Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Thunderbird Lodge
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Canyon de Chelly National Monument Thunderbird Lodge
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CANYON
DE CHELLY NATIONAL MONUMENT IS
CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM Northeastern
Arizona Monument on Navajo Nation Land Helps
Sustain a Culture as Well as Preserve the Environment CANYON
DE CHELLY NATIONAL MONUMENT, Ariz., July 27, 2007 – A fine example of a
sustainable tourist destination is Canyon de Chelly National Monument in
Northeastern Arizona, where a culture is being preserved. This 83,840-acre tract
of sun-swept land – jointly operated by the National Park Service and the
Navajo Nation – offers visitors a glimpse of a small community of Navajos who
sustain themselves by farming in the canyon, an opportunity to experience and
purchase the intricate artwork of a native culture and the chance to experience
well-preserved dwellings and drawings of people who lived in the region more
than a thousand years ago.
“Although
‘sustainable tourism’ has become a catchword for travel destinations devoted
to preserving the environment – and that intent is certainly one we share –
the traditional definition of this kind of tourism includes a focus on the
integrity of local cultures, personal growth and minimizing the adverse effects
of traditional tourism on the natural environment,” said Mary Jones, owner and
operator of the Thunderbird Lodge, the only authorized concessioner in the park.
“Canyon de Chelly fits this definition quite well.” The
Canyon Canyon
de Chelly (pronounced canyon de shay) features soaring rock walls, Anasazi ruins
and historic sites of both past tragedies and spiritual significance. The
monument sustains a community of some 80 families of Navajos who farm the
fertile valley land and raise animals. Visitors to the canyon can see the
working farms and the traditional Navajo houses – called hogans. These six- or
eight-sided homes face east to greet the morning sun.
The
Anasazi – often called the “Ancient Ones” or ancestral pueblans – lived
in the canyon for more than a thousand years. Their homes were engineered using
timbers and adobe-style bricks. Most of the homes were built into the canyon
walls and faced south to take advantage of the winter sun. Some contained
multiple levels that housed as many as 40 families. The most impressive
structures are large cliff dwellings built in the Pueblo period between 1100 and
1300. The structures are well-preserved, and most visitors leave the canyon with
a true appreciation for the engineering aptitude of the canyon’s early
inhabitants. Seeing
the Canyon With
the exception of one 2½-mile hiking trail, travel in the canyon is permitted
only with a park ranger or authorized Navajo guide. Thunderbird Lodge operates
full- and half-day tours in green six-wheel drive open-air touring vehicles.
Developed and maintained specially for the harsh terrain of the canyon by Navajo
engineers and mechanics, these unusual-looking vehicles provide another example
of sustainability. Rather purchase new vehicles, the staff refurbished and
retrofit Korean War-era troop carriers. Each has been fit with a clear
plexiglass bubble to protect visitors on harsh-weather days. The vehicles run on
propane, a cleaner burning alternative to regular gasoline.
Knowledgeable
Navajo guides from Thunderbird Lodge provide interpretive information about the
canyon’s geology and history and point out the Anasazi ruins as well as
pictographs and petroglyphs left behind by the canyon’s early inhabitants. Thunderbird Lodge Tourism
plays a significant role in the canyon’s present-day economy. Providing the
only accommodations in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Thunderbird Lodge
employs an all-Navajo staff. The gift shop displays one-of-a-kind jewelry, rugs
and artwork created by local artisans. “Discriminating shoppers want authentic
and classic Native American work rather than mass-produced items with a Native
American look, and we try to make sure everything from our rugs to our pots is a
true reflection of the tremendous heritage and talents of the local people,”
said Jones. The
73-room lodge offers a dining room that occupies “recycled” space that was a
trading post at the turn of the 20th century. The trading post emphasized the
protection of the canyon and its artifacts and was the main starting point for
those exploring the canyon. The
Thunderbird Lodge half-day tours are available year-round. These 3 ½-hour tours
take visitors into the lower halves of both Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del
Muerto. Full-day tours are offered during the summer months. Thunderbird Lodge
is open year-round. For reservations, call 1-800-679-2473. For online
information, visit www.tbirdlodge.com. Mesereau Public Relations(1) 303-841-1511 tom_mesereau@msn.com |
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