The land forgets. Time forgets. And this is the natural way of things, I think, driving through the crimson valley. Or is it? Perhaps nothing is consigned to oblivion except from human memory, human perception.
The erased things are more noticeable at Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii. The eroded sandstone calls attention to itself by its absence from the towering buttes. The bleached skull of a lizard points out the presence of death in the wilderness. The hogan of the Diné reminds me that a vanquished people live here. The stratified topography evokes memories of lost stories, misplaced names, extinct societies, broken bodies.
This terrain makes it so easy to forget with its vast sweeps of sky, its unending rusted plains. Too readily I pretend to be the privileged explorer discovering untamed mesas and alien pillars untouched by time. Erasing the past I play at conquering the illusory empty harshness of a nonexistent American West.
Life goes on. What’s old will be new again. History is set on an infinite loop. All this is true, but it’s also a convenient excuse. I can choose not to remember what is still present. I can deny knowledge recovered over and over again. I can couch the narrative in conjunctive amnesia. I come out of it defeated, though, buried under the rubbish I’ve concocted.
Where weather has stolen the principal layers it has left deep scars — minerals exposed change the color from tawny to lavender, cracks widen into chutes, fins thin; it is the same with human actions. Past conduct complicates future solutions, ignoring them doesn’t ameliorate.
Perhaps it is because these rocks are one-hundred-and-sixty million years old. Perhaps it is the seemingly eternal ribbon roads cutting through expansive desert on their way to meet an infinite horizon. Perhaps it is the solitary monoliths which appear to broodily guard this space. I can’t put my finger on it, but something at Monument Valley provokes great melancholy, a feeling of isolation, a wandering of the soul. To me it also breeds a sense of sanctity too precious to be spoken aloud.
Of course the imperviousness of the environment is a lie which can be dispelled by the sight of discarded mines, signs for new age retreats, fast food wrappers fluttering from gulches. Any way you slice it, truth is we change the form of the land. We reshape it with our perspective, our ignorance, our desire. We mow it, plow it, scrape parts of it onto other sections, gouge it, polish it, build on it….
Such feats feel impossible in this dream world whose otherness emphasizes our inability to comprehend nature. It’s a deception. This earth also carries upon it our violence; the wounds of identity, the trauma of ownership exist here too. Only my unwillingness to acknowledge it hinders me from seeing.
It’s difficult at first for me to comprehend that Monument Valley is a continuous sea of rock. The famous turrets that rise up, like mythical beings, are in fact part of the plateau. They are deeply rooted, imbedded — as I am, as we all are — to our planet. I think it a mistake that they’ve been labeled: the Three Sisters, the Mitten Buttes, the Totem Pole. Such categorization constricts us from understanding the interconnectivity of existence, the multiplicity of matter. I’m reminded by these mega-formations of sedimentary-conglomerate-sand-rock not to confine the generosity on spectacle at Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii.
I’m glad this place disquiets me. I hope I never forget it. I hope it continues to haunt me long after I drive away. I hope it whispers to me in coming years of its undefinable fluidity. I hope it confounds me to the very end.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Monument Valley may look like an impregnable landscape, but it is a delicate habitat and a cultural preserve. Plants, such as the purple sage, the juniper, and the yucca as well as animals like coyotes, red-tailed hawk, and mountain lions depend on the balanced environment. In addition, this is home to Navajo Nation who consider the geology and wildlife here as sacred and essential. Please travel throughout the plateau responsibly and tread carefully.
What does landscape mean to you? From what perspectives do you see it? Ever been in a landscape which you thought was from another planet? Let me know about it in the comments below!
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Oh my. This makes quite an impression. I could only imagine how it must have been for you, even though you bring it across well, this feeling of out of place. May we tread carefully wherever we go.
“May we tread carefully wherever we go.” From your thoughts to everyone’s brain! (That’s not the expression but there should be one like this, no?) It really breaks my heart to see our rubbish everywhere. Always so wonderful to have you stop by Manja.
