Navajo legend says that a woman who once roamed the winding, spiraling, sun-drenched red rock canyons near Page still watches over the land.

“The Lady in Red has her hair down, long and flowing beautifully,” said Angelita Nez, Reputation Coordinator for Tardidine Tours. “Normally, Navajo women wear their hair in a bun. When we let our hair down, we are fierce. Her appearance in the canyon reflects her role as the protector of this special canyon. It shows ferocity.”

This “special canyon” is Antelope Canyon X, whose rock symbol Lady in Red saw more than 130,000 visitors last year. Slot canyons are named for the X-shaped opening at the top that allows sunlight to filter in and make the red rocks glow. And this is the beginning of miles of stunning hidden trails through a maze of sun-drenched ancient rocks that fit together like puzzle pieces created by time, wind, and water. It’s just that.

In 2016, another Navajo woman, Rita Tsinigine, a mother and grandmother, founded Taadidin Tours with much the same goal as Lady in Red: preserving stunning and sacred landscapes. did. She achieves this through awareness by sharing the beauty of nature along with the traditions, history and culture of her tribe. Tardydin Tours owns exclusive concessions in Antelope Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon.

Her son, Logan Tsinigine, an engineer who worked at the now-defunct Navajo Power Plant, runs a family-owned company that employs more than 50 people, all Navajo. He added a corn pollen internship program to teach younger members of the tribe business skills such as marketing, human resources, tribal legal systems, and tour management. The internship is designed based on a similar program created by Salt River Project, the primary operator of the Navajo Nation Power Plant, and includes Nez, Tsiniguine and Taadidin Cultural Advisor Paul Begay. It employed many tribal members. Through the Corn Pollen Internship, college-bound students can apply for a $4,000 scholarship.

Nez explained that corn pollen is important to Navajo culture and is used in many ceremonies. She carries a small bag of corn pollen with her and sprinkles a pinch toward the east during her morning prayers.

“As far as cultural instruction is concerned, young people are not being exposed to much,” Begay said. “Travel companies here understand that, so they’ve set up programs so they can teach young people. Tour guides want to learn Navajo culture, language and history.”

In the first class of the internship program, the teenagers enrolled were all members of the Tadidini family (now the English version of Taditin).

“In our culture, stories of history and tradition are passed down orally. They are not written down,” Begay said. “If young people want to know about it, it is understood that they approach elders and ask questions. Of course, sometimes the elders themselves are willing to talk freely about it, but most of the time , wait to be asked.”

When Tardydin Tours opened eight years ago, its facility consisted of two Chevrolet Suburbans and a card table where Rita Tsinigine and her daughter Jackie sat on the side of Highway 98 about 10 miles southeast of Page. It had been. Nowadays, gift shops, maintenance buildings, road graders and other large equipment are needed, as well as the four-wheel drive needed to transport hikers and photographers as they traverse the fine sand-covered terrain of the hills. A fleet of vans is provided. The same sand is used. Traditional Navajo sand painting.

“We are growing and will soon open a new building with all the necessary amenities,” said Rita, much like the Lady in Red who once roamed this land. She remembers running under giant boulders with her friends as a teenager, climbing through corkscrew-like geological formations and weaving through narrow rock passages. “It feels so good to be home here.” FBN

Bonnie Stevens, FBN

Click here to learn more about Tardydin Tours.
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