We also saw old friends, Rich and Lisa Atkinson. It rained the whole time so the GEM show was out. Then from Tucson we headed north again.
Next, I need to confess to a mistake (this will surprise my dear husband) but I first entitled this blog posting as "The Pueblos." He corrected me that these were not pueblos but villages set on the very edge of mesas.
OK, so they are villages...very old Hopi villages of great renown.
But before I tell you about that, let me update you on where we are for just a minute or two.
We are camped at Meteor Crater RV park. It is a nice park out in the middle of nowhere, between Flagstaff and Winslow, Arizona. Down the road a few miles is the Meteor Crater.
.jpg)
It is now privately owned land complete with a rather high dollar entrance fee. (We didn't have the time to go and were rather turned off by the entrance fee.)
It is considered by some to be 40,000 years old where a huge meteor once smacked into the earth, but who really knows? They have found many fragments of meteor material around the crater.
It is considered by some to be 40,000 years old where a huge meteor once smacked into the earth, but who really knows? They have found many fragments of meteor material around the crater.
Leaving Flagstaff for the RV park, we saw the San Francisco Peaks...
Then lots of nothing....worse than West Texas!
And then here and there interesting hill formations came into view.
On the day that we visited the mesas, we first visited the Hopi Cultural Center.
There were a lot of interesting exhibits here although the Museum was obviously very underfunded. Nothing like the high tech museums we saw in Phoenix and Tucson.
...Including some very old pots.
There was also basketry, one of the things that the Hopi people are known for...
...They also do beautiful silver work...
I loved the silver ware. I have never seen that done before. Usually it is just jewelry, silver and turquoise. This was very detailed designs on the handles of the spoons and forks.
There are three mesas in the region where the ancient Hopi lived, First, Second and Third Mesa.
We first arrived at First Mesa. This is an ancient village at the top of a high mesa. We could drive up but could not take any pictures, which was disappointing.
There are three mesas in the region where the ancient Hopi lived, First, Second and Third Mesa.
We first arrived at First Mesa. This is an ancient village at the top of a high mesa. We could drive up but could not take any pictures, which was disappointing.
This is a picture of a model of the village of Walpi on First Mesa that was on display in the Museum.
We took this picture from down below the mesa. It was as close as we could get with the camera.
Don was interested in possibly buying some pottery from the actual potters. The tiny little homes sometimes have signs in the windows indicating that they sell Hopi crafts so we would knock on the doors.
This was an interesting experience because we went inside the tiny homes and met the people who made the crafts. They tend to be camera shy so we didn't get any pictures of them.
The first one was a very small lady, probably in her 80's. She was a potter and had just a few small pots and very inexpensive. After you spend time in their homes and talking to them, you sort of feel obligated to buy something. Especially from this lady.
She pointed out to us a painting of her mother, now deceased. She looked very much like her. Her pots were small and not the best work, but definitely acceptable.
.JPG)
We paid $5 for this little pot. You can't pass that up.
The lady in the next house made this one...
She pointed out to us a painting of her mother, now deceased. She looked very much like her. Her pots were small and not the best work, but definitely acceptable.
The lady in the next house made this one...
...It was only $10.
Then we got to the really good potters who had somewhat higher prices, but still really good. So much less than what we would pay in galleries. These potters live in a village down below the top of the mesa.
This was a beautifully done pot, a bit more money, but a great pot.
When we were at the Arizona Indian Festival in Scottsdale, we met this potter, Darlene James. A highly recognized 5th generation Tewa-Hopi potter.
We found her again at the village below First Mesa where she lives. She showed us where she fires her pots in her back yard...
.JPG)
...the sheep manure that she uses in the firing process...she thought it was pretty funny that I wanted a picture of sheep manure...
Then there was this...
...a very large, exquisitely crafted pot she had made. It was amazingly beautiful. She said $5000. We both gulped and lusted after it but walked away...fast!
We took home this small, carved one that she had made. I'll just keep the picture of the big pot.
Down the road a way was Second Mesa.
We saw it from the road leading up the hill to the village.
At this point the road seemed to lead to nothing but air. I had to wonder about traveling this in snow and ice.
One of the sad things about all the Indian villages we saw on the reservations is that they are incredibly poor.
Even though people have lived on the mesas for many centuries, they still live in really tiny, homes in need of serious repair, usually with lots of trash all around them. Now that I don't understand.
I got this picture driving through before we saw the "No Pictures" sign.
Down below the mesas they often live in trailer houses, again often with lots of trash surrounding them.
On the road heading down from the mesa we could see across the desert for many miles.
Around one curve were these two large monoliths. At their base was a native cemetery. You can see the rock mounds scattered about. Again the view went on forever.
Third Mesa is much further up the road. The village is called Old Oraibi.
This is our view when leaving the village since we couldn't photograph in the village.
While there we drove around the tiny village. Many rock homes were falling down, others were being lived in.
We were once again invited into their homes. Most carved, and sold painted ceremonial dolls called Kachinas along with some silver work.
One older man showed us the Kachinas he was working on and a book with beautiful drawings he had done of the different Kachinas he had made. His art work was absolutely amazing.
He also told us that he had several tumors and although he had had surgery (removed one eye among other things) they don't know if his cancer will come back or not. In spite of this, he was very cordial and friendly.
The village was preparing for the Bean Celebration next week and they kept telling us they were very busy getting ready for it.
We ran into one other man who told us next time we visit that he would give us a tour of the village as he knows a lot of the history of both the Hopi and his village.
We have heard one should not look the Indians in the eye, as they consider it an affront, however we found both the Hopi and the Navajo people to be very friendly, often reaching out to shake our hands and greeting us just in passing.
Driving back to the RV there were lots of miles of flat land and occasionally beautiful red bluffs which brightened up the scenery.
.JPG)
Next posting, Rock Art Ranch.
Then we got to the really good potters who had somewhat higher prices, but still really good. So much less than what we would pay in galleries. These potters live in a village down below the top of the mesa.
When we were at the Arizona Indian Festival in Scottsdale, we met this potter, Darlene James. A highly recognized 5th generation Tewa-Hopi potter.
We found her again at the village below First Mesa where she lives. She showed us where she fires her pots in her back yard...
Then there was this...
Down the road a way was Second Mesa.
Even though people have lived on the mesas for many centuries, they still live in really tiny, homes in need of serious repair, usually with lots of trash all around them. Now that I don't understand.
Down below the mesas they often live in trailer houses, again often with lots of trash surrounding them.
Third Mesa is much further up the road. The village is called Old Oraibi.
While there we drove around the tiny village. Many rock homes were falling down, others were being lived in.
We were once again invited into their homes. Most carved, and sold painted ceremonial dolls called Kachinas along with some silver work.
One older man showed us the Kachinas he was working on and a book with beautiful drawings he had done of the different Kachinas he had made. His art work was absolutely amazing.
He also told us that he had several tumors and although he had had surgery (removed one eye among other things) they don't know if his cancer will come back or not. In spite of this, he was very cordial and friendly.
The village was preparing for the Bean Celebration next week and they kept telling us they were very busy getting ready for it.
We ran into one other man who told us next time we visit that he would give us a tour of the village as he knows a lot of the history of both the Hopi and his village.
We have heard one should not look the Indians in the eye, as they consider it an affront, however we found both the Hopi and the Navajo people to be very friendly, often reaching out to shake our hands and greeting us just in passing.
No comments:
Post a Comment