The Diné
Before Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492, the Diné (Navajo) were already established in the Four Corners (the intersection of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona) area of the Colorado Plateau. However, they weren’t the first inhabitants of this land.
According to anthropologists, ice-age Paleo-Indian Hunters roamed the area from 12,000 to 6,000 B.C.E. They were followed by Archaic Hunter-Gatherers from 6,000 B.C.E. to 1 C.E. The Ancestral Puebloans followed in turn until they left around 1300 C.E.
Sometime between 1100 and 1500 C.E., the Diné migrated to the area from Canada. It wasn’t until 1581 that the Spaniards first made contact with them.
Today’s 300,000 Diné are the second most populous Native American tribe in the United States. Dine Bikéyah, or Navajoland, covers over 27,000 square miles of beautiful desert extending into parts of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. It's larger than 10 of our 50 states.
The Shot
During my December five-day trip to Monument Valley in the heart of Navajoland, we had a rare opportunity to photograph tribal members. These were environmental portraits, or photos taken of a person in a place that says something about who they are.
If you’re a Friday Photo regular, you know that I’m not a portrait photographer. But the combination of beautiful backgrounds and traditional Diné clothing made for a compelling experience.
Candace and her horse were our patient subjects on this chilly morning of December 10. The sun was still low, creating warm light and distinct shadows. And the West Mitten in the background spoke volumes about Candace and her people.
It was a scene that might have been photographed over a hundred years ago.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus