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Canyon De Chelly: Enduring Traditions and Modern Challenges

Program Number: 1053RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/5/2013 - 5/10/2013; 9/15/2013 - 9/20/2013; 10/13/2013 - 10/18/2013; 3/16/2014 - 3/21/2014; 4/13/2014 - 4/18/2014; 5/4/2014 - 5/9/2014;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Canyon de Chelly, Arizona
Price starting at: $798.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: National Parks; Native American Studies Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 14; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Spider Rock, Canyon del Muerto, Massacre Cave — place names invoking the spirit, history and mystery defining Canyon de Chelly. Against a backdrop of ancient ruins and beautiful canyon walls, the Navajo raise sheep, farm and live in traditional hogans, many without running water or electricity. Join Navajo speakers in discussions of their culture and the challenges of living on the Reservation.




Highlights

• Hear about the Navajo’s Long Walk of 1864, Kit Carson’s role and the return of the Navajo to their sacred lands.
• Learn about Canyon de Chelly’s geology and ancient Puebloan inhabitants on field trips to both the North and South canyon rims and on a 4x4 adventure into the Canyon's depths.
• Enjoy native arts demonstrations; learn how to recognize authenticity in Navajo jewelry.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one-quarter mile, longer optional hikes available. Elevations up to 7,200 feet.



Enjoy a three-night version of this program, “Canyon De Chelly: Enduring Tradition and Modern Challenges" (#4022).



Coordinated by Northern Arizona University.




Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly’s isolation and geology offer a sense of the elemental and serene. Canyon walls rise to 1,000 feet above the flat canyon floor, protecting it from easy discovery and harsh weather, while the preserved ruins of the Puebloan peoples who began building here 900 years ago underscore 20 centuries of near-continuous human habitation.
Accommodations
Hotel adjacent to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Richard Stephens
Rich has been director of Northern Arizona University’s highly popular Road Scholar programs since 2001. He previously spent many years in the field as a program coordinator and group leader, where he honed his skills and learned the importance of detailed, pre-trip planning. Before making his home in Arizona’s spectacular red-rock country, Rich spent 10 years in Yosemite National Park and the Santa Cruz mountains as an environmental educator.
 
Azalia Lewis
Azalia Lewis is descended from the Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna tribes. Currently residing near the mouth of Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Azalia is Kin'ya'aani, (towering house clan), Kis'anni, (born for Hopi), Maii' deeshgizhnii, (born into coyote pass clan), and Too' lanii dinee', (born into Laguna). She attended school in Chinle and is pursuing a career in the art of jewelry making. Azalia looks forward to meeting new people and sharing the beauty of her multicultural background.
 
Wilma Hunter
Wilma Hunter has been a demonstrator, program coordinator and teacher in the Canyon de Chelly region since 2000. She is a registered Navajo expert with the National Park Service in Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Wilma crafts jewelry which has been shown at the Santa Fe Market and other world-class Native American art shows throughout the country. She lives in Canyon de Chelly.
 
Keith Lyons
Keith Lyons is an archaeologist who specializes in North American archaeology, historic and prehistoric architecture, site preservation, cultural landscapes, human osteology, and museum management. He has spent the past 16 years working as a professional archaeologist throughout the Southwest, and has worked with the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, and several private archeological firms. Currently, Keith works as an archaeologist at Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
 
