Native American Legacy
Journeys 2010 (13 Days)
with Italian Translator
(Southwest Indigenous
Art Journeys)

DESCRIPTION:

DATE:
Sunday, August 15th - Friday, August 27th 2010

PRICES:
$4,500 USD - Double Occupancy
$5,100 USD - Single Occupancy

"Exploring the continuity, legacy and innovation of Native American Arts & Crafts"

You are invited to participate in a unique 13 day cross-cultural adventure to learn on-site about the rich cultural legacy of the Navajo, Acoma, Apache, Zuni, Isleta, and Taos peoples of the American Southwest. Journeying through the timeless landscape of New Mexico and southern Colorado, you will glimpse into the distinct worldviews and cosmology of the original peoples. Discover the natural monuments and places of pilgrimage, such as the world famous Mesa Verde National Park and Chaco Canyon site that protect the many ancestral sites that are still revered by contemporary Native Peoples.

Participants will learn of the various arts and crafts both their ancient and contemporary expressions that reveal the Native Peoples' strong sense of place, history and pride. You will learn of the techniques, materials and cultural context of the ceramics, jewelry, textiles, architecture and visual arts created by members of these various communities. Visits will be made to prominent Native American art museums, and you will have the opportunity to meet with acclaimed regional artists. Most importantly you will experience first hand the natural beauty of the southwestern landscape that has been the inspiration and sacred homeland to these tribal people.

Your main Native guide/cultural interpreter will be Mr. John Anthony Reyna, an educator from the Pueblo communities of Taos and Ohkay Owingeh in Northern New Mexico. He has an undergraduate degree in history, art and anthropology and has traveled extensively in the southwest and knows first hand many of the places and peoples of the communities we will visit.

Weather and Clothing Wear: Summers are hot in the 90's Fahrenheit (32's Celsius), however evenings can be cool. Be prepared with proper clothing befitting seasonal weather changes. Good hiking shoes, hat, sun block, and rain gear advised.

Health: Obtain health clearance. Disclaimer is available for any activities assumed by participants. Tour route will take place between the altitudes of 5,280 feet - 1,524 m (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and 9,308 feet - 2,837 m (Silverton, Colorado). Physical activities will be minimal, and will take in account tour participants' physical reaction to altitude and terrain.

Culture: Be prepared for any preconceived notions about what has been romanticized about Native American culture. We are like any other, but with greater challenges as Indigenous people. As an Eco-Tour business, Navajo Trails continues to educate both natives and non-natives alike for concerns for our future with respect to being open to the preservation of Indigenous Culture and their Environment. Have an open mind and heart.

Includes:
- Fully Escorted 13 day Journey with 2 full-time tour guides (one is Italian translator), with regional guides on-location.
- 10 hotel rooms, and 2 days in hogans.
- 12 Hotel Breakfasts, 2 Picnic Lunches, and 2 Dinners, including the "Welcome Dinner" upon arrival in Albuquerque.
- All fees for national and State Parks, monuments, museums, cultural centers, pueblo entries, and activities listed are included.
- Airport shuttle transfer included.
- All taxes are included.

Not Included:
- On-Own Meals (at tour participant's expense): 10 Lunches; 10 Dinners. - Tips & gratuities.
- Alcohol.
- The flights to and from Albuquerque.

Note: Navajo Trails plans to use the hotel accommodations mentioned in the tour itinerary. At times, hotel rooms are not available at time of reservation. If this happens, Navajo Trails will make reservations at another hotel with similar value and facilities.

ITINERARY DAY BY DAY:

DAY 1:
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Pick up at Albuquerque International Airport. Transfer to overnight stay at local hotel.

Hotel accommodations: Sandia Courtyard Hotel - Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Meals: As a result of differing flight schedules, Lunch and Dinner on your own.

DAY 2:
Albuquerque, New Mexico -> Isleta Pueblo -> Albuquerque, New Mexico

After breakfasting at the hotel, we will have an orientation of the tour to prepare the group for the cultural journey they are about to experience. We will visit the nearby Isleta Pueblo, located in the Rio Grande Valley, for a pottery demonstration by one of their talented Native American artisans done in with the old traditional technique and style. Isleta Pueblo was established around the 1300's. The Isleta People speak both Tiwa and English. Agricultural is the principal occupation. Presently there is a revival of pottery and jewelry making.

Late afternoon we will visit the Pueblo Culture Center, view the cultural exhibits, and have an authentic Native American dinner.




Hotel accommodations: Sandia Courtyard Hotel - Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Meals: Breakfast included; Lunch on your own; included Welcome Dinner

DAY 3:
Albuquerque, New Mexico -> Acoma Pueblo -> Zuni Pueblo -> Gallup, New Mexico

Driving west, will make a visit to the Acoma Pueblo, also known as Sky City. Built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff as a defense system against raiders, in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths, Sky City has remained suspended in time for two millennia. The mesa-top village is known worldwide for its unique art and profoundly rich culture. The visit will include a guided tour by an Acoma historian. (Note: Upon entry into Acoma, tour participant will have to pay still camera fee: $10.).

