GANADO, ARIZONA - NAVAJO NATION



My wife's friend James lived up in the rolling hills surrounding Ganado, about an hour south of Chinle. They had just set up a tipi that morning for a birthday celebration for Jame's wife, Mary.



Tipi ceremonies did not originate with the Navajo, but have been adopted by those who are members of The Native American Church.The Native American Church was founded in the late 1800s by a half-native guy named Quannah Parker. I believe Parker's inspiration was an effort to unify the beliefs of all of the American tribes as they were being forcibly mixed together on reservations in the decades following the Trail of Tears. Parker mixed the Peyotism traditions of the Texas tribes, which go way way back to pre-Columbian times, with the tipi ceremonies of the Oklahoma plains indians. It has been spreading ever since, with each tribe incorporating aspects from their own traditions along the way.

Peyote inspired beadwork



We had a great time hanging out at James' ranch. We were welcomed with open arms by everybody, and I think we both felt very privileged to be there.















It's not every summer vacation where you get a truly humbling experience mixed in with your rest and recreation. That is something that I've really come to value in recent years - learning from others, and hopefully gaining a healthy perspective on my own life and the things I should be grateful for. I can't thank James and his family enough for letting us in to their lives and allowing us to breathe in another side of the American Experience. I know I'll carry it with me forever.

The end.