Christina Solstad - Spirit of Chaco Blog

Chaco Winter Solstice Events 2010 (and rare lunar eclipse)

[Photos taken on Chaco Winter Solstice 1998 - (c) Christina A. Solstad]

(my apologies for the odd photo and text formatting ... will be fixing it later, but wanted to get this info to you!)

If you are heading to Chaco for winter solstice, here is what my dear friend and Chaco park interpretive ranger extraordinaire, GB Cornucopia, told me yesterday (Sunday Dec 19). Lunar eclipse info is at the end of this post.

• It is currently cloudy and threatening snow, tho there is no snow there at the moment. It is supposed to be cloudy thru Wednesday, but that can always change!
• With the lunar eclipse and full moon, they will be opening up the observatory Monday at midnite for viewing.
• Casa Rinconada (the great kiva on the south side of the canyon) will be open at sunset Monday (normally the sites are closed between sunset and sunrise) for the moonrise.
• Pueblo Bonito will be open for sunrise Tuesday morning, for viewing of the winter solstice alignment in one of the corner windows.

I was there for winter solstice in 1998, and it snowed that morning, so missed seeing the sun and alignment, but got to see the magic of fresh snow everywhere! I am posting several photos of this amazing sight that few get to see.

 

 

More news:

The Visitor Center, which has been closed since last spring, and is in a wonderful yurt instead, has now been torn down, and they plan to have the new one built by next summer (tho realistically will likely be much later than that).

If you go, be sure to introduce yourself to GB, and say hi to him for me. It is sure to be a wonderful experience no matter what the weather holds. And give Chaco my love as you enjoy its splendor. :-)

Here is some info on the RARE LUNAR ECLIPSE:

The lunar eclipse of Dec. 21st falls on the same date as the northern winter solstice. Is this rare? It is indeed, according to Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory, who inspected a list of eclipses going back 2000 years. "Since Year 1, I can only find one previous instance of an eclipse matching the same calendar date as the solstice, and that is Dec. 21, 1638," says Chester. "Fortunately we won't have to wait 372 years for the next one...that will be on Dec. 21, 2094."

http://spaceweather.com/

Chaco Winter Solstice: Clear and Cold

Photo: G.B. Cornucopia, Winter Solstice 2004, Pueblo Bonito

Happy Winter Solstice! 

This is the day when the sun appears to stands still (the literal meaning), rising and setting in the same place for several days around this date. The sun's arc is also at its lowest, giving us the least amount of light and warmth. 

This also marks the return to longer days, and more light and warmth from the sun, as the sun's arc in the sky increases.

Since I could not be there in person, I spoke to G.B. Cornucopia, park ranger extraordinaire, and dear friend. The photo is one G.B. sent me from a previous year.

This morning at Chaco was clear and cold (minus 0 degrees Fahrenheit), with 43 hardy souls showing up at Pueblo Bonito before sunrise. They got to watch the sun's beam of light shine through a high corner doorway, and onto the wall. This is the only time it looks like this. 

See how the sunlight in the photo marks a nice square shape on the wall? 

The changing size and shape of the resulting light on the stone wall would have allowed the ancient Chacoans to mark important events, such as the return to longer days. 

Don't you think you would have wanted to mark and celebrate the return of more sunlight! 

I have yet to see this with my own eyes. One day I will! 

I was there one year for solstice, but it snowed, so we could not see the sun. Instead, I experienced another kind of magic. That will be another post!

Are you one of the hardy souls who has had the privilege of seeing this in person? Do comment below and tell us your experience!

Summer Solstice 2009, Chaco Canyon - Pueblo Dancers

Summer solstice is a magical time at Chaco Canyon. I have attended for the past few years, because it is such a joy. I have even found ways to endure the summer desert heat.

I love participating with other Chaco-lovers, and connecting with the Pueblo groups who come to dance in the canyon during this sacred time.

Because I was unable to attend this year, I cannot bring you my own photos or video. Instead, see John Sefick's video (above) showing the Pueblo Dancers in the great plaza at Pueblo Bonito. 

This year an Acoma Pueblo group danced, as did a Laguna Pueblo group. Both also danced in 2008, though I believe they were different groups and/or participants.

Do check out John Sefick on YouTube, as he has many Chaco videos. I will be sharing them with you on this blog from time to time.

See my related posts on Solstice 2008, including the Acoma and Laguna dancers:

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Sunrise at Casa Rinconada, Part 1

Chaco Canyon Solstice 2008: Sunrise at Casa Rinconada, Part 2

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: Laguna Dancers at Pueblo Bonito

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

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

Chaco's Gallo Campground Closes for Repairs

 

Above: Zuni dancers at Pueblo Bonito, Solstice 2007

Below: Solstice sunrise at Casa Rinconada, June 2008

 

Above: Summer camping in Gallo Campground, Chaco Canyon

If you are heading to Chaco for summer solstice, you’ll need to make alternate camping plans. The Gallo campground closes beginning June 15 for about 3 weeks (or more) for repairs to the septic system.

Why now, you ask? Solstice is when many of us head to Chaco for our Chaco fix, and many newbies discover the park. The campground is always full.

I agree - solstice seems a crazy time to do this - but who knows what factors are at play here. It has needed to be fixed for about a year and a half, and the campground has been at less than capacity all that time.

So I’ve included a link to download a pdf of some alternatives for camping, as provided on the park web site - the same ones listed (more or less) for anytime when the campground is full.

Here are the camping options near Chaco Canyon.

You’ll be driving further once you leave the park to cook dinner and get some sleep. And it will take more planning, since you can’t just quickly head back to your campsite to grab some lunch or some forgotten gear. And then there are the 10 to 20 miles of dirt road to drive, whether you come in from the south or the north.

Think of it as an added bonus for your Chaco adventure. You know Chaco is always an adventure, don’t you?

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