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Afternoon in Navajo Land


Afternoon in Navajo Land
Photo Information
Copyright: fulvio ferraris (fulvio52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 958 W: 75 N: 1558] (5552)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-13
Categories: Nature
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-03 13:23
Viewed: 630
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lake Powell, not visible in this one, is only a short hike away...
Not a whole bunch to say about this shot : it's totally based on the wonderful emptiness of this location.
In the distance : a view of Navajo Mountain under the clouds.

Navajo Mountain (Naatsis'áán, meaning Head of the Earth) straddles the Arizona-Utah border and rises to a height of 10,416 feet. Two trails, each 14 miles long, begin near this mountain and lead to the largest natural arch in the world, Rainbow Bridge (Tsé naní'áhí). Neither trail is maintained and both cross rugged and incomparable scenery.
The rugged nature of the land here and the fact that Navajo Mountain provides a natural shield, allowed a small band of Navajos to find a safe haven here when many of their fellow tribesmen were removed to the Bosque Redondo in 1864.
Rainbow Bridge was discovered by Blind Salt Clansman, of this group, while rounding up horses.
As the Navajo are fortunate enough to realize that the universe around them is filled by the holy, it was natural to interpret this incredible structure as a petrified rainbow. In fact, it is two petrified rainbows, one male and one female, in perfect union. This is only natural since this arch lies very close to the confluence of the San Juan (Tooh, male) and the Colorado (Tóníts'ósíkooh, female) rivers where the Cloud and Rain People were born.
Prior to the construction of the dam, Navajo chanters would make pilgrimages to Rainbow Bridge and the nearby confluence of the San Juan and Colorado rivers, to perform rain dances and leave offerings to the Holy People (diyin diné).


All credits to : http://www.navajomountain.nndes.org/

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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jmcl: Navajo Landfulvio52 1 11-08 06:12
To korbee: Navajo Landfulvio52 1 11-06 06:23
To Greg1949: Navajo Landfulvio52 3 11-04 13:26
To guillaumejm: Navajo Landfulvio52 1 11-03 14:20
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello fulvio,
A great depth. here the sky is really great. But sothething is missing in lower part to catcth the sight.
Best regards
JMarc

Fulvio, well for not having much to say you spoke volumes. That is quite a tale and one certainly intriguing enough to get some motivated to walk these trails. I find it interesting how these ancients and primitives had a sense of the spiritual around them, lived by a code and yet it didn't hinder their existence or drive it to the extremes that some of today's so called peaceful religions are doing.

Great shot, well deserved rewards for making the trek down into this desert. Colors are awesome and Navajo Mountain seems to be so far away that it is almost not there. Wonderful placement o the fg stones, another fine post my friend, great capture.

Greg

it zijn zeldzame momenten in het leven Fulvio...
jan

  • Great 
  • jmcl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2465 W: 141 N: 3477] (12356)
  • [2007-11-07 21:34]
  • [+]

Hi Fulvio,

This is one of those images that I just don't think can be fully appreciated at 800 pixels .. This must be spectacular at a large size ..that cloud is incredible .. and you know I love the vast meditative emptiness .. tremendous.

take care,

John

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