Hopi Mythology of Grand Canyon by Marvin, a Hopi Park Ranger

Park Ranger Marvin presents the Hopi beliefs as it pertains to the Grand Canyon, where his ancestry has lived for over a thousand years.  Marvin has worked for the Park Service for five weeks now, a man in his late 50’s to early 60’s.  He had a career in law enforcement, which I assume was on the Hopi Reservation, which is surrounded by the Navajo Reservation to the east of the canyon…we will be driving along a small portion of the Hopi Reservation tomorrow.

On the second floor of the watchtower, one can see this Hopi Story on the wall.  I have a picture of it in my previous blog post.  Marvin told the interpretation of this story last night.  It tells how a Hopi (Puebloan) young man named Tiyo, who was fascinated with where all the water flowing through the canyon went, was asked by his dad (upper left quarter of frame in picture to the left) to float down the river and discover the secret of the water, because they were in a terrible drought and they needed the water.  The next frame (upper right quarter) is him floating down, then ends up in the ocean, then ends up in Peru (Incas).  The next frame (bottom right quarter) is him meeting his future wife, and how these people knew the secrets of the snakes (there are snakes along the top, bottom and sides of that frame) and the secrets of the water.  The last frame is the two of them returning to the Grand Canyon area, her with the power to make rain, and you can see the many rain clouds above them. 

To the right Marvin is holding up a picture of a young Hopi woman, with her hair up, much like Princes Leia (Carrie Fisher) wore her hair in the Star Wars movie.  A Hopi woman who wears her hair like this has never been married.  In the third frame the woman has her hair up like this, but in the fourth frame it is down…so the two of them got married in Peru before they came back to the Canyon area.  

    

What a lovely backdrop for the presentation, with the Watchtower (which is full of Hopi culture) and the sun setting along the canyon.  Marvin and I talked for a good 20 minutes after the presentation, what a nice man, with such a love for his people and culture and for the creator of all.  I asked him during the Q&A about the Hopi thoughts about how the canyon was made…and he said it was a long story, but to keep it short, it was another quest but this time the father sent the fastest young man up river to a location where he planted feathers, said some special words, and then ran back as the canyon was split open behind him.  Later as we talked alone I asked if there was a story about a great flood as found in many other cultures, and he said yes…that was how they went from the third world to the fourth world (we currently live in the fourth world), because the third world had become so corrupt that it had to be destroyed.   I asked if there was a fifth world, and he said, “If the world becomes too corrupt, then yes, and I don’t want to be around when and if that happens.”  Marvin is a wonderful addition to the seasonal staff here at Canyon View…he will truly share his knowledge, love and respect for the Hopis with all those who take the time to talk to him, and to attend any of his presentations.

   

Afterwards, I hung around for another wonderful sunset…

Wow!

Saw this little thing as I drove back to the campground…did not realize there were elk so close to our campgrounds.

Woke up this morning and found some creatures had invoked upon our camping grounds during the night.  This picture is from the window I sit at every day..this is where I take the dogs to do their morning business, and so we went there anyway.  I mentioned to the young man and woman that they were in my camping space, and that Ranger Bill would be coming by real soon and that it would be to their betterment to pack up and leave…and they did…

…and Ranger Bill did come by, and I told him about it.  He said told me that they were probably part of the group that he caught last night, but was able to move them into a spot that another camper decided to vacate yesterday evening.  My hat is off to both Ranger Bill (above) and Ranger William (his helper who fills in during his time off).  They are both seasonal work-campers, which means they camp out, and work about 40 hours per week, and are volunteers of the NPS but get free electricity, propane, water and sewer.  Bill is now on his fourth year, while William (who went by Bill until he arrived this year and found out there was already a “Bill” here) just started his first year.  These two guys are both wonderful, and they keep this campground in fine shape…make that great shape.

