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Grand Canyon Pioneers Society - Monthly Bulletin |
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| Vol 5, No 2 | February 2001 |
The Travels of the Flute-Playing Kokopelli
Jay Cravath's presentation of Kokopelli: Travels of a Flute Player at the January meeting of the Pioneers was excellent.
Jay, who is currently working on the Ph.D. at Arizona State University, first became interested in Indian music in Browning, Montana, when he heard Blackfeet Indians singing. Later he taught on the Apache reservation and became a student of Indian music. He also learned to play the flute. Jay says that the main instrument for courting is the flute. In the flute ceremony of the Hopi, the flutes call down the corn maidens to fertilize the corn. Kokopelli, the humpbacked flute player, is seen in petroglyphs and pictographs on rock walls and in canyons all over Arizona. Jay showed slides of the many versions of Kokopelli. It is thought that perhaps Kokopelli had Potts Disease, a kind of rheumatism that causes humps. Sometimes the hump is represented as a backpack to indicate that he travels. Occasionally he is carrying a cane or walking stick. Other times he looks like the big grey robber fly known for his procreation abilities. The Navaho Kokopelli always has a pack. Sometimes Kokopelli is portrayed with a group of women.
GCPS Outings for 2001
| February 17: |
"Fateful Journey" - the latest new book by Thomas Myers MD
along with Christopher Becker MT and Lawrence Stevens PhD. Dr. Myers will
talk about their account of injury and death on Colorado River trips in
Grand Canyon.
Dr. Myers has an undergraduate degree in history from Northern Arizona University. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Arizona. He lived and worked full time as a medical doctor at Grand Canyon National Park Clinic from 1990 to 1999. Today he has a practice in Williams, Arizona. | ||||
| March 17: | John Wesley Powell, a living history by Todd Weber. We'll meet in Prescott at the Palace Bar at 11:30 AM for lunch. The Palace Bar is on Whiskey Row. Weber's presentation will be at the Sharlott Hall Museum at 1:00 PM. Also, there is an exhibit of Gary Ladd's photography at Sharlott Hall Museum. | ||||
| April 21: | Hopi Mesas - a tour of three mesas lead by Gary Tso. The tour includes visits to artisans homes, all transportation, and lunch. The cost will be $50 per person if we have 20 participants and $75 if we have 15. Plan ahead to attend this tour. Please let Betty Leavengood know if you will be going on the Hopi Mesa Tour. (HikerBetty@aol.com or 520-885-3570) This is a unique opportunity to visit all three Hopi mesas and visit the homes of artisans. | ||||
| May 19: | Photography of Grand Canyon, a slide presentation by Gary Ladd. | ||||
| June 16: | Annual Picnic at Shoshone Point, Grand Canyon South Rim. | ||||
| July 21: | Flights over Grand Canyon - Jim McCarthy will talk about flights over the Grand Canyon. He did his Master's Degree thesis on flights over the Canyon. | ||||
| August 18: | Glen Canyon, the early fight, by GCPS member Harvey Leake. | ||||
| September 15: | Rock Art Ranch tour with owner Brantley Baird. | ||||
| October 20: | Board Meeting. and a talk about "Sunk Without A Sound: The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde" by Brad Dimock. | ||||
| November 17: | Backpacking remote areas of Grand Canyon - a slide program by Carol Castleman. Carol has lead Sierra Club trips around the world -- including many, many Grand Canyon backpacks to remote areas as well as about two dozen rafting trips. | ||||
| December: | No Meeting |
Letters from our Members
Dear GCPS:
The following Christmas message is from Michael Harrison, a member of
your organization, who started working as a park ranger at Grand Canyon in
1922. He celebrated his 103rd Birthday on December 13 and is still going
strong although unable to move around except with the aid of a walker. I
imagine he is the oldest living former Grand Canyon park ranger in the
country, if not the oldest living ex park ranger.
I thought this information might be of interest to your organization
and perhaps in the next issue of your newsletter there might be some mention
about Michael Harrison. I'm sure there are members of you organization who
are very familiar with his background and accomplishments since he retired
many years ago.
Respectfully submitted
Vincent J. Lozito
Acting conservator for Mr. Harrison
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My Dearest Friends:
I take this opportunity on the occasion of my 103rd birthday today and
the present holiday season to thank each of you for the many greeting cards
and letters that have been sent wishing me well.
Many of you may be wondering why you haven't heard from me personally
in recent months or why you have not received my usual Christmas card. I did
send out a form letter to a number of friends in early summer stating that
in April I had a couple of bad falls (no broken bones) in the house and
since then I have been unable to get around like I used to. I now can get
around with the aid of a walker and the help of a full time caretaker. The
University Library at Davis installed a chair lift in the house which
enables me to go down stairs to my library and that helped considerably.