William Yazzie
William Yazzie is a Navajo from Canyon de Chelly. Arizona, who grew up in both traditional Navajo and modern ways. He has spent the last 24 years working for the National Park Service — specializing in law enforcement — in Mesa Verde National Park, Bandelier National Monument and at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. William learned singing and drumming from his late father, and loves sharing the gift of Navajo music and dance with people of all nations.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
  Canyon de Chelly, AZ 5 nights
 Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Type: Motel
  Description: Located on the high desert of the Colorado Plateau, the Holiday Inn Chinle stands at the entrance to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The canyon is the second largest in the USA. In huge hollows at the base of the canyon's vertical walls, ancient cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people stand well preserved since their construction more than 10 centuries ago. Petroglyphs both in and near the ruins clearly depict events of the canyon's early inhabitants. The remote location deep within the Navajo Nation removes it from the impact of the modern world and retains the canyon's sense of timelessness.
  Contact info: Indian Rt 7
Chinle, AZ 86503 USA
phone: 928-674-5000
web: www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/chinle/chnaz/hoteldetail
  Room amenities: AC, coffee/tea makers, remote control cable TV. Free high speed internet access in rooms; bring your own laptop. Limited cell phone service available in Chinle / Canyon de Chelly. No in-room refrigerators - one refrigerator available at the desk.
  Facility amenities: 108 guest rooms. Full service restaurant featuring authentic American Indian cuisine and traditional American fare. Room service available. Gift shop with authentic Native American art and jewelry. Fax service. Seasonal outdoor swimming pool. Guest laundromat. Limited cell phone service available in Canyon de Chelly / Chinle.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Seasonal. Call the Holiday Inn Chinle directly for the rates in effect during your stay.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Seasonal. Call the Holiday Inn Chinle directly for the rates in effect during your stay.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Hotel lobby, 4:30 - 5:15 PM, on site registration. You will be staying at Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends in time for 11:00 AM checkout. You will be staying at Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Free parking is available on hotel premises.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Canyon de Chelly, AZ
  Nearest city or town:  Albuquerque, 225 mi E, Phoenix 350 mi S
  Nearest highway: Indian Hwy 7, US 191
  Nearest airport:  Albuquerque
  From End of Program
  Location: Canyon de Chelly, AZ
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Canyon de Chelly - Chinle, AZ/Phoenix, AZ

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

None - Car Required

 

Travel Time:

 

5 hours and 8 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

303 miles
   

Since there is no commercial shuttle service available, one must rent a car or carpool with others in order to reach Canyon de Chelly and Chinle, AZ. A possible place to find and communicate with other participants who may wish to carpool is on the Road Scholar Social Network. All roads to Chinle are paved and maintained.
 

Canyon de Chelly - Chinle, AZ/Albuquerque, NM

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

None - Car Required

 

Travel Time:

 

Driving time is approximately 3 hours 45 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

235 miles
   

Since there is no commercial shuttle service available, one must rent a car or carpool with others in order to reach Canyon de Chelly and Chinle, AZ. A possible place to find other participants who may wish to carpool is on the Road Scholar Social Network. All roads to Chinle are paved and maintained. Participants who do not want to drive but want to visit Canyon de Chelly may consider program 4541 (beginning and ending in Flagstaff, AZ) or 13157 (beginning and ending in Albuquerque, NM).
 
Driving Directions
  Canyon de Chelly from Albuquerque and I-40 westbound From Albuquerque take I 40 west to Gallup, NM. In Gallup, take the US 491 exit. Turn north onto US 491. Continue north on US 491 for 6 miles to junction with NM 264 westbound. Stay on NM 264 for 16 miles, crossing into Arizona, where it becomes AZ 264. Continue for 35 miles to the traffic circle junction with US 191, about 5 miles west of Ganado. Take US 191 north at the traffic circle and stay on it for 30 miles to Chinle, Arizona. Turn right onto Main Street and continue for 2.7 miles to the Holiday Inn just prior to the entrance to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
  Canyon de Chelly from Phoenix, AZ, Via Flagstaff and I-40 Eastbound Travel north on I-17 for 144 miles to Flagstaff. Merge east onto I-40 and go 147 miles to Chambers, AZ. Go north on US 191 for 74 miles to Indian Route 7. Drive east for 2 miles to the Holiday Inn, which is on the left, just before to the entrance to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Travel time is approximately 5.5 hours. Via Payson, AZ to I-40 and US 191 Chinle may also be reached by traveling AZ Hwy 87 to 260 to 377 to Interstate 40 and to US 191 N to Chinle (passing through Ganado, AZ) to Indian Route 7. Travel time via this route is approximately 5 hours and 8 minutes. It is recommended that participants consult online map programs such as googlemaps.com, GPS, or paper maps prior to beginning the drive to Chinle.
Elevation Note: 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Those with heart/lung conditions should check with their physician before.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrival & Registration/Introductions & Orientation
(Sunday, May 5)
   
 Afternoon: On-site registration from 4:30 - 5:15 PM.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. Dinner will include a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.
 Evening: Following dinner, hear about program activities and presentations during orientation. Participant introductions to follow.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Canyon de Chelly National Monument: Canyon's South Rim to Spider Rock/The Archaeology of Canyon de Chelly/Navajo Clan System and Ceremonies
(Monday, May 6)

Note: South Rim tour makes numerous stops to go to viewpoints up to 1/4 mile away. Trails can be uneven and rocky.



