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July 1, 2005 |
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A Rejuvenated Beginning In this month’s issue we focus on “A Rejuvenated Beginning.” As our mission has always been to assist our on-the-edge visitors find their way around our very historic heritage, we have some great news to share!
With all these winds of change, Page, Arizona sits in the pathway of growth. Page has been quoted to be “one of the destination spots of Northern Arizona.” Don’t forget to stay “logged” into www.ExploreNavajo.com Still have questions? Email Donovan Hanley, NNHE Director of Sales at Info@ExploreNavajo.com. Welcome to Navajo! Spotlight: Experience Northern Arizona from a "new" point of view! The Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise “What a way to see the Southwest!” As summer winds scurry across Northern Arizona, the winds of change resurface in Page, Arizona. The Navajo Nation via Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise is proud and honored to announce another addition to their line of hotels. As of July 1, 2005 the Quality Inn Lake Powell is the newest hotel for the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise also currently owns the Quality Inn Navajo Nation, Tuba City, Arizona and the Quality Inn Navajo Nation Capital, Window Rock, Arizona. “It is a goal of the Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise to continue to contribute to the assets of the Navajo Nation, while encouraging economic development. An equal goal is to provide the customer and the traveling public with safe, clean, comfortable rooms, and delicious dining options while they visit the Navajo Nation. Whether guests are “Exploring Navajo” or conducting business, we want every one of them to enjoy their experience. The purchase of the Quality Inn Lake Powell, allows the Enterprise one more location to achieve these goals” says Managing Agent, Ms. Cindy Sapp. Carrying the name “Quality,” people expect high ranking standards for the mid-scale hotel chain. Quality Inn is described by Choice Hotels International as having that “broad appeal for both business and leisure travel, offering a full range of services and amenities designed to appeal to business and leisure travelers alike.” Quality Inn Lake Powell offers such consumer-friendly amenities as a swimming pool and guest laundry. Each guestroom features the signature Quality Sleeper by Serta® mattress, high-speed internet access, free local calls, iron, ironing board and hairdryers” And for all the Pet-lovers, the Quality Inn Lake Powell has been deemed pet-friendly. Page has been described as one of the must-see destinations in Northern Arizona. With its great views and attractions, Page has definitely been getting its share of foreign and domestic visitors. You may ask what drives visitors here every year. It’s the beautiful textures of Antelope Slot Canyon, the refreshing waters of Lake Powell, the breathtaking Glen Canyon Dam, and the monumental experience of Rainbow Bridge. With spacious rooms and great views, the Quality Inn Lake Powell is sure to be the destination hotel this summer. Nestled above the cliffs of Page, the hotel surrounds itself with some of the most breathtaking scenery in Northern Arizona, and rest assured the Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise will be there to accommodate you. Visit www.ExploreNavajo.com to start planning your “ Navajo Circle” excursion today! We welcome you to Explore Navajo! A Glimpse of Culture: "A Basket Plentiful in History and Value" Being the most famous design of the Navajo, the Navajo wedding basket is a remarkable story in the making. The Navajo people believe the wedding basket holds many scared uses and stories. The basket has become a valuable part of many ceremonies still conducted today. It is told, the wedding basket was given to the Navajo people by White Shell woman and it was the Thunder that taught the Navajos to weave the water jar and the carrying basket. As far as the braided rim is conveyed; long ago there was a Navajo woman who was weaving under a juniper tree, and while contemplating how to finish the rim of the basket, felt a small spring of the tree fall into her basket. It is said that the holy people tossed the idea into her basket, and this is where the braided rim style came to be. These are the meanings to the design of the Navajo basket:
So by ritual requirements the end of the coil always aligns with the “Path”, which runs through the sacred mountains (the stepped motif pattern). The Pathway of the basket always faces east when the basket is used in ceremonies. Which allows the spirit to emerge as did the Navajos from the previous worlds to this one according to legends. The design the baskets depicts the white center of the earth with a ring of stripped mountains. The Navajo wedding basket is used in traditional wedding ceremonies, during which the bride and groom feed one another cornmeal as a sign of their everlasting commitment to one another. Then the basket of cornmeal is shared with other family members and attending guests and is given to the groom’s mother from the bride’s family. It is also known the health of the couple’s marriage relies on how well the groom’s mother takes care of their wedding basket, until one day she can bestow it on to her grandchildren. The basket is seen as a map through which the Navajo people chart their lives. The Navajo wedding basket has undergone a rebirth in the last twenty five years. The Navajo and Apache people learned how to make basket from the Pueblo Indians. Coiled pieces originally used the two-rod and bundle formation, which later evolved into three-rod bundle formation. Which plainted baskets were used for carrying goods, burden baskets were made to gather yucca fruit. These were strapped to the back of a horse or were carried by the fruit picker. Navajo basket making evolved in four phases. Before 1868 little basketry was found at abandoned campsites and these were most probably purchased from other tribes. After the Bosque Redondo relocation of the Navajo people, metal containers introduced by the Europeans did away with basket making of containers. In the early 20 th century basket making almost disappeared because taboos were place on Navajo basket makers who stifled productivity and creativity. In 1966 basket-making classes were instituted at local schools.To this day the Navajo wedding basket holds various meanings and values and if taken care of properly can last lifetimes. A basket plentiful in history and value can be the greatest legacy passed down through generations. Travel Tip: Cultural Protocol — Ceremonial Visitation Visitors are welcomed with open arms in Navajoland. Here are some guidelines to help you respect the Navajo people and their customs:
Travel Tip: Lighters Prohibited Airport Item TSA Adds Lighters to List of Items Prohibited Beyond Airport Checkpoints U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (This article was sent for immediate release earlier this year) WASHINGTON , D.C. – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that all lighters will be prohibited from sterile areas of airports and onboard aircraft. This action is in response to a provision in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which was signed into law by the President on December 17, 2004, and requires that “butane” lighters be added to TSA’s Prohibited Items List. After carefully evaluating the security threat, Congressional intent and operational considerations, TSA determined that passengers should be prohibited from carrying all lighters on their person or in carry-on luggage in the sterile areas of airports or onboard an airplane. The policy will be fully enforced beginning April 14, 2005. The agency also acknowledged the role passengers play in making the security process go more smoothly. "Travelers are a valuable partner in the screening process," said Rear Adm. Stone. "If they pack smart and avoid bringing lighters to the checkpoint, passengers can accelerate the screening process and allow us to focus on those individuals and items that may be a threat to their flight." All lighters will be banned from sterile areas beyond security checkpoints at airports. This includes, for example, butane, absorbed-fuel (Zippo-type), electric/battery-powered and novelty lighters. The Department of Transportation classifies lighters as hazardous materials, and prohibits them from being stowed in checked baggage. TSA will dispose of lighters brought to checkpoints. Passengers at some airports may be able to ship them via a private company for a fee, but TSA strongly urges passengers to thoroughly inspect their carry-on and checked baggage for these items before going to the airport. |
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| Navajo Nation Hospitality Enterprise, c/o Monument Hospitality, Inc. | |||||||