Grand Canyon – Desert View Campground

I have been to the Grand Canyon at least four, perhaps five times before.  First, as a young child perhaps, I don’t remember at all…it may be that that family vacation came before I came into the world, just can’t remember.  The first time I do remember was back in the early 1980’s.  Working as a Manager of a Restaurant in Sacramento which is long gone, I would take my vacations during Thanksgiving week…slow time at the restaurant, closed for Thanksgiving day.  So one year I hoped into my Nissan-Datsun pickup truck with a friend’s camper shell on it, and took off.  Did Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion all in like 4 days.  WOW, that was a trip…alone…not a person to talk to, no cell phones, I just got away.  Another time the ‘family’ (kids and previous wife) did the canyon real quick on a trip from Arkansas to California.  It was short lived, but worth it.  Another time I had a National Public Library Conference in Phoenix.  My Children’s Librarian had just recovered from a bout of cancer, which eventually took her away from us, and she was able to attend that conference.  I did not like to fly, so three of us drove.  When we got to Flagstaff on schedule (it was March, travel can be a bit iffy that time of year), I gave them the option of going to Grand Canyon the next morning and then on to Phoenix, or go to Phoenix where they could rest more and get ready for the conference.  They both choose to get up early and go to the Canyon.   Miss Ann talked about that trip for the rest of her life…I sure miss that lady…  Another time three of us Library people were in Salt Lake City at a Genealogy Conference.  The Library’s car broke down and stranded us there after the conference for a weekend.  DRAT!  So we rented a car, and drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, also saw Zion and Bryce and just had a great weekend of it.

   

Marcia had been here twice before…once with Joyce whose Celebration of Life we just attended, along with Joyce’s husband and kids from each family, and another time with her first husband Gus, who had never taken a vacation before, so she dragged Gus screaming and kicking, and in the end he said, “We need to take more vacations.”   So although Marcia has had a chance to enjoy the canyon for multiple days in a visit, this is my first.  And with the Camping Spot we nailed, we might be here for a few more days than first planned. 

     

Desert View Campground is on the South Rim, East side of the park.  It is a “First Come” park.  So last night we talked about it and decided to drive right to Desert View and try and get a spot.  Luckily we did…had we waited another 30-60 minutes we would have been out of luck.  First, you have to be under 30’ to get into these spots.  We grabbed the last pull through, but due to a try, I actually backed into it…but when we leave, I can move the car, move the motorhome up a bit, and hook the car up before pulling out.  It also has some shade from two or three trees, but a nice sunny spot to put the solar panel out to grab some juice to recharge the batteries.  Oh, did I mention that it is $6 per night with the senior pass?  And that we have 2 bars of Verizon 4G which is acting good??  And that the temperature is around 75 degrees, and will drop to high 40’s tonight???? 

I awoke around 3:30 am and heard a beep.  Came out and stretched out on a recliner and as I sat down, I heard another beep, but could not place it.  About 10 minute later I hear another beep and realize that the tire sensor was unplugged, but still turned on.  The cold temps and higher altitude but one of the HHR tires under my threshold, and that was cause of the beep.  So this morning we got up around 6:15, and I told Marcia that we needed to go back 3 miles into Willams to fill up tires for the higher altitude and lower nightly temps.  Went to Love’s Travel Stop, got coffee, filled car tires, and decided it was breakfast time and found a good restaurant called “Pine Country” right on old Route 66.  Parking across the street at Chamber of Commerce, fed the dogs, then walked and rode to the Pine Country Restaurant and both had great omelets.  Good way to start the day.

    

By 1 pm we were out the door of the motorhome and off to see a canyon.  We drove half way back to the main entrance, stopping at all the turnouts.  Decided that was enough for today, but will go back for sunsets tonight, and tomorrow we will pick up where we left off and head to the main visitor’s center, and check out Mather Campground (dump station logistics for another day this week).  FEW pictures can tell the size, the details, the enormity of the Grand Canyon.  It is one of those places that you need to come and see…and see at different times of the day, and different seasons.  I have seen snow in the canyon, rainbows in the canyon, and clear days like this.  Such a wonder place….now if it only had a few waterfalls.