Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/75191
For the next 400 years, Canyon de Chelly was uninhabited, except for the Hopi's who visited and occasionally lived there. Then an Athabascan tribe migrated from western Canada, coming into the area and making Canyon de Chelly their home. They became known as the Navajo. The beautiful rock formations are very meaningful to the Navajo, as are their traditional stories that they teach. Perhaps the most famous is Spider Rock. Carved of water and wind, the 800 foot tall twin spires were once home to a holy person named Spider Woman. She learned to weave from observing the intricate webs a spider, and then she taught the women how to weave. Even today, the art of weaving is an expression of beauty, harmony, and balance- basic principles of the Navajo way of life. Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation and a landmark to be visited along the Diné Biítah Scenic Road. At the famous rock formation which gave the capital it's name, medicine men have sought out the water there to use in their Waterway ceremonies, performed for abundant rain. Believed to be the center of the world, water is collected at the base of the great sandstone eye that looks toward the sky. Window Rock is the backdrop for the Navajo Code Talker Memorial. There were 29 original code talkers, with over 400 altogether. They were instrumental in developing an extremely important and unbreakable military code during WWII. The Navajo Nation Zoological Park and Botanical Garden is also located in Window Rock. It is a "sanctuary for Nature and the Spirit." The animals in the zoo are found in Navajo country, such as black bear, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, bobcats, cougar, elk, skunk, red-tailed hawk, red foxes, and great horned owls. Not only does the zoo implement educational programs, it takes care of injured and orphaned wild animals, as well as helping to foster the use of plants and animals for traditional ceremonies. While in Window Rock, look for the "haystacks" which are boulders that look like wind going through the rocks (Tséta'cheéch'ih). While Window Rock and Canyon de Chelly are two of the most popular destinations on the Diné Biítah "Among the People" scenic road, travelers will come across other must see attractions like St. Michael's Historical Museum, Navajo Nation Museum, and Wheatfield's Lake. The lake is a popular destination for fishing and Feel the Spirit of the Canyon Customized & Group Hikes Havasu Falls • Wet Beaver Creek Canoe on the Colordo River Hike the North to South Rims (928) 699-7801 camping, located at the base of the Chuska Mountains in Chinle. A trip through Navajoland via the Diné Biítah "Among the People" scenic byway evokes a deep appreciation for the land and the people. The underlying tone of the trip is effortless and just as it should be. It creates a peaceful sense of beauty, harmony, and balance. www.grandcanyonhavasupaihikers.com Email: amomentintime4u@msn.com 11