We will head further west, making brief stops through the scenic El Malpais National Monument, Spanish for Badlands due to the extremely rough, rugged lava flow that covers much of the park. We will also pass through Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation on our way to our destination for the evening the Zuni Pueblo.






The Zuni are a deeply traditional people who live on the western slope of the Continental Divide in a scenic valley, surrounded by the enchanting mesas. Some Zuni still live in the old style Pueblos, while others live in modern flat-roofed houses. The Zuni refer to themselves in their own language as A:shiwi. Life for these Pueblo people revolves around their religious beliefs. They have a cycle of religious ceremonies which takes precedence over all else.

The selling of pottery and other traditional arts and crafts is a major source of income for many of the Zuni. They make pottery, clothing, baskets, and Kachina dolls, and most importantly needle point and inlaid jewelry. We will visit the A:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center.



Hotel accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites Gallup - Gallup, New Mexico.
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Lunch and Dinner on your own.

DAY 4:
Gallup, New Mexico -> Chaco Canyon, New Mexico -> Cortez, Colorado

We will depart Gallup early morning, heading north to Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage and premier site of Pueblo culture between AD 850 - 1250. The Pueblo Peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi of Arizona, and the Navajo all have cultural and spiritual ties to this once major urban site renown for its remarkable ceremonial buildings, engineering projects, astronomy, artistic achievement, and distinctive architecture. Native Americans from the Four Corners region return to Chaco Canyon today on pilgrimages to honor their ancestors. It is here that the Nomads of the North, the Dineh came to establish their world. We will head northeast into Colorado to spend the night at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Crow Canyon is dedicated to understanding, teaching, and preserving the rich history of the ancestral Pueblo Indians who inhabited the canyons and mesas of the Mesa Verde region more than 700 years ago. The area has one of the densest concentrations of well-preserved archaeological sites in the world.


Hotel accommodations: Cortez, Colorado.
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Picnic Lunch included, Dinner on your own.

DAY 5:
Crow Canyon, Cortez, Colorado -> Mesa Verde, Colorado -> Cortez, Colorado

We will visit Mesa Verde, Spanish for "Green Table" with a ranger guided tour to some of the ruins. Mesa Verde was the home of the ancestral Pueblo People for over seven centuries, from AD 600-AD 1300. To date, the park protects over 4,000 most notable and best preserved archeological sites in the U.S., including 600 imposing cliff dwellings as well as village remains on the mesa top.

Hotel accommodations: Cortez, Colorado.
Meals: Lodging Breakfast included; Lunch on your own; Lodging Dinner included.

DAY 6:
Crow Canyon, Cortez, Colorado -> Durango, Colorado -> Silverton, Colorado -> Durango, Colorado

Early morning we will head into Durango, Colorado's largest southwestern town, located near the Four Corners junction. Durango began as a Denver and Rio Grande Railway Company town. We will ride the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, viewing incredible western mountain scenery to Silverton. The line was originally constructed in 1879 to haul silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains. Silverton is describes as "a gritty little mining town with Victorian pretensions. Once the stomping ground of silver kings & railroad giants." The town opened to miners in 1874, following a treaty with the Ute Indians. Silverton is on U.S. Route 550, once known as the "Million Dollar Highway." that connects Durango and the town of Ouray.

We will stay in the town of Durango at a local hotel. In the evening when can explore Durango's happening night-life.





Hotel accommodations: Best Western Durango Inn & Suites - Durango, Colorado.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on your own.

DAY 7:
Durango, Colorado -> Pagosa Springs, Colorado

We will enjoy a leisurely morning in Durango. Next we will travel to Pagosa Springs where we will enjoy relaxing in the therapeutic mineral-rich waters. The Great Pagosa Aquifer is the world's largest and deepest hot mineral spring. Pagosa Springs is nestled at 7,000 feet (2,100 m) on the Western Slope of the Continental Divide. The Utes called the sulfur-rich mineral springs "Pah gosah" meaning "healing waters" and visitors from all over the world come to enjoy its hot baths. The town is located in the upper San Juan Basin, surrounded by 3 million acres of the San Juan National Forest, and adjacent to the largest wilderness area in the nation, the Weminuche Wilderness. The remote territory is a Mecca of majestic alpine scenic peaks, placid lakes and trout-filled streams. We will complete the day with an evening of dining out and then rest comfortably at a local hotel.

Hotel accommodations: Oak Ridge Lodge - Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included, Lunch & Dinner on your own.

