Customer Reviews

Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock: Reflections on Canyon de Chelly (Sun Tracks)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book brings back many memories of my visits to Canyon De Chelly. The poetry and prose are descriptive of the feel of the area and the thoughts and emotions they generate. The photos are very nicely done and arranged.

They both give you a brief glimpse into the grandeur, charm, depth, majesty, sorrow, resiliency and soul of this amazing place and its inhabitants ancient and modern.

After the Grand Canyon, Canyon De Chelly is the place I most often recommend to visitors to Arizona. If you cannot visit Canyon De Chelly, I suggest getting this book. If you have been there, this book would make a great memento.

According to NativeWiki, "Laura Tohe is Diné (Navajo). She was born in Fort Defiance, AZ and is Tsenabahilnii (Sleepy Water People clan) and born for the Tódích'íinii (Bitter Water clan). She grew up near the Chuska Mountains on the eastern border of the Navajo Reservation and attended both boarding schools and public schools in Albuquerque."

Her poetry is informed by her experiences in the Native Schools; this poem from her first book No Parole Today reflects her childhood experiences:

Woolworths

Went to Woolworths
down at the corner of Fourth and Central downtown lots of skins hang out there
they call it the Indian Center
the bus stops out in front

Billie and I roamed among
record albums, make-up, hair spray
sprayed out hair platinum blonde
thought we'd get away from straight black hair

you know, the Joe-Babe look

a clerk heard the hissing can and
ordered us to put it back or buy it
she watched with eagle eyes

we ducked out of there
and fled on the first bus back to the Indian School

Tohe describes the book: "Tséyi' is a collaboration of my poetry and photography by award winning photographer/astronomer, Stephen Strom, who invited me to write the poetry. It contains bilingual poetry in Diné (Navajo) language and is one of a handful of books of its kind. While I am a speaker of my native language, I prepped myself to write the text by taking three summers of Navajo literacy courses at Diné College in Tsaile, AZ. I am one of a few indigenous writers who speaks, reads, and writes my native language. Thematically, Tséyi' speaks of the importance of indigenous social, historical, aesthetic, and cultural values rooted within place and language."

Tohe brings her poetic vision to this beautiful book about an extraordinary canyon in Arizona. Stephen E. Strom's photographs enhance her poetry and bring a different perspective to the place. In each case there is a wonderful subtlety to their contributions. Together the two very different artists have created an exceedingly beautiful work.

Robert C. Ross 2009

Enjoyable book to read after just going to Canyon De Chelly - I would have liked to see more pictures with vistas, more content, there were a few too many very closeups, Nice blend of copy and photos.