Arizona or Bust: Mark's Arizona Site
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Now You See It : Vanishing People-Cultures-Creatures-Landscapes (March '09)
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People : Tony Hillerman, Author & Journalist (1925-2008)
"I'm getting old," declared the 77 year-old Hillerman in 2002, "but I still like to write."
Despite advice from his agent to “Get rid of that Indian stuff” after his first novel, 1970’s “The Blessing Way”, Tony Hillerman continued to immerse himself in the Navajo landscape and culture. A born storyteller in person and in print (and eventually adapted to PBS TV), he crafted 18 books in the Navajo series, and 12 other novels. While attending a school for Native American girls, the only suitable school in his small
Hillerman uses terms like ‘empty’, ‘lonely’, ‘spacious’, ‘strange’ and ‘fiercely inhospitable’ to describe the Navajo landscape. He expelled many myths about the Navajo people, “The Dineh” (pron. Dean-A), and describes them as both sophisticated and complicated.
Hillerman was so respected by Navajo elders that they told him stories about things their own children never inquired about. As a result, his books serve as instructions for ancient Navajo beliefs and customs.
Lt. Joe Leaphorn (actor Wes Studi), introduced in Hillerman’s first novel, is an experienced Navajo police officer who understands, but doesn’t share, his people’s traditional belief in a rich spirit world. His logical mind and passion for order contrast Officer Jim Chee (actor Adam Beach), introduced 8 years later (1978), as a younger Navajo officer studying to become a “shaman” (holy man). These two opposing and unlikely literary heroes finally meet in 1987’s Skinwalkers, Hillerman’s first commercial success, and continually struggle to bridge the cultural divide between the dominant Anglo society and the impoverished Navajo. For example, Leaphorn battles whether to encourage his cancer-stricken wife, an extremely likeable character, to seek the Navajo or Anglo forms of treatment.
Hillerman's many honors and titles include The Purple Heart-Silver Star-Bronze Star (Army, WWII), Executive Editor (Santa Fe New Mexican), Master’s Degree and Chairman of Journalism (Univ of New Mexico), Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, Special Friend of the Dineh (Navajo Nation), numerous Best Seller Lists, Golden Spur Award (Western Writers of America), Grand Master Award and President (Mystery Writers of America). The honor he treasured most was reviving Navajo childrens' interests in their ancient ways.
To read an outstanding interview with Hillerman, my favorite author, click here.
Cultures : Mega-Casino Complex planned for Glendale
The Tohono O'odham Indian Nation plans a high-end resort, casino and Tohono O'odham officials stated the tribe has worked more than five years to acquire the 134 acres. The 1.2 million-square-foot casino and resort will be Arizona's largest. The tribe will spend nearly $500 million on the 600-room resort complex. Federal officials must put the land in trust before construction can start, probably in 2010. If the hiring process follows normal patterns, about 75% of the employees will be non-Native American, with natives making up the difference. A guaranteed percentage of every casino’s revenue is returned to the State of Arizona.
convention complex near the Arizona Cardinals-University of Phoenix Stadium, site of 2008’s Super Bowl and near Glendale’s northern border with Peoria.
Creatures : Western Species Caught on Tape
Though it's just a year old, the Western Soundscape website already has more than 800 recordings of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians from 11 Western states. It'll also feature ambient soundscapes from wild places across the region.
The recordings, reduced to a short clip, will be added to the Western Soundscape Archive, a Web-based sound clearinghouse headquartered at the
The landscape recordings could also provide important audio snapshots that could used for comparison later when trying to understand how animals respond to encroaching subdivisions, oil and gas development, a warming climate or other changes.
As natural places disappear, so do the animal sounds that decorate them. There is a sense of urgency with rapidly disappearing species, especially amphibians (frogs and toads).
To visit their website and listen for yourself, click here.
Landscapes : Arizona starts closures of 8 state parks in '09
To eliminate a revenue shortfall, state officials are recommending the 
closure of eight of Arizona’s 27 state parks.
Parks recommended for closure include Fort Verde, Homolovi, Lyman Lake, McFarland, Oracle, Riordan, Tubac and Yuma Quartermaster Depot, and are in all four regions of the state. (Links to each are included above)
Officials picked the parks based on their higher per-visitor costs as compared to other parks.
As a visitor to some of the parks, I personally feel that a few of these closures are not a good idea. Parks officials caution that more closures may be needed.
