What We Can Learn From Chaco Culture National Historic Park That is Relevant Today
©Bert Gildart: Several years ago after ascending a short trail through a cliff face in Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Janie and I came to an overlook that allowed us to peer over a vast complex known as Pueblo Bonito. Studying the amazing brick work we could make out what park interpreters said were homes–and circular structures known as kivas.
From a cliff face in Chaco, we looked down over Pueblo Bonito and could see the round circular structures knows as Kivas. Though they were used for religious cermonies, some believe their superabundance heralded the demise of a culture.
These particular structures were numerous, and I had to wonder what happened? That question led me to purchase an informative book written by Dr. David E. Stuart entitled Anasazi America. From it I took away some important concepts that are applicable to our society today. The theories illustrate a significant way our national parks benefit today’s society, for they provide lessons from the past, often germane. (Other Native American ruins we’ve explored include Anza Borrego, Zion, Earth Mother, V-Bar-V Heritage Site.)
Dr. Stuart took an entire book to develop his thoughts, but the essence of this imminent archaeologist’s theory is that the “unbelievable explosion of kivas about A.D 1100 points to a ritual life that had stopped nurturing open communities and had grown increasing demanding and obsessive.”
PASSING OF A CULTURE
Stuart takes this concept and then says there’s a modern version of this behavior. “…a narrow sector of society,” writes Stuart, “designates itself the chosen one and attempts to regulate the values, morals, even politics of the rest… In the end, this type of behavior blames the victim: one is poor in America because one is morally and ethically defective.” Elitists, he says, are created and that, Stuart says, is what contributed in large measure to the decline of the ancients.
Masonary skill of the ancients were impressive and five different types are represented in the doors leading through these halls of Pueblo Bonito. Large format photography works particularly well here, particularly with a wide angle lens.
Regardless of whether you concur with Stuart, one of the greatest cultures in America perished. Some say drought played a role, and Dr. Stuart acknowledges that that in part may have contributed to the collapse. But Stuart believes it was more. He says that the elite had become obsessed with material goods and that it had eliminated the middle class upon whom all goods were dependent. They did so by providing less and less in return for their efforts, in part so they could build more kivas and have more leisure time in them. That meant their “middle class” got poorer as did their lower class. Meanwhile the rich got richer, though not for long. Eventually the Chacoan culture collapsed, and in ways artifacts show were often barbaric.
The collapse was significant and it was inclusive, resulting in the demise of a culture that can be counted as some of the world’s most skilled masons; and if you take time to explore the many national park managed areas in the Four Corners, I am confident you too most will become intrigued with this former way of life and all it offered–for awhile. Of course, this is just the theory of one man, though a man who has written many books on these ancients and their life ways.
AREAS TO VISIT
If you do intend to visit artifacts left by these ancient puebloan peoples of the Four Corners, you’ll want to visit such areas as Chaco, Aztec, Canyon del Chelly, Mesa Verde, Navajo National Monument, and Hovenweep–all located within a relatively short driving distance of one another. This is one of those places in America where you can devote months and never feel you’ve seen it all. For RV enthusiasts, that means gas expenditures are lessened. In fact, if you go now your saving might be even greater, for we all know they’re now “giving away” gas at the pumps. Next month it may soar.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR SERIOUS PHOTOGRAHY
I’ve visited these areas dozens of times for magazines such as Native Peoples Magazine. Thoughts expressed above are much on my mind, as I’m now working on another story for another publication.
Kin Kletso, one of the many photos I made using a large format camera.
Stock photos (4×5) in my files have been used by calendar companies. In fact, because rocks don’t move, this is a perfect place for the 4×5 format and I’ve used–and still use–a Toyo Field 45AII with three Nikor lenses to include a 75mm wide angle, 180 normal and a 360 medium telephoto. Obviously I work off a tripod.
As well, I use a Nikon D300 with an assortment of lenses similar to the ones above. For interior shots you must have a wide angle, but for landscape photos such as shown in picture number one, you will need a short telephoto. Typically, particularly with interior shots and when working with a large format camera, I use long exposures (one full second and sometimes even longer) and extremely small apertures, such as f-45 or even f-64 (remember Ansel Adams’s F-64 club?). The same applies to 35mm photography, though extreme settings are not required to optimize depth of field.
TWO YEARS AGO AT THIS TIME:
*Appalachia, The Blue Ridge Parkway & Miller’s Camp
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