On my unplanned journey to meet the people of my tribe I started writing about it on Steemit.
If people have not read my experience from the start here is a small review. This all happened unexpectedly and will be the outline of my book, so anyone interested will get to see firsthand the reunion that will happen towards the end of this adventure.
First, a little background ...
As many Native Americans in the United States our families were separated approximately around the year 1850 give or take. Many of our women were sold off as slaves and my great great grandmother was one of those selected for that life experience. This was on my mother’s side of the family, and these records are all but lost minus the Hopi oral history.
Typical of Natives Americans today it has not been easy to keep the traditional family together, including my lineage. My father is a wanderer and an independent soul who did not reveal my Apache history until I was older and afterwards started teaching me our ways. Since I was raised primarily American and always had a feeling I was different, it was not until dad told me everything did I find inner peace and an understanding.
My journey so far and links to previous writings.
What’s Wrong With The Term Anasazi, https://steemit.com/history/@eaglespirit/what-s-wrong-with-the-term-anasazi-you-might-ask
Chimney Rock National Monument, https://steemit.com/history/@eaglespirit/chimney-rock-national-monument
Hovenweep Castle, https://steemit.com/geopolis/@eaglespirit/exploring-the-four-corners-hovenweep-castle-canyon-of-the-ancients
Mesa Verde, https://steemit.com/travel/@eaglespirit/mesa-verde
Lowry Pueblo, https://steemit.com/history/@eaglespirit/traveling-to-the-four-corners-usa-lowry-pueblo-canyon-of-the-ancients
Southern Ute Tribal Museum, https://steemit.com/geopolis/@eaglespirit/come-along-with-me-to-the-southern-ute-museum
Sand Canyon Pueblo, https://steemit.com/steemit/@eaglespirit/eaglespirit-1545627705516-eaglespirits-instagram-feed--20181224-060145?sort=trending
Anasazi Heritage Center, https://steemit.com/dtubesnapplus/@eaglespirit/kxpi0b3d?sort=trending
Taos Pueblo, https://steemit.com/travel/@eaglespirit/taos-pueblo
Which brings me to the topic of this blog and my visit to Aztec Pueblo, a continuation of my adventures into the Canyon of the Ancients this past summer.
Driving to New Mexico and finding this piece of my ancestry was a pleasant surprise.
As with many but other Native American lands now taken over by the government, historical instruments displayed are from other Pueblos.
However, every single time I see these pieces of encased history I feel a mix of sadness that they are not with the families lineage and a sigh of relief they are not completely destroyed. The realization that someday I may be able to hold some of these pieces is comforting.
The simple pottery lines and earthy textures brought a feeling of homecoming.
Since a very small child I have dabbled with pottery, not as much as I would have liked but the feeling is there. So when gazing at these lovely jars I can only travel back in time with a dreamlike fantasy, hoping someday my tribe will show me ancient techniques. Now that will be a day worth living for, having ancients hands hold mind as we create a legendary piece of art.
Preservation is something to be thankful for, art must be cherished.
Most people would agree that as humanity evolves our art, history, and growth should be documented and saved. We learn so much from our past and this is what makes us unique as a species. When we look at a piece of history it brings teachings; whether it is joy, sorrow, or anger they are still life lessons and the importance is vital. How else can we grow?
The land.
Once I finally got outside and felt the land it was obvious to me these lands were again a seasonal home for many. The time spent in this location would be very specific and in celebration of an event. Today, the area was very dry and water scarce, however, after some research amd study this area was once flowing with water.
The kiva structures had small entranceways amd ladders. One would think little people were the inhabitants of long ago. Sometimes I sit in mediation and wonder over bloodlines and the amazing cultural ties we all share. What we have today may not have been what our ancestors imagined who we would become, but here we are.
When walking through ancient architecture built with hands, wonder and pride filled my heart.
Even though we are taught that slavery or common hierarchy was in place during ancient builds, a feeling of purpose and finality were words that came to my mind as I continued walking the land.
This aged bush caught my eye and I circled it the ancient way and spent some time honoring.
Oftentimes, being connected to nature can make one feel slightly odd and out of place. As I honored this vegetation I could feel people watching me, and awkward would have been the word, yet when I remember the connection I held at that moment it was a story I will share one day. I will say this, the plant form helped me to ground and center with the land.
I even got to see a lizard.
Out in the desert to see anything other than dirt is almost a miracle. So to see ancient structures, lizards, and plant life was certainly something to appreciate. To a Native American we notice the small things and appreciate what people say are signs, when these occur my connection with this land was evident.
The circle found me.
In many cultures we have the ancient circle and for the Native American we look for it wherever we go, especially when we walk our lands. Sometimes we see it right away and other times they find us.
As time passed it was easy to imagine celebrating with my Ancients.
The land had been preserved as best as it could be and if one had a good imagination it was easy to visualize a warm celebration with drums off in the distance. Men chanting in the Great Kiva and food preparation at the outdoor fires by the women who were singing and scraping corn. Yes, if one had an imagination all this was easy to see.
