Bryce Canyon National Park Where the Song Comes From, Where the Prayer Comes From -

After my strenuous dip into Utah’s national parks, starting at Zion, Bryce Canyon National Park was very “user friendly.” You can drive and park to all of the gorgeous viewpoints–offering the best perspective in which to view its prominent features: 14 amphitheaters of hoodoo action, layers of time-worn rock–some gracing us with their presence for nearly 2 billion years. Yes, two Billion. So odd to look upon this ancient beauty and have perfect cell phone service.

Named after Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, Bryce Canyon National Park dates back to before before that guy came along. Like Cedar Breaks, bands of the Southern Paiute, who used the resources around the canyon for survival, claim this land part of their aboriginal territory. Other sovereign nations hold this land in high regard as well–including The Hopi Tribe, who referred to Bryce Canyon as “sikyatutukwi” or the place of the yellow peaks,; the Zuni tribe, who hold the land here sacred as it is part of their homeland and allowed them survival; the roaming Ute tribe, who sought the area’s rich food resources; and The Navajo, who refer to Bryce Canyon, featured in their ceremonial and oral histories, as “Bios ta chi bi kool.”

These nations continue their customs on their traditional land, including ceremonial cycles, dances and passing on the oral histories of their ancestors–tied sacredly to this land, its animals and plants, all of whom have a spirit that would shine favorably on you if you respected and honored them. It’s symbiosis, a balanced way of living that I have long admired as it seemed free from the greed, entitlement, exploitation and aggressive dominance–the mindset of Manifest Destiny. [I miss teaching Social Studies. It was my favorite subject to teach as it allowed me to facilitate critical thinking in my students and impart the perspectives of historically oppressed groups, like the indigenous peoples on this “New World.”]

The connection these tribes have for this land is far more emotional than I can ever imagine as my survival, my daily life, my spiritual life, is not tied to it. But when I look upon it–it is with reverence and a recognition of its power, now and since “time immemorial.”

Ah, hoodoos. Some Paiute believed that the hoodoos, which they called “ooh doos” were their ancestors frozen in rock form. The Navajo believed that the area was where the Wind People rested, who redeposited sand from their travels as they moved through Bryce Canyon, creating the layers of colors.