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chapter 3 heritage themes and related resources DEVELOPMENT OF THE events, notes about the current HERITAGE THEMES diversity of cultures found in the watershed, and lists of activities related The seven heritage themes in this to outdoor recreation or local festivals. chapter emerged directly from public Continuing in their small groups, input. During Meeting Two of the participants reviewed all of the items series of four Working Group meetings placed on the maps and devised described in Chapter 1, participants between four and six themes that were divided into small groups and would capture all of the items. Each given large maps of the Little Colorado small group then reported its themes to watershed. They were then asked a the whole group. The whole group then series of four questions designed to worked all of themes suggested by each elicit responses that would describe the smaller group into one set of between heritage of the region. four and six themes. This process took place at five meetings in five different If you had a two-week dream locations across the watershed and vacation in the Little Colorado resulted in a total of 25 heritage themes River watershed, where would you being suggested. Many of the themes go? from a Working Group in one meeting If you had to describe this area to location were virtually the same as someone who had never been here, themes suggested by one or more what would you say? Working Groups in other meeting When friends or family come to locations, thus giving evidence that visit, where do you take them? particular themes indeed identified If “something” were to leave this prevalent, consistent, and over-arching area forever, what would you miss characteristics of the region. The most? Heritage Programs Coordinator reviewed all 25 suggestions and found Participants drew or wrote their seven common themes that united the responses on the maps. In most cases, most frequently suggested themes by the maps were completely covered the Working Groups. Those seven with sites, references to historical unifying themes became the seven Draft: 8 April 2008 Chapter 3: Heritage Themes and Related Resources Page 39 heritage themes described in this were written on large pieces of paper chapter: and participants wrote down the name of the resource (a site, event, Sacred and Enchanted Landscapes organization, business, etc.) and its Trails, Roads, and Rails of the West general location on the paper of the Native Nations particular theme the resource fit. Living from the Land Participants were asked to identify Archaeology resources that related to tourism as Expressions of Art and Life well as those that served local Outdoor Recreation communities, although often a single resource fulfilled both functions. After establishing the seven heritage Often, too, a single resource reflected themes, the next round of Working more than one theme. The related Group meetings focused on identifying resources sections that appear in each resources within the watershed that heritage theme chapter are a direct reflected, interpreted, or embodied one result of data generated during these or more themes. The seven themes Working Group meetings. Draft: 8 April 2008 Chapter 3: Heritage Themes and Related Resources [Theme 2: Trails, Roads, and Rails of the West] Page 55 Theme 2 Trails, Roads, and Rails of the West SUMMARY OF THEME single most influential item to make the journey north from the Mesoamerican The long and varied history of the heartland, aside from the people Little Colorado River Valley has themselves, was corn. First literally left its mark on the landscape. domesticated in Mexico roughly 10,000 Well-worn paths of Native American years ago, corn spread across the North farmers and traders, Spanish explorers, American continent as far as present- Mormon migrants, and Americans day Maine. The Hopi and Zuni from the east can still be seen in the perfected varieties of this plant, and form of rock carvings, wagon ruts, and complimentary farming methods, to fit distinct overland trails. Sometimes, the unique climate of the Little though, the trail cannot be seen because Colorado high desert. a modern travel corridor has been placed directly over the old, adding a Hopi and Zuni are Pueblo Tribes with new layer of history, with the distinct extensive oral histories of where people sign of its times, to a route that has came from and how they came to be stood witness to the passage of many where they currently are. Both Hopi generations. Walking a mile in another and Zuni beliefs tell of three previous person’s—indeed in another culture’s worlds before people emerged into the or another time’s—shoes is easy in the current Fourth World—the place of Little Colorado if one simply knows emergence being at the confluence of where to walk. the Little Colorado and (big) Colorado Rivers. According to some Hopi histories, Spider Grandmother told the DESCRIPTION