   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.
 Morning: Welcome to Chinle and the Navajo Nation. Visit the Canyon de Chelly National Monument Visitor Center’s excellent exhibits. Then take the guided tour of the canyon's South Rim with stops at overlooks including Spider Rock, a formation which has great symbolism in Navajo cosmology. Hear about the pre-history and life ways of the people who inhabited the Four Corners and Canyon de Chelly region.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch at Garcia's Restaurant inside the Holiday Inn.
 Afternoon: Hear about recent archaeological discoveries and current excavation techniques in Canyon de Chelly with archaeologists from the National Park Service. Echoes of the past exist all around the region and now is the time to hear from an expert about their known origin.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant.
 Evening: Enjoy a presentation on Navajo clanship and ceremonies. The clanship system provides the fabric for life on the reservation giving cultural instruction from birth to death on matters of significance. Discuss a few of the ceremonies of most importance and how transformational periods of one's life are addressed within the family and clan.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Canyon de Chelly National Monument: Canyon's North Rim and Canyon del Muerto/Long Walk and Code Talkers
(Tuesday, May 7)

Note: North Rim tour makes numerous stops to go to viewpoints up to 1/4 mile away. Trails can be uneven and rocky.



   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Board the bus for the morning tour of Canyon de Chelly's starkly beautiful and less-visited North Rim. The viewpoints afford many views into Canyon del Muerto. As we climb up in elevation the landscape changes and the views spread out before us in all miles. A Navajo guide will be with us to interpret this amazing landscape.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch at Garcia's Restaurant inside the Holiday Inn.
 Afternoon: In 1864, in an attempted deportation and ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the U.S. Government, Navajos were forced to walk at gunpoint from their reservation in what is now Arizona to eastern New Mexico. Listen to a presentation on this "Long Walk" to Bosque Redondo, the role of Kit Carson, the US governments scorched earth policy, and finally the subsequent reestablishment of the Navajo on their traditional lands. Our second presentation of the morning will discuss the Navajo Code talkers. Enjoy a video and engage in a discussion about their pivotal role to the war efforts during WWII in the Pacific Theatre.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant.
 Evening: Free evening.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Navajo Craft Demonstrations/Free Afternoon
(Wednesday, May 8)
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: This morning will will enjoy two craft demonstrations. We start with a presentation on traditional Navajo weaving. Watch a Navajo weaver as she explains the process to create a Navajo rug. Learn how family "patterns" are passed from generation to generation and the meaning of the intricate designs. Our second demonstration will be on Navajo pottery making. From historical uses as every day essentials for life to today's artistic masterpieces, learn what goes into the process.
 Lunch: Enjoy a buffet lunch at the Chinle Holiday Inn's "Garcia's Restaurant".
 Afternoon: A free afternoon is yours to explore Chinle and the surrounding area including Ganado/Hubbell Trading Post, Monument Valley or Hopi Reservation. Or take a hike on your own into Canyon de Chelly down through the beautifully sculpted de Chelly sandstone to the White House Ruin in the Canyon bottom. For those without cars, a private guide can be hired to go to off the beaten path locations within the Canyon.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant.
 Evening: Hear a presentation on consumer tips for buyers of native crafted jewelry and see a silver smithing demonstration. For many people on the reservation jewelry making is their principal source of income and a great outlet to express their tribal pride.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Canyon Rock Art/Explore Canyon de Chelly by 4-WD/Navajo Entertainment
(Thursday, May 9)

Note: The jeep trip into Canyon de Chelly is aboard a large 4-wheel drive passenger truck. In good weather it is open and in inclement weather they can have a cover up. The road is dirt throughout and bumpy at times. There are many small river crossings to navigate. Particpants will get out for short walks to attractions through sandy terrain.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: During out explorations of Canyon de Chelly you have come acquainted with numerous panels of 1000 year old rock art, or "petroglyphs". Hear from an expert from the National Park Service on this fascinating means of expression.
 Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Navajo lunch buffet at the hotel restaurant. Navajo Tacos, Posole (hominy) soup, steamed vegetables, blue corn mush, and vegetable soup and more will be offered.
 Afternoon: After lunch, we take a 4-wheel drive "jeep" trip into Canyon de Chelly with certified Navajo guides. Travel into the canyon on this afternoon's tour of Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto's ruins, streaked sandstone cliffs and sinuous canyons, petroglyphs and stunning scenery. A rest stop will be provided half way through our journey where restrooms, refreshments and native jewelry vendors will be available.
 Dinner: Hotel restaurant.
 Evening: An evening of Navajo entertainment and farewells. Your performer, William Yazzie, has been delighting Road Scholar participants for many many years and loves to share his passion for Navajo music, culture, and dance.
   