An incredibly powerful soulful post! With such an extraordinary landscape I can more than understand the depth of your reflections, the intense impact of the the landscape upon you. This is beautifully captured in your prose, pure magic, soul-searching. Sentences such as this one stand out and demand to be read over! ‘Monument Valley provokes great melancholy, a feeling of isolation, a wandering of the soul. To me it also breeds a sense of sanctity too precious to be spoken aloud.’ I have never had the chance to visit Monument Valley but feel through your post I’ve been there a little. Thank you so much for sharing! 😀
It was a pleasure to put together this little post and I’m so pleased it resonated with you! I rarely get feedback on my writing outside of the blog, so it’s wonderful to hear your thoughts on my prose.
There are a few places in the US I would truly like to visit and this is one of them. Thank you for this tour through this stunning landscape.
It’s always a pleasure to have you stop by.
I’ve never been there, but now I am, and in the few moments each time I return. Lots to learn here. Meditation material. I needed a good guide. Thankyou.
Thank you for the compliment. I’m glad to know that my post was helpful to you.
Sigh!…Such beautiful words for such an amazing and special place. I remember when my American husband (now ex) took me to witness the beauty of Monument Valley… there was a reverence which came over me, a quietness…it was so vast and so still that I felt to my core the transience of my stay on this beautiful planet.
I appreciate your kind words. As you say, the landscape in this region has a visceral effect. Aside from the inherent geological features, I think much of this is because the indigenous who live in the area do so with great respect and love for the terroir.
These natural wonders never cease to amaze!
Indeed. Thank you as always for your visit and support.
👍🏼😊
What a beautifully written tribute. I have seen Monument Valley a number of times and have always been impressed this sense of a lack of time, yet it’s also clearly shaped by time. This area, among others, makes me feel how small I am in relation to the sweep of the earth. The north (northern Canada) has the same effect.
Thank you very much. You’re so right. It’s so easy to think of these landscapes as immutable, but they are affected by the passage of time as well as by human activity.
I’ve wanted to visit the Four Corners area since reading Edward Abbey’s books. Thanks for your inspiring words and photos.
I’m so very happy that my post was an inspiration to you. Two authors who guided me on my explorations of the region were Luci Tapahonso and Laura Tohe.
It’s mesmerising stuff, isn’t it? 🙂 🙂 I have nothing to compare with this. The beaches on my north east coast resemble a lunar landscape in some cases. A relic of the mining days. But not the immensity of this.
You said it! I tend to think of Scottish Highlands or parts of Wales when it comes to surreal UK landscapes…they have that same false sense of earth untouched by time or human hand.
A haunting landscape for sure, and you’ve done it justice. This was tentatively on our list to see in Utah this summer; you may have pushed the decision to yes with your words and photos. The dry southwest bored me for years, but maybe as I’ve added to my own time on earth, places like this appeal to me more and more.
Thank you so much for saying that! I’ve found the landscape of the southwest to be incredibly intriguing, filled with surrealism, vivid colors, and unusual delicacy. This time around I tried to see beyond the geology to acknowledge the indigenous culture that has imbued these landscapes with philosophies beyond “untouched wilderness.”
Gorgeous natural wonders………
Indeed.
Like other southwestern landmarks, experiencing this iconic landscape reminded me of my insignificance, and left indelible impressions. I think all of us would benefit from regular retreats into the desert.
The southwestern region of the US has so many different landscapes and it has been marvelous for me as I experience many of these unique geologies.
I am with you. They inspire on so many different levels.
What utterly astonishing images. Wow.
Thank you! The geology in this part of the United States is truly amazing!
Somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. Your images are really good.
Thank you! I’ve so enjoyed traveling around this part of the United States and attempting to get images that give a sense of the fragility and indomitability of these landscapes.
Lovely post. Love these sentences, “Life goes on. What’s old will be new again. History is set on an infinite loop. All this is true, but it’s also a convenient excuse. I can choose not to remember what is still present. I can deny knowledge recovered over and over again. I can couch the narrative in conjunctive amnesia. I come out of it defeated, though, buried under the rubbish I’ve concocted. “
Oh, thank you for mentioning that! Trying to find new ways of covering old ground.