MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA AND LAKE HAVASUPI

I WORKED AT THE MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA BEFORE GRADUATE SCHOOL. THIS MUSEUM HELD A NUMBER OF EVENTS FOR TOURISTS. I WORKED THERE ONLY ONE MONTH. I WAS COORDINATING SOME OF THEIR SLIDES. THERE EVENTS HAD HOPI AND NAVAJO FOLKS DEMONSTRATING HOW TO WEAVE RUGS, MANY RUGS AND KATCHINAS FOR SALE. THE HOPI DEMONSTRATED HOW TO MAKE THEIR THIN BREAD FROM WATERMELON SEEDS ON STONE SLABS. THIS IS QUITE REMARKABLE TO SEE. IT LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE SEAWEED OR CHINESE WRAPS FOR SEAFOOD.

THE MUSEUM IS A FAMOUS MUSEUM FOR TOURISTS TO THE GRAND CANYON AND THEY HAVE MANY TOURISTS DURING HOLIDAYS. THEY HAVE SOME NICE EXHIBITS OF POTTERY AND RUGS. DURING EVENTS THE NATIVES DEMONSTRATE HOW TO MAKE POTTERY FROM PINCHING THE CLAY AS WELL AS COIL AND SCRAPE, AND CURRUGATED POTTERY - A VERY DISTINCT TYPE OF POTTERY THAT IS DISTINCT TO THE SOUTHWESTERN TRIBES. THEY ALSO HAVE PEOPLE EXHIBIT HOW TO MAKE JEWELRY.

THEY HAVE A VIDEO ABOUT HOW THE NATIVE PEOPLE LIVE IN THEIR RESERVATIONS. THEY HIRE ARCHAEOLOGISTS TO DO SURVEYS AND OCCASSIONAL EXCAVATIONS. THEY DO HAVE A LARGE LIBRARY OF PREVIOUS DIGS AND ANTHROPOLOGY STUDIES. I THINK I REWROTE A REPORT AS WELL. I RODE MY BIKE TO THIS MUSEUM FROM THE HOUSE WE RENTED.

MY HUSBAND AND I HIKED DOWN THE 10 MILE TRAIL TO HAVASUPI CANYON WITH OUR BACKPACKS. WE MET SOME HAVASUPI ON THE TRAIL. IT IS A STEEP HIKE UP TO THE TOP OF HAVASUPI FALLS AND YOU USE A CHAINED ROPE TO CLIMB THERE. THE TOURQUISE WATERS ARE VERY CLEAR. IT IS ONE OF CLEANEST LAKES I'VE SEEN THERE ARE THREE LAKES, THE ONE THAT IS USED TO SWIM IN IS VERY COLD. MANY PEOPLE CAMP IN THIS VALLEY. TWENTY YEARS AGO THEY HAD HELICOPTER FLIGHTS INTO THIS VALLEY. THE INDIANS DO NOT APPRECIATE ALL THIS TRAFFIC TO THEIR PEACEFUL RESERVATION. THEY WANT TO KEEP IT FOR THEMSELVES. IT IS A HARD HIKE UPHILL TO THE TOP OF THE CANYON AND YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN WATER IN AND CARRY IT OUT AS WELL. WE DID NOT SEE MANY ANIMALS, ONLY A FEW HAWKS AND BLUE JAYS AND VULTURES.