Wintery Days in Bluff

The Twin Rocks on a winter day in Bluff Utah

Winters in Bluff are a treasured time. These months give us a much needed reprieve from the red winds of spring, and the heat of summer. Here in the high desert we are sand blasted by the intermittent spring winds, which are followed by the intense summer heat. All that gives us a great appreciation for this time of year. The fact that there is very little humidity at "the time of great temperature" is not much comfort. While we complain about the heat and dust, the Navajo people simply incorporate it into their lives. In doing so, they frequently engage in ritual sweat baths. These "baths" require the participant to build a mini hogan, fill it with hot rocks and climb inside. This ritual cleansing is concluded by bailing out of the hogan and rolling in the sand. The heat inside the sweat house forces any poisons and bad spirits picked up in every day life to the body's surface; frolicking in the dirt gives Mother Earth the chance to whisk away those negative influences. The Navajo people have a way of embracing that which the rest of us merely allow ourselves to suffer through.

Winter in Bluff is, however, enjoyed by Anglo and Navajo alike. During winter Bluff is a sleepy town. People take extra time in their comings and goings. You might see someone standing in the soft sunlight for quite some time, just soaking up the warmth of the sun like a lizard on a rock. There is more time for conversation as well, possibly because you can often be outside enjoying the mild temperatures. The barren limbs of the cottonwood trees stand in stark contrast to the warm orange tones of the surrounding cliffs. The daylight quickly fades, providing more time to spend with family and friends in the evening. It is a warm, rich time. I often find myself sitting in front of a small window in the late afternoon. The window is filled with the twisted, interwoven branches of a cottonwood tree. The light at this time of day is soft, filtered by high clouds and the angle of the sun. There is a golden glow surrounding the stark white, sunlit limbs, and the background of the sky is often an intense, sapphire blue. I frequently sit and contemplate the overall visual effect, wishing I was artistic enough to reproduce the image. Since I have only limited artistic ability, I can only commit the scene to memory. I use the images to focus my thoughts late at night when my mind won't slow down. They calm, focus and allow me to find sleep. I very much look forward to the winter season and the chance to refresh and re-commit these scenes to memory.

Winter must affect the Navajo people in much the same way, since this also is a time of reflection and story telling for them. There is much to be taught and learned. The legends and lore are more easily discussed. The cooler weather seems to slow the pace for the artists as well. They are generally more free with information about their creations. The Navajo lifestyle is much slower than the rest of the world's anyway. I guess it is all relative. Maybe because the winter months are traditionally the time Navajo elders share creation tales and discuss life ways, the in-depth discussions come more freely and are more open. Frequently we feel that we are being granted a rare look into a time honored and evolving belief system.

There are those who feel that we share too much information about the beliefs of the Navajo; that such knowledge must be hard won to have value. These individuals believe that the journey should be undertaken at the proper time in one's life; at a time when the individual is in need of answers to life's hard questions. In many of the cultural stories the searcher starts his quest as a homely, disheveled individual of lowly birth. Through trial and error and an intensive search for knowledge the youngster begins to grow and develop, the supernaturals take notice and begin to lend aid. There is always much personal growth and development achieved by the seeker; he begins to evolve, and becomes more refined. The common theme talks of beginning as a mud person and growing into something that resembles the Deities. At present we are akin to those mud people, but we aspire to a higher form. We hope that by sharing our glimpses into the Navajo culture you will gain a greater appreciation for the local people. This time of year makes us realize the true gifts we have been given, and we take great pleasure in sharing those gifts with all our friends.

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