Walking where they walked

Family friendly ‘Life at Chimney Rock Festival’ returns for third year

by Jaime Becktel

For centuries, the Ancestral Puebloans lived deeply embedded in the arid landscape of the Southwest, following the cyclical dance of the cosmos and an endless procession of seasons. They have long since moved on, leaving only their secrets in seep-spring cliff dwellings and subterranean kivas.

Along the stretch of highway between Durango and Pagosa Springs perch the ruins of Chimney Rock, lording over a dramatic panorama of valleys and distant mountains like a hawkeyed sentinel. On most summer days, a visit to the monument yields moments of quiet contemplation amidst scattered wild flowers. Running one’s hand along the length of a Great House wall beneath its stone-fist pinnacles, one can’t help but marvel at the masonic precision of these ancient architects.

On the weekend of July 26-27, this ancient hilltop village comes alive once again with the third annual “Life at Chimney Rock Festival.” The free festival showcases the work of Native American artists and musicians from across the Southwest, as well as native-skills demonstrations by a dedicated group of local monument volunteers. This family-friendly event allows visitors a rare glimpse into the existence of the Ancestral Puebloan people as well as hands-on learning from contemporary Puebloan and Native artists. Each day, visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at the atlatl, an ancient spear-throwing device used for hunting; grinding corn with a mano and metate; pounding yucca to make rope, netting and sandals; or creating their own pictograph and petroglyph.

Visitors can also watch volunteers spin dog hair (yep, dog hair) into fiber as well as learn the arts of flint knapping, basket weaving, pottery, and flute making and playing from contemporary Native American artists.

In addition, award-winning artists such as Florinda and Leeland Vallo, of the Acoma Pueblo, 60 4

miles west of Albuquerque, will be selling their works at the Indian Market. There, one can find a wide array of arts and crafts along with the opportunity to visit with the artists in person. Returning for their third year to the festival, the Vallos are fourth-generation potters, who for 30 years have made their stunning Acoma pottery using all-natural materials sourced directly from the land.

“Everything we use is local,” says Lee. “Shale clay, Rocky Mountain bee plant, hematite, and we use the potsherds from our ancestors to temper our clay.

He said the old sherds are easier to grind having been “soaked with snow and burnt with fire.”

“We believe that our people come from the Chaco area and that using their potsherds is like a rebirth for our ancestors,” he said.

The Vallos said they enjoy demonstrating at the Chimney Rock Festival because it allows them the opportunity to celebrate and share their heritage. “Many people paint pots, but only a handful of them still actually make pottery,” Lee said.

The Festival is sponsored by the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) in partnership with the San Juan National Forest. The Association consists of roughly 70 volunteers who lead tours and produce events at the monument. According to volunteer Dottie George, the festival is special because it transforms the monument into a living history village. “Navajo, Apache, Southern Ute, Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, Santa Clara and Santa Domingo artists are selling their wares and doing demonstrations,” she said. “Visitors are talking softly while traditional flute music rises up into the air. There’s the smell of food cooking and you really get a sense of what life was like in an Ancestral Puebloan community.”

Chimney Rock's famous spires. Native American artisans and craftspeople will be descending on the monument July 26-27 to recreate what life was like in the ancient village./ Photo by Howard Rowe

With the endless buffet of activities in the Four Corners – from the rivers to the peaks and all the deliciousness in between – the fact that we dwell in the shadow of an ancient civilization might often slip our minds. We live in close proximity to many exceptional parks and monuments, including Mesa Verde National Park, the first national park designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to specifically “preserve the works of man.” Archaeologically speaking, the Southwest is awash in resources, and the 2012 monument designation of what was formerly referred to as Chimney Rock Archaeological Area is a testament to that cultural bounty.

According to Recreation Program Manager for the Pagosa Ranger District Paul Blackman, some people in the area still don’t know that Chimney Rock is now a monument. Since its designation, it has received a flurry of local, regional and national attention with a 5 percent increase in annual visitation. “There’s no question that when you take an area and give it monument designation, there’s going to be a bump in interest,” said Blackman, “I love Chimney Rock as a destination. It’s a very special place and I feel lucky to be involved with it.”

The 2014 Life at Chimney Rock Festival is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the spirit of the Ancestral Puebloans who once traversed the Four Corners region and to deepen an appreciation for the wealth of cultural resources at our fingertips in Southwest Colorado.

Besides the Life at Chimney Rock Festival, the monument has an ongoing calendar of events including monthly potlucks, Night Sky Archaeoastronomy programs, a Native American Cultural Gathering, Puebloan pottery workshops, an Autumnal Equinox Sunrise program, monthly Full Moon programs and educational talks accompanied by Native American flute player, Charles Martinez. For more information, visit www.chimneyrockco.org or call (970) 883-5359.