Tag: Colorado River

Borne Of Water: A Short Film by The Smoking Section & American Rivers

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Bears Ears, climate change, Colorado River, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Indigenous Guides, Native Guides, River Guiding, Ruins Preservation, San Juan River, Southwest, springs,, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural Places, Youth6 Comments

I was asked to provide some perspectives (and my voice) to this short video featuring some great animations. "Borne of Water illustrates the journey of water, from mountain snow to flowing rivers. Inspired by a historical Hopi event, the film shows how climate change is impacting water and rivers today. Reduced snowpack and shrinking flows …

Continue reading Borne Of Water: A Short Film by The Smoking Section & American Rivers

Earth Notes: River House Conservation (KNAU)

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Bears Ears, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Indigenous Guides, Native Guides, River Guiding, Ruins Preservation, San Juan River, Southwest, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural Places3 Comments

My 2nd "Earth Notes" story aired this week, and focuses on the conservation work that is occurring in the Bears Ears National Monument. You can hear the episode by clicking the image below ⤵️ Click Image to hear story. These short stories are proving to be a fun and challenging way to rework some of …

Continue reading Earth Notes: River House Conservation (KNAU)

Earth Notes: Homolovi Turquoise (KNAU)

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Bears Ears, Coal, Colorado River, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Hunting, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Indigenous Guides, Native Guides, River Guiding, Ruins Preservation, San Juan River, Southwest, springs,, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural Places, Youth7 Comments

The following is a short piece that I wrote for the radio program, "Earth Notes", produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ). Hear the story HERE I wrote this for a couple reasons, one being that I have strong interest in turquoise and jewelry made from/with turquoise. But …

Continue reading Earth Notes: Homolovi Turquoise (KNAU)

Beyond Stone & Mortar: Preserving Indigenous Presence within Ancestral Landscapes

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Bears Ears, Colorado River, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Indigenous Guides, Native Guides, River Guiding, Ruins Preservation, San Juan River, Southwest, springs,, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural Places, Youth1 Comment

My latest article about the conservation work we completed in the Bears Ears area is now available via the link below. The piece is featured in the Spring/Summer 2022 edition of the Grand Canyon Trust's publication,  "Advocate Magazine". Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, Zuni #642. Photo: Lyle Balenquah Please consider supporting the Grand Canyon Trust in …

Continue reading Beyond Stone & Mortar: Preserving Indigenous Presence within Ancestral Landscapes

Lifeways of the Little Colorado River – Grand Canyon Trust

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Colorado River, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Indigenous Guides, River Guiding, San Juan River, Southwest, springs,, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural PlacesLeave a comment

"No matter its color—clear, red, or blue—the Little Colorado River gives life to the lands, communities, and cultures through which it flows." Follow the link below to hear and read various Indigenous perspectives about Paayu, the Little Colorado River, and why it deserves continued protection and preservation as a Cultural Landscape and unique, desert ecosystem. …

Continue reading Lifeways of the Little Colorado River – Grand Canyon Trust

Paa’tuuwa’qatsi: Water is Life

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Coal, Colorado River, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Hisat'sinom, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Native Guides, River Guiding, Southwest, springs,, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural Places, Uncategorized3 Comments

The turquoise waters of the Little Colorado River just above the Confluence. The Grand Canyon landscape contains some of the Southwests most unique ecosystems of rivers, springs and riparian zones. These areas are home to many plant and animal species, some found nowhere else in the world, or that represent the last viable populations holding …

Continue reading Paa’tuuwa’qatsi: Water is Life

Culture Relative to Homeland

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Preservation, Hopi, Indigenous Archaeoloy, Native Guides, Ruins Preservation, Southwest, Sustainability, Traditional Cultural PlacesLeave a comment

An interview from 2014 with Jack Loeffler (Santa Fe, NM) talking about Hopi connections to Landscapes, Culture & Sustainability. Originally appeared in Green Fire Times, 2014 (Santa Fe, NM). JL: How do you perceive culture relative to homeland? LB: Culture relative to homeland is a big idea. Homeland is something that is always in the back of …

Continue reading Culture Relative to Homeland

Beyond Stone & Mortar: A Hopi Perspective on the Preservation of “Ruins” (& Culture)

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Colorado River, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Tourism, Hopi, Ruins Preservation, Southwest, Sustainability8 Comments

  “Buildings too, are children of Earth and Sun” ~Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect Throughout the American Southwest are thousands of prehistoric architectural remains that were once the homes, ceremonial centers and gathering places for the Indigenous peoples who occupied this vast geographic area. Ranging in size from pit-houses to large village and cliff-dwelling complexes, and …

Continue reading Beyond Stone & Mortar: A Hopi Perspective on the Preservation of “Ruins” (& Culture)

Kyaptsi: Respect for Ancestral Connections

On By Lyle BalenquahIn Archaeology, Colorado River, Cultural Preservation, Hopi, River Guiding, Southwest, SustainabilityLeave a comment

“When we visit the Grand Canyon and we come to this area…we just don’t show up empty handed. There’s great preparation that goes into coming down here….we bring offerings for allowing us to come through the passage of this place. As we make our way down here, there are several places that we stop and …

Continue reading Kyaptsi: Respect for Ancestral Connections