Christina Solstad - Spirit of Chaco Blog

Helicopter Lands on Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon

Amazing as it sounds, a helicopter landed on Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon on June 13 - a completely unauthorized act on an important and protected historical site.

In John Sefick's video, Eleanor Bravo interviews G.B. Cornucopia, Chaco ranger, who saw the whole thing, and took photos and video.

I followed up with Chaco staff, and learned that the pilot was under contract with the BLM to fight fires in Wyoming. He was on his way there from Texas.

He says the brief landing on Fajada was because he had to complete a "pinnacle landing."

Fajada is a high butte, but not a pinnacle. Besides, it is a protected site in a national park and World Heritage site! I would expect that anyone would know this is not a place to land a helicopter on a whim, and without authorization.

The pilot is no doubt in deep trouble. 

As G.B. says in the video interview, Chaco law enforcement was able to track him down shortly after the landing. He will be fined for landing without permission, and hopefully will be cited for ARPA (Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979) violation.

G.B. is trying to get him cited on additional penalties. Fajada Butte is the home of the Sun Dagger, an important astronomical site. Even Chaco staff have to jump through hoops to obtain access to Fajada or the Sun Dagger site.

The hope is that irreversible damage has not been done to any of the sites on top of Fajada by this senseless act.

I will keep you posted of any further developments.

Chaco Canyon Makes "10 Great Places" List

 

[Photo taken from north road into Chaco, December 2007, (c) Christina Solstad]

USA Today includes Chaco Canyon as one of their picks for "10 great places to leave the beauty unspoiled."

I have mixed feelings about the inclusion of Chaco:

• I'm thrilled the word is getting out about Chaco and its wonders.
• I'm concerned that visitors will trample the place and it will lose its charm.

The list is compiled by Jonathan Tourtellot, director of the National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations, who says about Chaco, "A long, unpaved access road helps keep this archaeologically rich site untrampled."

Yay for the unpaved road. And yes, let's keep Chaco "untrampled."

Summer Solstice at Chaco Canyon: A Short Film

While at Chaco Canyon for solstice this June, I met Lillian Kelly, a freelance filmmaker in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She prepared a short film, "Summer Solstice at Chaco Canyon," highlighting the Laguna Pueblo dancers, and G.B. Cornucopia discussing Chaco and solstice.

Her material often appears on New Mexico PBS, KNME.

We were both working with the Friends of Native Cultures, headed by Caroline Brown, who brought the Acoma and Laguna Pueblo dancers to Chaco this summer.

She did a great job of distilling some of the essence of the solstice experience, and providing some of G.B.'s expert commentary.

Thanks Lillian!

Here is the text provided with the Chaco solstice video on YouTube:

There are several places in Chaco Canyon that mark the movement of the sun throughout the year. Casa Rinconada, one of the larger kivas in the Chacoan system, is open to the public just before sunrise during the few days of the summer solstice.

During these days, the longest of the year, the sun shines through a window and into a niche. It's controversial whether this marker was intentional on the part of the Chacoan people, who started building the kiva in 1070.

When the kiva was found by an archaeological team in the 1930s, it was rebuilt. The exact size of the window is not known. Also, there are low walls surrounding the window that indicate the window may not have received light at all when the kiva was originally constructed.

Regardless of the intention on the part of the Chacoans, the canyon is a spectacular place to view the sky, both during the day and at night. There's nothing like faring the 16 miles of dirt road from U.S. 550 and getting far, far, far away from the things of modern man.

Originally broadcast on New Mexico PBS station KNME.

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Casa Rinconada, Part 2

Just as the Laguna Eagle dancers finished their beautiful dance at Casa Rinconada, the sun began to appear through the cloud cover. When the bright yellow disk finally broke through the clouds, it was shining directly on the  niche in the western wall of the great kiva denoting the summer solstice marker. Perfect!

Then Kyle Swimmer, age 15, performed the hoop dance once again, next to the northeastern outer walls of Casa Rinconada, with the young drummer. 

Again, a lovely and sacred way to begin the day!

In a future post I'll write about visiting another special site at Chaco (not yet open to the public) with the Laguna Pueblo dancers and family.

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Casa Rinconada, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Pueblo Bonito

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Casa Rinconada, Part 1

After getting to see the Laguna Pueblo's Hoop Dance at Pueblo Bonito on solstice, we had another bonus the next morning. The young dancers came to Casa Rinconada at sunrise and performed both the Hoop dance and the Eagle dance.

I knew it would be a great morning when my breath was taken away by the first brilliant red light below the clouds on the eastern horizon. I had to take a moment to simply absorb its beauty.

I loved seeing all the young kids from Laguna in the early morning light, some dancing, some watching, but all family of one sort or another.

The sun remained absorbed in the morning clouds, so we did not get to see the sun move across the western wall of the great kiva. While we waited, we got to see the first dance.