DAY 8:
Pagosa Springs, Colorado -> Great Sand Dunes National Reserve, Colorado -> Alamosa, Colorado

Leaving Pagosa Springs, we will travel through the magnificent Southern Rockies to the Dine' Eastern Sacred Mountain of White Shell Mountain (Tsisnaasjini') otherwise called Mount Blanca. This sprawling mountain is a site of significant importance to many regionally Native American tribes. Before it gets hot, we will do some short hikes at Great Sand Dunes National Park, where alpine tundra, ancient forests, grasslands, wetlands, and massive golden sand dunes meet. The sand dunes are the tallest in North America, rising to almost 750' above the valley floor. In dramatic contrast to the rugged and enduring Rocky Mountains, the dunes are continually being re-sculptured by the wind. Participants will have great fun hiking and sliding down the dunes. We will then hike to nearby Zapata Falls to cool off.

Hotel accommodations: Holiday Inn Express - Alamosa, Colorado.
Meals: Hotel Breakfast & Picnic Lunch included; Dinner on your own.

DAY 9:
Alamosa, Colorado -> Taos, New Mexico

In the morning, we will head south leaving Colorado. Upon entering New Mexico, we will make some briefs stops in some very typical New Mexican villages - such as Chama and Los Ojos for eating and shopping. Our morning destination is a tour of the American acclaimed artist, Georgia O'keefee's Ghost Ranch, once called Rancho de los Brujos, Ranch of the Witches. We will pass through and explore some of the sun-drenched high desert landscape and boundless skies where, Georgia O'keefee took inspiration and painted for 50 years. The Ghost Ranch is now an education and spiritual oasis. Participants will take a guided tour of the ranch and take short hikes around the area.

Traveling the backroads in and around the Rio Grande and the Gorge, we will then arrive to charming Taos, New Mexico, a village rooted in both the Pueblo and Spanish cultures. The town's most prominent feature and origins is the historic Taos Pueblo. Participants can explore the many delightful attractions of Taos: art galleries, quaint shops and café's.

Hotel accommodations: El Pueblo Lodge - Taos, New Mexico
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Lunch & Dinner on your own.

DAY 10:
Taos, New Mexico

In the morning, we will take a guided tour of the Taos Pueblo. The Taos Pueblo People live at the foot of the majestic Taos Mountains, towering 14,000 feet over the Rio Grande River Valley in Northern New Mexico. The Taos Pueblo, "The Place of the Red Willows," is an internationally renowned Native American community and has been designated both a World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for hundreds of years. The people of the Taos Pueblo are called the Red Willow people and speak their native Tiwa language as well as English. (Camera fee $5 at pueblo.)

We will lunch in Taos and have some free time for shopping. In the late afternoon, we participants will have the option of either an Art Workshop with the Taos Pueblo or take a tour of the largest Earthship community in the world, the most unusual completely off the grid sustainable housing community. (Both options are at the participant's expense.)

Hotel accommodations: El Pueblo Lodge - Taos, New Mexico
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Lunch & Dinner on your own.

DAY 11:
Taos, New Mexico -> Chimayo -> Santa Fe, New Mexico

After rising early, we will make our way south along the twisting Rio Grande River, through scenic canyons and the enchanting countryside of New Mexico to the tiny Hispanic town of Chimayo. Each year its main attraction, El Santuario de Chimayó, a Roman Catholic church and a National Historic Landmark, is said to contain healing powers in its soil and receives over 300,000 pilgrims. Many visitors to the church take a small amount of the "holy dirt", often in hopes of a miraculous cure for themselves or loved ones. El Santuario de Chimayó has been called "no doubt the most important Catholic pilgrimage center in the United States." Prior to the town the area was also a holy site during aboriginal times.

After breakfast at one of the cafés, we will continue on to the hub of Southwest Culture to Sante Fe, New Mexico. The town is celebrated for its world class art galleries, museums, exquisite architecture and its dynamic blend of Native American, Americana and Hispanic cultures. We will check into one of the charming hotels right in the historic section of old Santa Fe, then participants will be given museum passes for tours of the Wheelright Museum, Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Palace of the Governors and the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum to be used at your leisure for the next 2 days. Visitors can choose from its varied restaurants and cafés for lunch and dinner. Santa Fe is ranked as one of the nation's leading culinary capitals.

Hotel accommodations: Santa Fe Motel & Inn - Santa Fe, New Mexico
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Lunch & Dinner on your own.

DAY 12:
Santa Fe, New Mexico -> Albuquerque, New Mexico

At your leisure, you can further explore Santa Fe and the many museums and galleries on your own. Mid-afternoon we will depart for Albuquerque.





Hotel accommodations: Sandia Courtyard Hotel - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included; Lunch & Dinner on your own.

Day 13:
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hotel Breakfast and then depart hotel via shuttle to airport at designated time of flights.
Meals: Hotel Breakfast included.


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