Cliff Palace archaeological site at Mesa Verde National Park
Micah reflects on our visit to Cliff Palace, an Ancestral Pueblo archaeological site in Mesa Verde National Park:
The story I would like to reflect on today took place at Cliff Palace, a cliff dwelling of the Pueblo people who are the original ancestors of many tribes. Our park ranger, Ian, talked a little bit about the history of Cliff Palace and how his people (the Zuni tribe) are direct descendants from the people who lived in Cliff Palace.
Ranger Ian is a member of Zuni Pueblo
During this short conversation, he talked about the spiritual importance and connection with nature. He mentioned specifically the prayers in Zuni which often centered around spirituality and nature. Ian said that though he does not know the Zuni language and thus cannot understand the words of the prayers, he is still able to find meaning in the prayers because he knows they relate to the spiritual connection with nature that everyone has in common. His ancestors who once lived there now embody the place in the forms of the birds and insects, making nature more than beautiful but also spiritually meaningful.
This is important to me because I’m in this beautiful place that is the Navajo Nation, it’s really easy to appreciate this landscape as truly awe-inspiring and spiritual. In Indiana, I often do not feel the same way about nature as I do here. After hearing from Ian that the Zuni prayers still hold meaning without even being able to understand the words, it really showed me the power that nature has on connecting us all even in the absence of a shared language. Though it may be more difficult to see this connection in Indiana with the fields and fields of genetically perfected corn, I do believe that the connection still exists. I’d like to return after SST with a stronger appreciation for the life in nature that connects us all. The incredible process of life in a corn plant is something that shouldn’t be overlooked because of its unoriginal qualities. Instead, life and its innate spiritual connection with the earth is something I’d like to appreciate wherever my life takes me someday.
Group photo before hiking down into Cliff Palace
The tour of Cliff Palace begins
Finding shade next to Cliff Palace