Two young boys did a beautiful eagle dance for us ... their first time ever together, with Kyle and the drummer singing and playing drums for them. Many firsts for these proud young boys, and we got to witness and enjoy.

 

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Pueblo Bonito

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Laguna Dancers at Pueblo Bonito

After the Acoma Dancers performed their traditional social dances at Pueblo Bonito, we were surprised by the arrival of members of the Laguna Pueblo (west-central New Mexico) and some of their young dancers.

So for those who stayed, we got to see a performance of the traditional Hoop Dance by Kyle Swimmer, 15 years old.  He was accompanied on the drum by a 13-year-old. Amazingly, they had never performed together before.

Here is a closeup of Kyle's costume, which he made himself.

The Hoop Dance is difficult to learn and perform, as the dancer uses a number of reed hoops - from a handful to ~40 or more. Kyle used ~15 hoops for his dances.

The reed hoops are much more difficult to use than the plastic hoops many use these days, since they can break.

He creates images with the hoops - usually various animals - which the audience then guesses (turkey, eagle, earth, sun, even mickey mouse!), and spur him on with applause to create more.  

Can you guess what these hoop "images" represent?

The dancer's feet never stop moving, and he dances for several minutes. Kyle has been dancing since he was quite young - and it shows!

This was a great surprise ending for a great solstice afternoon at Pueblo Bonito.

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 4

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 4

At the end of the Acoma dances (Cyrus Concho and the Acoma Sky City Group Dancers), the two young woman presented the beautiful pots they had been dancing with to G.B. Cornucopia (park ranger extraordinaire) and to Caroline Brown. This was a complete surprise to them, and a great honor.

Caroline is head of Friends of Native Cultures, and, along with G.B., is responsible for bringing the Pueblo people to Chaco over the last several years for summer solstice. I had the pleasure of volunteering with Friends of Native Cultures this year at Chaco to support the Acoma and Laguna pueblo dancers.

Without Friends of Native Cultures and their volunteers, we would not have the experience of this missing piece of Chaco Canyon - its people. Thank you!

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3

The young children always capture my eye and my heart.

The Acoma Dancers (Cyrus Concho and the Acoma Sky City Group Dancers) at Pueblo Bonito included two very young girls and a young boy intently helping Cyrus play the music and sing for the dancers.

The two young girls shown above (and below) carried sacred corn and pottery, and sang and danced in place. Look at the lovely shawl of the girl in pink on the left. Fairy tale characters are favorites of little girls everywhere!

The young boy looked older than his years as he focused on his drumming and singing for the dancers.

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 4

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2

As described in the post, Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1, I always love watching the Pueblo dancers at summer solstice sharing their traditional dances.

Here are more photos of Cyrus and the Acoma dancers (Cyrus Concho and the Acoma Sky City Group Dancers dancers at Pueblo Bonito.

Cyrus Concho (see photo above) was playing the drums and singing for the dancers. His son, also named Cyrus, was one of the dancers.

 

One of the two dances performed was the Buffalo Dance. Photos of the Rainbow dance are in the previous post, Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1.

See the next post (part 3 of 4), Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3, for more photos of the Acoma dancers, including the adorable children.

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 4

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 1

After a glorious sunrise at Casa Rinconada to begin the day (Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Sunrise at Casa Rinconada, Part 1, Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Sunrise at Casa Rinconada, Part 2),  Cyrus and the Acoma dancers (Cyrus Concho and the Acoma Sky City Group Dancers) danced two times (11 am and 3 pm) in the great plaza at Pueblo Bonito.

Seeing the contemporary Pueblo people, descendants of the ancient Chacoans, dance their traditional dances among the magnificent stone buildings built 1,000 years ago, fills me with such awe and gratitude, and a greater sense of what life must have been like here long ago.

Even with temperatures in the mid 90s (fahrenheit), and a blazing sun, we had a good crowd gathered for both the morning and afternoon dances. Again, I had the pleasure of helping to park and direct the visitors, and, hopefully adding to their day. I love to have fun while I'm at it!

The heat, and the heavy costumes worn by the Acoma dancers, kept the dances short. I can't imagine how it must have been for them!

The first dance was the Rainbow Dance. Unfortunately, I saw only the end of the afternoon dance, as I was still parking visitors.

I did see the second dance, the Buffalo Dance (see dancers above, and next post: Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2), both in the morning and afternoon. I love these dances.

Here is the overall view of the dancers and visitors at Pueblo Bonito.

Rainbow Dance (note the beautiful rainbow headdresses and costumes)

 

See the next post, Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2, for more photos of Cyrus and the Buffalo Dance. Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3, has additional photos, including the adorable children.

Related posts:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 2

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 3

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Acoma Dancers, Pueblo Bonito, Part 4