Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock: Reflections on Canyon de Chelly

Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock
Reflections on Canyon de Chelly
By Laura Tohe; Photographs by Stephen E. Strom
72 pp. / 9.25 in x 9.00 in / 2005
Paper (978-0-8165-2371-9)

Series
- Sun Tracks

Related Interest
- Poetry
- Navajo
- Nature and Environment

To visitors it is Canyon de Chelly, a scenic wonder of the Southwest whose vistas reward travelers willing to venture off the beaten track. But to the Diné, it is Tséyi', "the place deep in the

Stephen Strom's photographs are a perfect complement to Tohe's words.

—ASU Magazine

Beautifully textured colored photographs, the rocky landscape reads as a moonscape, full of etched patterns. The sweeping landscape of mountain and canyon seems to unfurl into infinity.

—Tucson Weekly

These photographs and poetry work beautifully together or apart to capture the essence of the canyon and the stories of Diné peopleThe ruminations are profound, painting a sacred place of loss and love.

—Tribal College Journal

Wholly unique . . .ideal for conjuring the rough, bleak world of the canyon.

—Green Valley News and Sun

rock," a site that many have long called home.

Now from deep in the heart of the Diné homeland comes an extraordinary book, a sensitive merging of words and images that reflects the sublime spirit of Canyon de Chelly. Diné poet Laura Tohe draws deeply on her heritage to create lyrical writings that are rooted in the canyon but universal in spirit, while photographer Stephen Strom captures images that reveal the very soul of this ancient place.

Tohe's words take readers on a journey from the canyon rim down sheer sandstone walls to its rich bottomlands; from the memory of Kit Carson's rifle shots and the forced march of the Navajo people to the longings of modern lovers. Her poems view the land through Diné eyes, blending history, tradition, and personal reflection while remaining grounded in Strom's delicate yet striking images. These photographs are not typical of most southwestern landscapes. Strom's eye for the subtleties and mysticism of the canyon creates powerful images that linger in the mind long after the pages are turned, compelling us to look at the earth in new ways.

Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock is a unique evocation of Canyon de Chelly and the people whose lives and spirits are connected to it. It is a collaboration that conjures the power of stories and images, inviting us to enter a world of harmony and be touched by its singularly haunting beauty.

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