Show traditional Cu customs of navajo ind ans still maintained in the late summer or of 1919 two men halted their pack horses at sundown on the east rim of a can i on in monument valley southeastern utah Sink nc over the dim western mountains mountain the sun s alick tongues of flame from weird but huts buts s belch reaching heavenward a sheer housend feet chasms below swam eerily in a bluish glow spellbound spell bound the men camped here for several days this was the tseh b agi gi landof land laid of the rocks within ancient and sacred valley of the navajo a bereft and savage country of red 1 sand clay sandstone and estone stone rent by subterranean earthquakes which left some vol volcanic cut ropp wh eh ch drowned under ancient ees eels swept by bitter winds scotched scot ched by merciless suns the two who visited were harry goulding and john S evens sheep herders gerders from new mexico both with a taste for adventure companions before the war on similar expeditions they had been stirred by strange tales about this never never land few white men had ventured here before but goulding was fascinated by the arid wilderness wil derns in 1924 with his bride mike he be returned to stay they homesteaded homestead ed for two years at the arizona line where he subsequently built a trading post the navajos cavajos of this area which I 1 is bounded by the san juan and anda colorado rivers and the arizona line have retained much of their tradition and tribal customs in pure form sixty miles from the well nigh deserted town of bluff and 30 miles from kayenta kayetta Ka yenta ariz the people of monument valley are isolated in a lost area these navajos cavajos own no cars so seldom make the arduous trips to even the nearest towns some of their children never have seen a white man and less than 2 per cent speak any english the mystical symbols of their ritualistic sand paintings and their ceremonial rug designs constitute their only written language only a limited number of whites have been able to gain the confidence of these desert children but patience and many little kindnesses gradually broke down barriers for the Goul dings it was not long before indian squaws squads be gan dropping in to see when the men came in to trade mike was given the name shi ma yazzi my little mother by an indian boy whose life she had probably saved by nursing him at the post goulding because he is rangy and was known as a sheepherder in the past was named ti pa nez long sheep Goul dings post on a SOO foot high ledge of giant rock D door mesa which towers another feet above it is built of red sandstone blocks cut from the side of the butte it looks out to the east and north where sculptured rocks 1000 to 1200 feet high make a jagged pattern on the desert sky its trade stocks are simple enameled pots canned goods flour ci ei garets 22 caliber ammunition for rabbit hunting and candy of which the indians are inordinately fond brilliantly hued shirts yard goods blankets and velveteen navajos cavajos bring in rugs silver work bead work sheep cattle pelts tanned buckskin wool moccasins meat and wood for trade occasionally when an indian calls to trade his mother in law may be in the post if so a friend will warn her of his nearness she 1 will then cover her f face ace and dash I 1 outside it is aschin die deviled for these two to see each others faces at any time if accidentally the worst happens a sing must be held to exercise the evil many sheep and precious sacks of flour and corn must be prepared to feed the crowd who attend the sing hanging from rafters in the post ani and in a glass case on the counter are exquisite examples of the silver and bead work of the navajos cavajos Nava jos this is the pawn shop a fixture in every trading post in the summer and winter when their stores become exhausted the navajos cavajos bring in these heirlooms heir looms to pawn for supplies they are generally redeemed again in the spring with wool and in the fall with excess sheep despite their vast isolation they are miles f from rom the nearest railroad at flagstaff ariz and without any means of direct communication to the outside there is little loneliness for the Goul dings they have become beloved of the tribesmen in the area and admitted to much of the life of these primitive mongolian appearing children of the sun I 1 the navajos cavajos sometimes ask goulding to bury their dead A corpse to the indian indan is a thir thic g possessed by evil to t tou 0 U might invite death by the ver scourge which struck the deceased down salt lake tribune |