Route 66 - Seligman, Arizona

Here we are in Seligman, Arizona, home to fewer than 500 people and a popular stopping point for Route 66 travellers. This area was historically the home of the Yuman-speaking Havasupai Native American people, who have been settled in the area for almost a thousand years. Formerly surviving through agriculture and hunter-gatherer culture, tourism is their modern-day main source of revenue as Supai, their major city in the Havasupai Reservation, has around 20,000 visitors a year, despite having the reputation as being one of the most remote cities in the United States, ultimately reachable only by hike, horse, or helicopter.

It is often said that Seligman wouldn't exist without Route 66, and Route 66 wouldn't exist without Seligman, or at least famous resident Angel Delgadillo. Of an age with the route itself - he was born in 1927 when the roads that formed Route 66 were first being connected. Angel followed the family trade and became a barber just like his father, Angel Delgadillo Sr. In 1972, Angel moved his barber shop from its previous location to take advantage of Route 66's slightly adjusted route, which now passed through Seligman. Everything went with him: his father's 1926 barber chair and three pool tables. With nearly 10,000 cars passing through daily, trade was brisk for Angel and the rest of Seligman's businesses.

Then on 22 September 1978, the cars disappeared, the new Interstate 40 had opened two miles to the south, and as Angel put it, "the world forgot about us". Angel and his brother discovered that the only signage that even mentioned Seligman was 16 miles away. They campaigned for another four more useful mentions, but it wasn't enough.

Not to be beaten, Angel tapped into the one thing most Route 66 travellers are interested in - nostalgia. Seligman took the bait and is now known as "The Birthplace of Historic Route 66".



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Route 66 - Grand Canyon

The site of the Grand Canyon is so overwhelming that it is no surprise that the Pueblo Native American population used to view it as a holy site and made pilgrimages there. The valley displays around two billion years of geology in the exposed rock walls of the canyon, with the site thought to have its origins around 17 million years ago. However, several credible scientific arguments say it is anything between six and 70 million years old.

In terms of human occupation, there is some debate as to when a distinct group with their own culture emerged, but there is considerable evidence to suggest that the ancient Puebloan people, referred to as the Anasazi ('Ancient Ones' in Navajo) who lived there around 3200 years ago are the ancestors of today's modern Pueblo-identifying population.

By the time the Europeans arrived in the mid-16th century, there was a complex society of many different tribes, co-existing and frequently intermarrying. The Spanish didn't have it easy in 1540 - their Hopi guides could likely have found them an easy route to the canyon floor, but the apparent difficulty meant that no European bothered with the canyon again for over 200 years.

The Grand Canyon is a U.S. National Monument, with Theodore Roosevelt - a conservationist and President - to thank for it. After a 1903 visit, he established a game preserve and eradicated natural predators. Land claim holders, mining prospectors, and other opponents tried to get his best efforts blocked, but the Grand Canyon was eventually established as the 17th U.S. National Park by Woodrow Wilson in 1919.

It doesn't get any easier for conservationists; recent concerns include uranium leaching into the water supply should mining recommence in the area, which has been suspended since 2009. The case rumbles on through the courts.



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Route 66 - Albuquerque, New Mexico,

The origins of Albuquerque's strange name are as fascinating as its history. You could be forgiven for thinking that it's a Native American place name or a word that describes some feature of the surrounding landscape. However, it was named after Francisco, Duke of Alburquerque, who, in one surviving portrait, had an incredible moustache. Alburquerque (with the extra 'r') is close to the Portuguese border in Spain and was a Moorish colony in the 8th century.

Looking into the meaning of the name, it becomes clear that Latin and Arabic have some similarities - the Latin source would appear to come from albus quercus (white oak), and the Arabic from Abu al-Qurq (father of the oak). The border town in Spain was - and still is - a major player in the Spanish cork industry, with coats of arms depicting a white cork oak.

Albuquerque Old Town doesn't look much different today from when it was built in the 18th century. The town was founded in 1706, and the San Felipe de Neri Church, dating from 1793, is the oldest building in the city. The buildings have a particularly Spanish/Arabic flavour, with flat roofs and covered porches. The Old Town area is still home to many of the descendants of the town founders.



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Rivers Have a Beginning - Native American Proverb

 

Not Drumpf Enough

5^th January 2018

My Dear Mr. Oliver,

Back in February of 2016 Last Week Tonight aired a segment that attempted to remove who would soon become our president of his faith inspiring name. Whereas I admit you have had some success in the area there is much room for improvement. I very much enjoyed seeing men and women on Facebook talking about Donald Drumpf.

Unfortunately, the president’s name is still on everyone’s lips, and Drumpf is nearly forgotten. Well, what went wrong?  For one thing, Drumpf is uncharacteristically dull for Last Week Tonight. Unlike news about the president Drumpf just isn’t fun. For another, it’s just not saucy enough for your program. So, what name can we come up with to help America get over its orange dictator addiction?

The answer came to me when I saw an old photograph of myself and remembered the Native American name my mother had given me. She called me ‘Hair of the Golden Rod’ because in youth my hair was strikingly blond. So what would the name of Mr. Drumpf be if the Native Americans named him for his most notable feature?

No, I’m not speaking of orange skin or use of tanning oil. I believe they would call him “Shitting Bull.” You may have this with my compliments, Mr. Oliver.

Best,

Richard Leland Neal 

Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott

Back in high school I preformed a theatrical poetic reading of

'Arrow to the Sun' but not the version by Gerald McDermott.
This is a story of the Pueblo people native to North America, and the artwork is in the same style as the culture this story derives from. 

That said, I feel that a more in depth interpretation or at least a bank of facts at the end of the book would have made this a better read. I was left wanting more, and for a book this large I think more could have been given. There were some pages where no words were present and we the reader just had to fill in the story. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just that there could have been more. 

Who should read this book? Everyone

Books read: 94 of 5000

How the Stars Fell into the Sky by Jerrie Oughton Book Review

"How the Stars Fell Into the Sky" by Jerrie Oughton is a telling of a Navajo legend about the placement of the constellations. Permit me to be clear that I have little understanding of how to address this story because I have no idea how the Navajo think of the tale. They could think of it as part of their religion or they could think of it as just a folk story. I have no intention of insulting their tradition. 

That said, the first woman is setting the stars in the sky in order to record the laws for all the people to see and so know them well.  Then Coyote arrives and tries to help but in his haste throws the stars into the sky preventing her from writing the laws. 

You can see this as a cautionary tail about letting the wrong people help you or as point about getting a job done right or not doing it at all. From a story standpoint I rather liked this book. I found it entertaining.  

Further along these lines, the book is well crafted with rich artwork and a strong spine. 

Who should read this book: Everyone

Books Read: 41 of 5000

Neighbor and Self - Pima Proverb

 

Wind Over Buffalo Grass - Sioux Proverb

 

Rainbows and Tears - Native American Proverb

 

Day and Night - Duwamish Proverb