6/26/10, though writing mainly about 6/25/10, when I didn't write at all.

yesterday we crossed the Navajo Nation. in the morning we went to the window rock and my daddy gave me cash to buy a ring from the nice native american gentleman selling things. it's got the bear paw symbol on it with some fake turquoise stuck in the middle. symbolizes strength and protection, though I got it because my last name's Bea(oeh)r. forty some years ago when my dad was down here, he spoke to an old Navajo about the original four clans. one is the Bear clan. the man said that even though it was spelled differently (and it means something different, too,) my dad was of the Bear clan. so I wear it proudly.

I was feeling stressed and my parents said they didn't mind if I bought a pack of cigarettes so I did. I know they'll be too expensive in new zealand, so I should really be done with smoking, but, well, who is ever done with smoking? I've only had two since I bought the pack.

in the middle of this chunk of the Navajo Nation is Hopi land. in the middle of that is Oraibi atop the First Mesa. it is the oldest continually inhabited settlement in north america. the people there do not follow federal or Hopi laws. they don't have running water. some of them have solar panels but most don't have electricity. there are signs saying not to leave the roads, not to pick things up from the ground, not to take photographs or video or sketch, and NOT to go to the church. the church, a Hopi woman told us, was built by a German Mennonite who took photos of the people and place against their wishes and tried to convert the Hopi. eventually they got him to leave and the church was struck by lightening, twice. they leave its ruins as a reminder to outsiders that they have no business bringing their religion. I didn't mention to the woman that our ancestors are German Mennonites.

the Hopi are the ones that believe that being photographed could mean losing your soul. though the Navajo do not believe that, it is impolite to photograph a Navajo without asking permission first. when they first were introduced to cameras, they called them Black Box with the Evil Eye.
as a Photographer.... I think about this.

on the reservations people live in what looks like poverty. houses we would consider unfit. it will be interesting to see how new zealand treats their indigenous peoples in comparison. from what I know, the Maori have it much better.

after crossing the Nation, we got to the Grand Canyon. needless to say, it was incredible, breathtaking, etc. but looking at it from the rim doesn't seem like enough to me. I want to hike down and camp in there. sometime, that'll happen.

we opted to stay for sunset instead of finding a place to camp, so we stayed in a motel someplace south of the canyon. the internet there was iffy and I eventually gave up on it.


today, we drove to the hoover dam, then to our hotel outside of Vegas. I've never been to Vegas before.
if only I had money to gamble.