Canyon de Chelly, 2004 – Photo: Helen Stewart
Something Completely Different
Are you guys ready to contemplate something completely different for a change? I know I am. The outside world exhausts me. My inside world is running a close second in that category.
I’m filled to the brim with concern over the myriad catastrophes clamoring for our attention. I’m bored with worrying over choices made by myself and others that challenge the status quo – perhaps even rocking the foundations of much I thought I knew. It doesn’t matter that they’re unsurprising in the grand scheme of things. I crave a respite from the plight of Haitians, Afghanis, victims of wildfire and drought. The ravages inflicted on all of us by years of fear, distrust, and lies are taking a steep toll.
A Respite
And so it was that I found myself reading an article this evening that got me excited for a movie that will be released before the end of the year. I urge you to read the article itself because it contains a lot of the backstory to how the movie came to be made and why.
The movie is called Canyon del Muerto. It reclaims from the invisibility of sexism the story of one of the first female archaeologists, Ann Axtell Morris. Morris played a huge role in the 1920s and 1930s discovery and excavation of Canyon del Muerto and other sites within Canyon de Chelly, Arizona and elsewhere in the American Southwest, as well as the Yucatan.
The only reason her contributions to archaeology were noticed (or perhaps even permitted) at all was because she was married to Earl Morris, her idol in the field and a renowned archaeologist 11 years her senior. He sounds like a pretty cool guy in his own right, very possibly being a key inspiration for the character of Indiana Jones.
An Old Story
It frustrates me to read about how brilliant and enthusiastic Ann Axtell Morris was, not only in her painstaking excavation work, but also in how she wrote books that popularized the field of archaeology and served as an inspiration to other women. It’s shocking (yet not) that her books, while written for adult and presumably well educated readers, were sold as children’s books. Why? Because publishers refused to believe that it was appropriate for a woman to write about archaeology.
She published two books recounting the archaeological adventures of Earl and herself: Digging in Yucatan and Digging in the Southwest*. I’m excited to see that the link to Digging in Yucatan actually takes you directly to the text of that book. Both texts are technically out of print, so I’m delighted that I’ll actually be able to read at least Digging in Yucatan. Unless I can find Digging in the Southwest in a library, I’m afraid I won’t be reading that one anytime soon.
Taking shelter from the sun – Canyon de Chelly – Photo: Helen Stewart
Diné
Another equally heartening aspect to the telling of Ann Axtell Morris’s tale and the making of this movie is the profound respect the writer, producer, and director of the film paid to the Navajo (Diné), whose land and ancestors were excavated by the Morrises. And yes, you did read that correctly: their ancestors were excavated by the Morrises. This fact – and the profound ramifications that had on the rest of Ann’s life from the Diné perspective – is part of the story covered by the movie.
It sounds like this movie was impeccably made with great respect accorded to both the Land and the People. I recommend that you read the article I linked to in The Smithsonian. It contains a lot of details that only make me want to learn more about this fascinating woman and, of course, look forward to watching the movie when it comes out.
Special Place
Canyon de Chelly holds a special place in my heart. It is where I first met Alberto Villoldo and learned about the trainings offered by The Four Winds Society. Karl and I and our two younger sons camped in Canyon de Chelly, hiked with Diné guides, and witnessed first hand the astounding sacredness of that land.
As a result of our experiences there, I personally emerged from that Canyon with a calling to cultivate and hone my shamanic skills and take that training to a whole new level.
I can’t wait to see Canyon del Muerto.
*affiliate link
(T-99)