Canyon De Chelly

My desire to know Canyon De Chelly (pronounced: de shay) began more than 30 years ago when my best friend, at the time, Dennis Hamm, worked there as a National Park ranger. His stories of the place filled me with such a sense of wonder.

Three days ago I saw the Canyon for myself, and it was even more than I had imagined for all of these decades. At each, and every turn, I stood in complete awe of the landscape that surrounded me; and I could feel its sacredness fill me.

White House Overlook in Canyon De Chelly National Monument.

It was easy to imagine this canyon centuries earlier, when the Navajo roamed it freely; as the canyon itself has not changed. One is taken even further back in time as one gazes upon the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi; know as “White House."

As I drove through the National Monument I was surprised - in a pleasing way, that the Navajo people still live upon this land. Dotted throughout the area are houses. I would like to ask one of them how it feels to be living on this land of their ancestors, and to see its beauty, and sacredness still intact.
I will return to Canyon De Chelly, tomorrow, to explore it in much more depth. When I was here, the other day, I was limited because I had not yet acclimated to the altitude. But this will be one of many trips to this Canyon, and hopefully to this entire region of the Navajo people: Dine’, as they refer to themselves; which translates to “the people”.

_David