Unfortunately, I find myself unable to do the necessary work in the library
and now depend on trusted friends to do the detail cataloging and other
administrating duties to keep the library current. I must tell you they are
doing a great job and it relieves me of many concerns. Of course I would
rather be doing it myself but I must accept the fact that my age has
finally caught up with me!
I am very grateful to a few friends in Sacramento who are doing
everything possible to see that I remain in my own home following my
unfortunate experience rather than considering being placed in an adult care
center. I know I wold not like that. Therefore I am very thankful for what
is being done and I am likewise appreciative of all the good wishes and
inspirations I receive from friends like you.
In closing I want you to know I am well taken care of and look forward
to hearing from you even though I may not be able to answer your letters
individually. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and
Prosperous New Year.
Your Dear Friend
Michael Harrison
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Dear Editor:
You don't seem to have any present news about members--do you only live
in the past? I know where Bernice Meadows is and Louise Bailey too (Started
first grade with her). Other Canyoners must have kept in touch also.
Betty Sharp Waterman
2464 Benson Ln
Eugene, OR 97408
[Some of our members might like to get back in touch with Betty.]
We Thank You
We thank all of our members who have added a donation to their Dues check. Your help is greatly appreciated and will aid us in keeping our Scholarship and Restoration projects afloat.
Dr. Michael Anderson, who we helped through our Scholarship, is a shining example of what we have done with the money members have donated in the past. Dr. Anderson received his doctorate in History in 1999 and is now employed by the Grand Canyon Field Institute helping to promote visitor education through classroom and outdoor instruction and continues to turn out histories of the Grand Canyon region. Mike told us recently that he could not have made it through the long years of graduate school without financial help like ours.
We need your help to continue to turn out graduates like Mike with a contribution to the GCPS' scholarship fund.
New Members
Becky S. Ingram - Richland, MS
Tom and Carole Garranger - Phoenix, AZ
Brian and Margarita Park - Butte, MT
2001 Easter Hike and
Sunrise Service in the Grand Canyon
Darwin Plateau. Huxley and Spencer Terrace. Bass Overlook. Ruby drainage. Grand Scenic Divide. Mt. Huethawali. This is the setting for the 2001 Easter Hike and Sunrise Service in the Grand Canyon.
Individuals or groups hike in on Friday, April 13. On Saturday there is time to explore this interesting area of the Canyon. The Sunrise Service is time to talk about Jesus Christ. The group hikes out after the Service.
This is an "easy" Grand Canyon hike - no rock scrambles, no hiking on the edge, no roping of packs to the next level, no chimneys to inch up and down, and no pour off and deep water pools to negotiate.
The most difficult part of this outing is the 30 miles of (rough) unpaved road to the trailhead. The last five miles of the road is commonly called "two ruts" (it is more fun if it is raining or snowing!). For more information and/or to reserve a spot, call Lee Albertson at 480-838-2710 or send an email at Albertson1213@msn.com.
GRAND CANYON PIONEERS SOCIETY PIONEER AWARD
NOMINATIONS now being ACCEPTED for the GRAND CANYON PIONEERS SOCIETY PIONEER AWARD.
The Grand Canyon Pioneers Society is now accepting nominations for the 2001 Pioneer Award. The Society wants to an honor an individual who has made a significant contribution to the understanding of and knowledge about the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.
The individual honored will have made a significant contribution to the understanding of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado in such areas as: Geology, Creation, River Running, Backcountry Hiking, Photography, History, Administration, etc., that is, any area that advances the knowledge of the Grand Canyon.
The form has been shortened to make it easier for the individual making the nomination. The one page form to nominate an individual for the Pioneer Award may be obtained from:
Lee Albertson, Chairman
Grand Canyon Pioneer Society Pioneer Award
12219 South 71st Street
Tempe, AZ 85284-2314
Phone: 480-838-2710
Email: Albertson1213@msn.com
The completed form must be returned by February 15, 2001. If you have any questions, please contact Lee Albertson.
News Flash
Harvey Butchart, the Dean of Grand Canyon hiking, will be 94 this year. A birthday celebration is being planned for Harvey on Thursday, May 10, 2001.
The planning for the celebration is a joint effort of the Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association, the Grand Canyon Pioneers Society, the Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association, and the Grand Canyon National Park.
Mike Coltrin is the Chairman for this event. As plans are finalized, the information will be disseminated.
Outings Contacts Information
Outings Coordinator:
Betty Leavengood
6045 Edison St.
Tucson AZ 85712
520-885-3570
HikerBetty@aol.com
The Bulletin welcomes comments, stories, or Reflections and Remembrances.
Please send them to
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Diane Cassidy
8540 North Central Avenue #27 Phoenix, AZ 85020 |
or e-mail them to Diane@grandcanyonbooks.com
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