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Show I I i srrt. :rt ; "- - - i ? by MICHAEL NOLAN l..y. '' ' '1 , ' ,; Doorway to Navajo Culture AmiMplHWIndw I really have a great back yard to promote,'' says Kathy Curley, referring to the striking sandstone formation for which Window Rock, Ariz., (pop. 3,039) is named. Known in the Navajo language as Tseghahodzani, the rock with a hole in it" is considered one of the seven wonders of Navajo land. Shaped by centuries of wind and water; the arch is 200 feet tall with a hole 47 feet in diameter. Today, die influence of the city looms as large is its namesake. It selves as the capital of die Navajo Nation, a land parcel of more than 23,000 square miles roughly the size of West Virginia. OfiMvod Monomy it tdltiilioflhi NMjocukuiti , s Rock pwMv Richards, executive director of Economic Develop- The Native American nations really have an interesting status, says Curley, public information officer for the Navajo Nation Tourism Depanment. Were the capital of a country within a country, a sovereign nation within the United States. Residents of Window Rock are subject to federal law but are not under Arizona state jurisdiction. The Navajo Nation h is guided by its own government and maintains its own police force and school system. council delegates representing 110 Eighty-eigcommunities or chapters throughout the reservation convene quarterly at the Navajo Nation Council Chambers, only a few hundred yards from the base of the Window Rock formation. When the council is not in session, visitors are allowed to admire the stunning munis depicting the heritage of the Dind that decorate the walls of the circular structure. Dinf in Navajo means The People." Ad joining the government offices are die Window Rock Tribal Park and the Navajo Nation Veterans Memorial Park, which honors those who served in the UA. military. It puts special emphasis on the Navajo Codetal leers of World War II, who transmitted messages in their native language a code the Japanese couldn't break. (Navajo is an extremely complex oral language.) Also:neaiby is the Navajo Museum where visitors can immerse themselves in the culture through exhibits, presentations, and library resources. Just around the comer is the Navajo Nation Zoo, specializing in indigenous animals such as coyotes, elk, eagles, bears, and ocher important in Navajo folklore. Perhaps the greatest challenge facing Window Rock today is die preservation of the peoples cultural heritage while embracing economic development. Trying to entice people from the outside to come in is pretty tough when you don't have an infrastructure already set up, observes Edward ment for the Navajo Nation. Trading posts, once the primary touroe of income for silversmiths, weavers, and other artisans, "are slowly starting to disappear; notes Richards. "The type of economy that they used to support was a people who didn't travel very much because they didnt have vehicles." Today, traditional ctafb are often brokered beyond the reservation, although "you'll still find vendors selling along die road. Flea markets are kind of a grassroots economy all around here," says Richards. To provide a compromise between roadside stands and selling to distributors, Richards' office helped create a marketplace in Window Rock. "We have something like 20 or 30 booths, where vendors can sell some of the high-en- d arts & crafts as well as food. authentic Navajo We're looking at ways to give tourists mote of the actual Navajo experience, to come here and redly share die culture," offers Curley. To serve visitors. Window Rock is launching a pilot program called Discover Navajo, which trains young people as hospitality ambassadors. With a warm reception. Window Rode is opening wide the door for curious travelers to gain a greater appreciation of Navajo culture. thiee-btanc- ht . Fnqwtnt cmUributtr Nlkbml NeUm tnmAd t Window Rack American Profile. fir pWindow Rock i i the northeast located oh is . V .V :j' f- - ;d ) i I Arizona-New- '! Mexico border, 1 65 miles west of Albuquerque. N.M4 212 limlles test of Flagstaff, Ariz. ; a. -- V . . -- r ': " , . : - |