Spider Woman Rock - Canyon de Chelly

Spider Woman Rock – Arizona – 25 June 2000. This morning I drove from Chinle, Arizona over to the Third Mesa to see a corn dance.
I watched, with all the other Hopi villagers, from the roof of a building that overlooked the ceremonial area.
There had always been Kachina dolls in my house while I was growing up. Soon the ceremonial area was filled with 70 to 80 of the real thing. The ceremony lasted about thirty minutes. I just watched and listened - trying to remember every detail. The combination of regalia, drum, bells, dancing and chanting was ( for myself anyway ) is difficult to describe. Because the singers were wearing Kachina helmets - their voices resonated.
The Kachinas tossed fruit and corn into the audience.
I was regarding an orange - thinking I should give it to a passing elder. She held up her hand and said, “It’s been blessed - You should eat it.”
I waited until late this afternoon while watching the shadow of Spider Woman Rock creep up the canyon wall.
That was one great orange.
Nikon FE2 w/35-70mm Sigma