Accommodations: Canyon de Chelly / Chinle Holiday Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Modern Challenges of the Navajo//Final Farewells
(Friday, May 10)
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Enjoy a discussion on the inherent challenges of living on the reservation. Learn about some of the common and not so common issues facing the Navajo and current efforts to confront them. Final "Q and A" with your program coordinator before final farewells.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Canyon de Chelly, AZ General Overview
Points of Interest in or within two hours of Canyon de Chelly : Anasazi Museum, Cortez, CO; Hopi Cultural Center; Mesa Verde Natl Park, CO; Chaco Canyon Natl Monument; Monument Valley Natl Monument, AZ; Dineh College, Tsaile, AZ; Navajo Natl Mnmt, AZ, Four Corners Natl Mon; Petrified Forest /Painted Desert Natl Mon, AZ; Hubbell Trading Post, AZ; Shiprock, NM Navajo Nation Tribal HQ, Window Rock, AZ.
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Dine Bahane: The Navajo Creation Story


Author: Zolbrod, Paul G


Description: This is the most complete version of the Navajo creation story to appear in English since Washington Matthews' Navajo Legends of 1847. Zolbrod's new translation renders the power and delicacy of the oral storytelling performance on the page through a poetic idiom appropriate to the Navajo oral tradition. Zolbrod's book offers the general reader a vivid introduction to Navajo culture. For students of literature this book proposes a new way of looking at our literary heritage.



Diné: A History of the Navajos


Author: Iverson, Peter; Roessel, Monty


Description: This comprehensive narrative traces the history of the Navajos from their origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on extensive archival research, traditional accounts, interviews, historic and contemporary photographs, and firsthand observation, it provides a detailed, up-to-date portrait of the Diné past and present that will be essential for scholars, students, and interested general readers, both Navajo and non-Navajo.



Native Roads : The Complete Motoring Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Nations


Author: Kosik, Frank


Description: Using the mile markers of the US, Arizona, and Navajo highways and routes running through the Navajo and Hopi nations as her organizing principle, the author offers a travel guide to the sites found in the area. Natural, historical, and cultural points of interest are covered, along with some information on lodging and services. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR 304pp



People of Chaco: A Canyon and Its Culture


Author: Frazier, Kendrick


Description: "[W]ritten in the best tradition of the science writer and the mystery writer. . . . [A] breathtaking piece of work."—Jake Page, Washington Times Library Journal The intermittent Chaco Wash has cut a broad canyon through northwestern New Mexico. Its natural beauty is surpassed only by the many prehistoric ruins it contains, which were built by the Chacoan Anasazi, the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians. About 1000 years ago, the Chacoans constructed multistory residences, established an extensive road system, exercised cultural hegemony over a large region in the southwestern United States, and then suddenly left. Frazier skillfully recounts the fascinating story of Chaco Canyon. He describes its discovery and exploration, its role in the development of American archaeology, and the clues it contains about a unique cultural system. This thorough, balanced, and engrossing work is a delight for all students of the prehistoric Southwest. Gordon C. Tucker, Jr., Nickens and Assocs., Montrose, Col. 261pp



Roadside Geology of Arizona


Author: Chronic, Halka


Description: The 18th printing of this book in the Roadside Geology Series offers a mini-course in geology, focusing on what can be seen from Arizona highways. Although written especially for those with little or no geologic training, there's plenty here for the professional geologist as well--a great introduction to Arizona and its past. Geologic terms are defined where first used and again in the glossary. Inside the front cover is a legend to geological symbols and abbreviations commonly used by geologists. 321pp



Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers


Author: Kawano, Kenji


Description: The American offensive in the Pacific during World War II [was] hampered by the Japanese ability to crack the most secret U.S. Codes. Navajo was virtually unknown outside the reservations, ... and [their] code proved uncrackable. Kenji Kawano's striking photographs capture the quiet dignity of the surviving veterans as they recall their actions --Los Angeles Times 128 pp





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