Monument Valley-Geronimo and the Spanish .To the Navaho the changing seasons was represented by a beautiful woman in the painting. Many western and modern movies have been made the towering rock formations make for a dramatic backdrop or chase scenes. – Oil on Canvas

Description

Monument Valley-Geronimo and the Spanish

30″x40″

on canvas.

The Inspiration

Native Americans in Arizona are just as diverse as the State’s many landscapes. They follow the dictates of the biodiversity of the desert, the plateaus or the mountains.

Navajos were related to the Apache in the South but were more pragmatic. They adopted many features of the Pueblo Indians and also skills such as native silver jewelry.

These crafts they learned from the Spanish. They were also very adept at agriculture. The Apaches were hunters and gatherers, roaming over the landscape in search of food and water. They were loosely organized in small family groups rather than large tribal organizations like the farming communities such as the Navaho and Pueblos.

The Apache were a warrior society preying on other tribes, taking slaves and booty. They moved from Arizona often fleeing into Mexico to avoid capture.

In Navaho culture the earth was their mother. Their gods were those who provided rain and sun to grow crops and feed the wild animals they hunted.

Being isolated and living in harmony with the environment the many tribes of Arizona have managed to preserve their culture.

The seasons were represented by a beautiful changing woman. She was the most beloved of the holy people of the Navajo. She cast a spell on the world of evil monsters and turned them into stone.

The Navajo believe the massive rock formations of Monument Valley are the frozen evil spirits from their mythology.

The scenic landscape of the Navajo is some of the most spectacular in the world. They range from red stone monoliths of Monument Valley to Ponderosa pine forests up to 10,000 feet. There are also deep gorges such as the canyons of De Chelly. These are very important spiritual sites for the Navajo.