June 2, 2008
The real genesis of my research project happened three years ago in a camper parked behind the Ewing-Snell ranch house. It rained and rained and rained, and for several days we couldn’t get out to survey so we sat at the table and planned out our little venture. With several extra jolts of caffeine stimulating our thoughts, we talked about framing our research. After spending only a few days at Bighorn Canyon, we already had started giving our own names to natural features that crossed our path – names like Wild Rose Rock, Coyote Circle, No Dogs Allowed, Candy Mountain, and Paleo Point. Every name had a story behind it. Other places already had names that we incorporated into our stories – Mustang Flat, Lockhart Lane, and Jake’s Teeth. We wondered how is it that these features take on meanings, especially for new residents like us. Why do people return to certain places and how could we make this the emphasis of the way we consider the past? Landscapes. Are they vistas or visions? So our project was born: Exploring Social and Historical Landscapes of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The western Apache of Arizona have a remarkable way of talking about landscape that incorporates stories and morals for ways to live. Keith Basso wrote a book about it called Wisdom Sits in Places. I hear the echo of his words when I consider the past, and I wonder how the land continues to guide people. I have lived in small towns and big cities where buildings and pavement become landmarks. I prefer canyons and mountains and trails.
