DAY 9
FRI 5 OCT 2012

Ben Teller was our guide during our explorations of Canyon de Chelly in early October. We enjoyed our time with him very much. Ben was born & raised in Canyon de Chelly, where he still lives; and he shared many stories with us (some of them quite poignant, and some of them funny) as we drove through the Canyon.

Ben's ancestry traces back to the great Navajo spiritual leader Barboncito (1821–1871) who tried to stop the forced relocation and internment of Navajo tribe members to Bosque Redando, NM, by the U.S. army.
Barboncito was present when the Treaty of 1868 was signed to end hostilities between the US and the Navajo people, who were then allowed to return to their ancestral homelands at Canyon de Chelly. Barboncito is largely credited for the long-term success of the Navajo culture and relations with non-Navajo. Shortly after the enactment of the Treaty, Barboncito died in 1871 at Cañon de Chelly.


Canyon de Chelly is really an impressive area and a must see on any tour of the southwest U.S.