The name "De Chelly" is a Spanish take on the Navajo word "Tsegi," which means "rock canyon." The Spanish pronunciation is "day shay-yee" and has now morphed to "d' SHA Y." This Canyon is considered one of North America's oldest continuously occupied sites and has been home to various native tribes for over 5,000 years and holds over 2,500 ruins. It was made a National Park in 1931 by President Herbert Hoover and is preserved for all to explore.
I've had Canyon De Chelly on my mind for quite some time. I have been waiting patiently to shoot it until after a snowfall because I love the color contrasts of Arizona Moenkopi sandstone and how it sets off the color when topped with a pillowy blanket of snow.
The snow arrived, and I departed.
I let out mid-morning, thinking it would be good to let it warm up a bit before trekking entirely on snowpack icy roads for my 2.5-hour drive Northeast of Flagstaff. The drive consists almost entirely through the Najavo Nation, or Najavoland as it's called by locals. The Navajo Nation is the largest land area held by a Native American tribe in the U.S. and is comprised of 16 million acres between 4 states, the most significant portion being in AZ.
Approaching the rim, the setting is exactly as I had hoped. A muted pallet of pastel colors accented by silvery-blue-green Juniper trees and a dusting of winter's icy blue colorations. Because of the frigid weather, I only had to share this 83,837-acre park with a dozen or so other opportunistic tourists, a real treat!
Arriving at the first viewpoint, I eagerly hopped out to create footsteps through the lofts of crunchy snow. Continually shooting my way along the rim, I arrive at the Canyon's most famous feature, Spider Rock, comprised of two tall, slender rock spires that rise 750 feet from the canyon floor. The taller spire is referred to as "Spider-Woman" by the Navajo. Spider Woman is a vital deity by the Najavo because it represents a woman teaching other women how to weave on a loom. She represents wisdom and education and symbolizes the ability to weave and create something from one's body, just as a spider weaves its silky web.
If you desire to visit Canyon De Chelly, Click Here. There is no entrance fee or any charge to visit this amazing National Park.
On my return route, I explored the Nazlini Painted Desert, which did not disappoint. As I approached, I envisioned launching the drone to capture a bird's eye view, but apparently, I was too swayed to hop out and start shooting the stunning scene before me. The frosted snow, detained by the shaded creases of rusty red undulating piles of soil, created an eye-dazzling display of nature. I handily captured images with lengthy exhales fogging the wintry air as they rise above me.
Further down the road, I took a slight detour to venture into the small town of Ganado to visit the famed historic Hubbell Trading Post. The Najavos owned this post before they were forced out of the area in 1864 by the U.S. government in an ethnic cleansing. They were forced to walk to Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico, known as "The Long Walk of the Najavo." The post was later purchased in 1878 by John Lorenzo Hubbell and was the prominent center of trading in the Four Corners region. It was eventually purchased by the National Parks System to be preserved as a Historical Park in 1967. Much of the post looks exactly as it did 100+ years ago with the same sandstone structure walls, wooden floor, and vega-built roof.
I was weary when I entered the grounds; I was the only one there.
I made my way to the entrance door, which displayed years of weathering and abuse. Entering, I was elated as it was exactly what I hoped to see, smell, and feel as years of merchandising displayed its storied past. I walked into an offset room and was met by a young Najavo woman with long, sable black hair that shone like corn silk and was accented with hammered silver and turquoise jewelry. She was happy to have someone to talk to and led me into a room lined with hundreds of Najavo rugs of all sizes, colors, and patterns, all woven by the native women of the four-corners area.
She explained the symbols and styles, their meaning, and how they relate to the Najavo way of life and beliefs. We strolled over to a loom in a portion of the room; it was stung from top to bottom with lines of pale white yarn. She talked in depth about the features and style of the Spider-Woman and how they have the ability and foresight to weave eccentric patterns straight out of their mind. I was so caught up in her artistic expressions that I wanted to weave something, to sit and feel the cyclical movements of creation. And no... she frowned at the thought of me running the shuttle through the strands of the Spider-Womans web. That would be taboo. Maybe I'll just harvest a deer for dinner.
I was delighted to learn that trading rugs or other handcrafted native art for money or store goods was still common practice at the post. Filled with knowledge, I headed for the exit, and a theme played as I walked across the fatigued 100-year-old wooden tongue-and-groove floor. I could feel the boards slump underfoot with every step, followed by a rhythm of varying melodic squeaks as if playing a woven score to an old Western drama. Making my way outside and across the frozen dirt lot, I hopped into my mud-splattered truck and began my magnetic pull back home.
As I unconsciously hummed down the blacktop, light began to fade, and I became entranced by a surreal sunset that protracted the evening's timeline. It made me reflect and ponder how I was gifted with such an incredible day, continuously illustrated by Mother Nature's enigmatic textures and boundless web of rainbow colors.
Until the next adventure – May your eyes dance and your mind wanderlust; enjoy the journey!