It has been said, time heals all wounds. Are you just a person, an individual with no connection to your ancestors? Experiences of triumph and tragedy endured and cherished by our grandparents and beyond are forgotten? Our trip to Chaco settled that question with a bold statement that we are more than just an individual, that our ancestors do speak to us as they are with us. In our soul, at times screaming at us.
Chaco Canyon is located in northwest New Mexico. There is a mystical, heavy presence in the area. Ancestors to my daughter and husband lived here. These ancestors, whose remains linger elements of tension and secrecy spoke to us.
Chaco Canyon is a desolate place. Hard to think a once thriving population resided here. A lonely juniper tree or sage brush are visited by a mustang looking for shade. Water is a gift but also an enemy if caught leaving the area at the wrong time. The arroyos can be dangerous and if not for a higher sitting vehicle you might have some issues and no one to contact as cell service is sparse. Keep this in mind when planning a trip to Chaco.
Numerous ancient structures are oriented to solar, lunar and cardinal direction. The stone structures were up to four even five stories. This city had a far reaching commerce and roads went for miles in all directions. Far gone is the idea that native individuals to this area were without culture or skill as here we have structures so meticulously created. And no, I don't believe aliens came down and created this. How arrogant are Europeans to think other populations lacked intelligence. I will say the area is mystical. There is an energy here that makes one feel something epic, large and tragic occurred.
The drive started off happy, peaceful. The night before our evening was spent at a cabin just north of Jemez Springs. The night was cool and crisp and the distance yell from a mountain lion woke me around two in the morning. Highway 550 provided safe travels. I mean, who could get mad while looking at this view? We took the north route over to Chaco Canyon. We were well on our way to yet another marvelous day full of stunning views of New Mexico until we hit the road to take us to Chaco Canyon. This road is an Indian Service road and maintenance was low. Our trusty ride on the trip was a Ford F-150 and the drive went down to about 20 mph for several miles. It was obvious no rain presented itself in quite some time but the washboards and wash outs on the road reminded us we were lucky for that. This was no place to be when arroyos would have fast-flowing water crossing the road.
We arrived to the Visitor's center and the energy around us changed. We went from a peaceful morning to an energy of anger. So much that we were yelling at each other without any reason. We immediately understood there was a heaviness, a sad and powerful negative energy trying to change our view of the day. We kept this in mind while we hiked the area. Our initial plan was to camp that night but we decided to go into Gallup as we were fatigued from the energy in the canyon. We felt we shouldn't stay. We felt we needed to respect those before us and journey on.
In 1896 archaeologists excavating Pueblo Bonito found the remains of 14 people in a burial crypt. mtDNA was extracted that revealed nine of the fourteen sequences were identical, meaning that each generation descended from the same original maternal ancestor. Interesting as families to this day in New Mexico still practice matrilineal traditions. Today’s Pueblo peoples claim to be the direct descendants from this canyon. Maternal clan is key to one's membership. Did they inherit this arrangement from their ancestors who walked this canyon? One thing is certain. The people who walked this canyon back in 800-1250's did not vanish. They are with us in New Mexico today. B2A2 is my husband's mother's line, the mtDNA line flowing in the spirals of his genetic makeup, definitely Native American. I wonder if he walked in the footsteps of a long forgotten mother during our trip to Chaco. From our experience I am certain to say he did.
“We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies.” - Shirley Abbott
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