Out of all the lands I have visited this had the most kivas.
Interestingly, this particular location had many kivas and the Great Kiva collapsed. The Great Kiva shown in this blog was reconstructed by an archeologist from memory. To the Native American the Kiva was and still is a place of meeting, worship, and very sacred.
Ancient tools left behind.
One of the most fascinating things I found were these tools scattered everywhere. Some of these corn meal grinders were placed for tourists to play with but they were literally spread out along the outer perimeters. True, these could have been thrown or just placed there over the years. Let me just say that I touched as many as I could find, and sat at all the meeting places open to the public. There were many.
As I continue my story to meet my people, who I have now found in Arizona. I invite you to join me. My next blog and final for this past summer will be Chaco Canyon. Come back to read another Journey To My Ancestors. Thank you for reading!
More about me ...
Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. I an a Certified Indian Blood member of the Hopi & Apache Native American tribes, Reiki Master-Teacher, Medicine woman in-training, paralegal, researcher, and writer based in the mountains of Colorado, USA. I work closely with fellow planktons and minnows in a few groups by helping them adjust to Steemit and create quality content. I am especially interested in finding others who love natural medicine originating from ancient practices, gold and silver, and energy work. Additionally, I'm the creator of Red Radio, #FreedomFriday, and #MedicineCardMonday so if you are interested in receiving a Native American Medicine stop by my blog every Monday to say hello!
A'OO, Eagle Spirit
Beautiful photos. I really love that bush - it makes me think of two people standing together.
We don't tend to hear so much about Native American women being taken as slaves, at least not here in the UK. I was interested to hear in the podcast Unobscured about the Salem Witch Trials, that the slave Tituba was actually Native American, from Central America, and not African American, as she has generally been portrayed.
My father's ancestry is Afro-Caribbean, from the Bahamas. We don't know which part of Africa our ancestry is from, because family ties were deliberately destroyed with slavery. It may be from several places.
When Columbus arrived in the Americas, at the Bahamas, he encountered the native Lucayan people. Over the next few decades they were totally wiped out by slavery and torture. However there was probably some intermarriage. I'd love to find out more about them, and whether I have Lucayan blood. Of course, it's possible that I might also have some DNA from the Conquistadores!
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Too bad almost all of the pottery is broken, though it's pretty rare to find intact pieces probably. I love seeing pictures like these, since it's very unlikely that I'll ever visit the US myself.
I probably wouldn't even think about looking up stuff like this, if I didn't come across it here on Steem.
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I really enjoy reading and seeing about the history of your ancestors, wonderful to have found this and that they are preserving the heritage of your people but how sad is history! Once vibrant communities destroyed, happens today still all over the world!
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Thank you for your continued support of SteemSilverGold
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What a wonderful connection to the past, when hiking in the Drakensberg here in South Africa you are still able to see original San paintings on the walls of caves.
It does connect us to those who went before @eaglespirit over the past couple of years living in South Africa I have found an interest in plants and foods we are able to use, handed down from generation to generation, we tend to forget the past which is so important.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful journey down your path.
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Such an interesting post, it must have been both an exciting and emotional time to visit there and thanks for sharing both a little about the place and your thoughts and eeleing while there
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Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Eagle Spirit from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
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Oh wow, that pottery looks amazing. I am sure the vibe around the place was quite something 💚
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Hi @eaglespirit!
Your post was upvoted by @steem-ua, new Steem dApp, using UserAuthority for algorithmic post curation!
Your UA account score is currently 4.817 which ranks you at #1327 across all Steem accounts.
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Wonderful that you can walk the land of your ancestors.
Being that my ancestor came from overseas, I have yet to have that privileged.
In the place I call home, in the boreal forest of Saskatchewan, I look to the First Nation's People to tell me the stories of the land, for thier ancestors have been there for eons.
Thanks for sharing this, it must truly be something to walk in amongst the sacred Kiva taking you back in time to get a taste of what it was like for your ancestors. So fine to be able to actually handle and sit with the ancient tools.
I'm curious to what those rows of square rooms in the perimeter were used for. They seem to be in a cluster in the one part so I don't think they were homes. I wonder if they were used to store grain or something? Do you know?
I'm looking forward to the next in the series and I will be checking out the rest of this series.
Interesting that you say you are going to write a book.
Do you have a title for it?
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This post has received a 1.56 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @sbi-booster.
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Firs of all thank you very much @eaglespirit .
The photographs and explanation in you post makes me like i personally visit this place. Amazing photographs and interesting place.
Thank you very much for sharing with us my friend...
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Beautiful post. I especially love the pottery and stone tools shown. This reminded me of my desire to travel to and understand the sacred places where my people are from. I want to know how my Western European ancestors lived prior to colonization and conversion to Christianity.
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Congratulations! This post has been chosen as one of the daily Whistle Stops for The STEEM Engine!
You can see your post's place along the track here: The Daily Whistle Stops, Issue 365 (01/08/19)
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