural amphitheater.
For many years the only accommodations at Monument Valley (other than for camping) were at Goulding's Trading Post, which is still very much in operation. Goulding's is the place where all those early movie crews bunked during shooting, and photos of John Ford, "The Duke" and others still line the walls.
Now, however, there is a spectacular alternative — the View Hotel, a clean-lined modern piece of architecture that offers deluxe rooms with balconies, a restaurant and patio that looks directly onto the most famous vista in the park.
Another new addition is the Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites in Tuba City, which can serve as the ideal jumping-off point for visiting Hopi Land.
AD FEEDBACK
Less than a year old, it is the first hotel to be built on Hopi tribal land in 50 years.
The drive on U.S. Highway 264 between Tuba City, Ariz., and Window Rock, N.M., is one of the most visually dramatic in the United States. Sometimes winding like a snake, at other times as straight as an arrow, the highway ascends and descends the plateaus of First, Second and Third Mesa. This is big-sky country where on a clear day it really is possible to see forever.
As at Monument Valley, the best way to experience archeological sites like Dawa Park (an ancient gathering place renowned for its thousands of petroglyphs), along with pueblo communities like Walpi, is with the assistance of a registered Hopi guide. Though the ancestral roots of these villages are ancient, they remain living communities. Rules are strict, particularly regarding a ban on photography and the removing of anything found on the ground. Our guide (a former Marine) threatened to break my arm when I picked up a piece of turquoise no bigger than a pinhead.
At the same time, entire families of native craftsman are eager to sell visitors an array of carved native dolls (Kachinas), weavings, baskets and pottery. Learning about the meaning of these objects and the process for their creation is an important part of a visit to Hopi Land.
It would be naive, however, not to acknowledge the role that white America has played in the destiny of these people. It is difficult to reconcile a cultural landscape that is so spiritually rich but resembles the Third World, where natural splendor exists side by side with discarded, rusting car hulks, dilapidated buildings, scrawny pets and piles of rotting refuse. It's not unusual to have the feeling that one's presence is simultaneously welcomed and resented. Our guide even admitted that residents often wish there was a way they could benefit from tourist dollars without having to put up with the intrusion of tourists.
It's a paradox, but one that should not inhibit a decision to visit this fascinating part of America. It is an opportunity, as the Navahos say, to walk in beauty.
IF YOU GO
For excellent general information: www.experiencehopi.com, www.navajonationparks.org
Hotels: The Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites Hotel, Junction 160 and 264,
P.O. Box 2260, Tuba City, AZ, 86045; 928-283-4500 or www.experiencehopi.com/hotel
The View Hotel, Monument Valley Tribal Park, UT, 84536; 435-727-5555 or www.monumentvalleyview.com
Goulding's Lodge and Tours, P.O. Box 360001, Monument Valley, UT, 84536;
435-727-3231 or www.gouldings.com
For a good read prior to visiting Indian country, check out the mystery novels of Tony Hillerman, particularly "Dancehall of the Dead," which takes place in the pueblos of Hopi Land.
Jim Farber is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
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Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
Beauty In Indian Culture