OF THEME newly-emerged people they must begin migrating four days after their Native Trade and Travel Routes emergence. The purpose of the migration was to teach them about this The pre-Hispanic American Southwest new world. The group was divided was an active, dynamic region with into smaller groups and a mocking bird people traveling near and far to trade, assigned them different directions to to procure special resources such as pursue. Taking further directions from salt or obsidian, to establish productive natural signs such as shooting stars, farmland, and, not unlike the Spanish sun rays, red clouds, and birds flying priests or Mormon settlers to follow, to in formation, the groups continued fulfill religious or spiritual beliefs. their migrations, sometimes criss- Major and minor routes, traveled by crossing each other’s paths at different foot in days before Spanish horses, times, until they all eventually arrived linked people living in the Little at the Hopi Mesas. Masawu, the Colorado River Valley to each other original inhabitant of the Fourth World and to trade and cultural centers and Owner of the Fire, lived at the outside the region. Material items such Mesas but said he was willing to let the as seashells and macaw feathers from people live there in harmony if they present-day Mexico traveled as far lived a proper life. Different clans north as the Hopi Mesas. Perhaps the migrated in different directions and for Draft: 8 April 2008 Chapter 3: Heritage Themes and Related Resources [Theme 2: Trails, Roads, and Rails of the West] Page 56 different lengths of time before arriving Hopi Trail, connects the pueblos of at the Hopi Mesas, and it is difficult to Zuni and Hopi and runs across many say exactly how far or for exactly how of the eastern tributaries of the Little long the migrations occurred. It is quite Colorado. evident, however, that the experience of migration features prominently in Zunis also have extensive oral histories Hopi religion and beliefs and, because regarding the migrations early people of archaeological remains, that much of took before arriving at the Middle the migration did occur in the Little Place, the general region of the present- Colorado River Valley. day Zuni Reservation. One significant event during these migrations took The migrating groups received their place on the Little Colorado River. clan name while on these journeys. For Mothers were crossing the River while example, the Bear Clan received its carrying their children on their backs. name when the group came across a As they crossed, the children bear carcass and paused to reflect on its transformed into water creatures meaning. The group leaders (frogs, lizards, turtles, and so forth), determined that this symbol meant went to the bottom of the river, and they were to be now known as the Bear formed the Council of the Gods. The Clan. Another migrating group came place is known as koluwala:wa and upon the same bear carcass at a later marks a pivotal moment in Zuni pre- time. They cut straps from the hide to history. Zunis continue to make use for carrying heavy loads, and pilgrimages there every four years and subsequently became known as the it is believed that a person’s spirit Strap Clan. Still later, another group travels back to koluwala:wa upon his or came to the place of the bear carcass her death. and saw a bluebird eating its meat and named themselves the Bluebird Clan. Salt is a necessary mineral for human At least four additional clans acquired health and Native Americans would their name from migrating past this travel great distances to obtain it where same bear carcass at different times. it naturally occurred on the landscape. Clans left a record of their routes by Salt, and the journey to get it, was and carving their clan symbol into rock is associated with deep spiritual faces as they traveled. They also carved meaning. Zunis have a specific place in pictorial records of major events or northern Catron County, New Mexico, sometimes the signs they used to known as Zuni Salt Lake, where they determine their routes into rock as have traveled for centuries. There is well. In this way, petroglyphs are a real also a salt cave near the confluence of account of clan history. the Little and main Colorado Rivers that has been an important site to A portion of one Hopi migration trail, Navajos, Hopis, and Paiutes. The trail the Palatkwapi Trail, survives to this leading to the cave follows a canyon day and is designated as a Historic whose name, Salt Trail Canyon, reflects Trail of Arizona by Arizona State the significance of its route. In Navajo Parks. The modern trail connects Walpi belief, the cave is the place where Salt Village on Second Mesa to the city of Woman emerged onto the earth and it Winslow, but in the time of the is also the place where Changing migrations would have extended much Woman, who created the four original farther south.

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