Keams Register

On a recent trip back home, we visited the Grand Canyon.  On the surface, it didn’t seem like the land had changed any, but taking a deeper look revealed that things have changed and not always for the better.    This picture of a small area of the canyon shows how time begins to crumble even giant stone structures.  It doesn’t seem to matter how many times people say that change is good, it hurts a little to see familiar things erode, especially those that seemed so strong and immovable.   It’s a melancholy day…

It began like any other day…the sun was shining, the birds were singing, I was having a cup of coffee and talking with my sister on the phone.  I was updating her on the newest addition to our family and telling her that I have started the process of introducing Navajo words to him at two months old.

I was slowly going down the parts of the body while he looked into my eyes with rapt attention.  I got to his arm and could not remember how to say the Navajo word for elbow.  WOW.  I asked my sister to please refresh my memory and she drew a blank.  UNBELIEVABLE.  My big sister knows more than all of us about our traditions and our language, and I had just stumped her.

Of course, this caused us to get really involved in naming ALL the parts of the body and we found we also could not remember how to say “cheeks” (the ones on your face, not the ones you sit on.)  This evolved into calling other family and friends who reminded us how to say cheeks but no one had a clue how to say elbow.

This was serious business!  My sister had chosen that day to take the long boring drive from Phoenix to Tucson and as she was driving along, it came to her.  She left me a message and she probably called everyone else back to update them as well.  Apparently the question had spread to other family members because I received a call from the heart of Navajo country from a relative that also supplied the word and chided us for being out of touch.  Much deserved chastising, I might add.

The language memory exercise brought home to all of us how much we are missing and losing due to lack of practice and use.  We made a vow and are determined to teach and use everything we know from our culture and traditions so that we can continue to teach our children.

Big lesson learned.

After years of observing and listening, I’ve finally determined what The Keams Family seems to value most in each other.  We all have a touch of wackiness and moments of delirium, but somehow most of us always find our footing.  The same traits we saw in our parents appear in us when the going gets tough and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. 

Our parents were tenacious and had a strength of purpose in how they lived and how they approached difficulties.  They were not always successful, but it did not take away from their gutsiness or resolve to better their lives.  We all remember our parents differently because we all spent time with them at different times of their lives.   (more…)

The Grand Canyon as seen through the eyes and camera lens of my very talented nephew Andrew...

Our family is very fortunate to accurately and truthfully state that the Grand Canyon is in our backyard.  Growing up on the reservation is a challenge, but it does come with its perks.  One of the biggest gifts that our family had was having the Grand Canyon on the other side of the mountain from our homeland.

This picture brings back many memories of excursions taken with my parents as they took time off from taking care of their livestock so they could rest and recuperate.  They particularly liked the time of year when the canyon was filled with fog.  The fog always gave me the chills because I could not see the bottom of the canyon, I always preferred days when it looked like this picture.

The Keams last name has sometimes been paired with some odd first names.  My eldest sister and I once had a long conversation about about what our parents thought about the names they were given and spoke about the names that they chose for us and our siblings.  We laughed about the way our English first names sounded with a thick Navajo accent.

What we discovered was that a lot of thought went into the names that were chosen for us.  Even when our parents did not truly understand why they had to be given anglo names so that they could attend school, they understood how important it was that we had names that would allow us to blend into white society. (more…)

    A light, silky breeze sent the essence of freshly cut grass in my direction. The breeze swept over me, playing with strands of my hair before it disappeared along with the swiftly fading clouds. No longer obscured, the sun gloried in triumph and presented the onset of a new day. A gift of gold and warmth gently covered the dark flesh of the people who gathered. The drums began the centuries-old beat of warriors, soft and light. As voices rose in celebration, ancient warrior cries emerged; the singers and the beat united as one spirit. One after the other, the dancers entered the circle to participate in the grand entry. Each dancer gracefully moved with the song and told a story of old.
(more…)

This is a story told to us by our parents, when we would go on long drives from our home to the nearest town or to haul water for the livestock.

Long ago, a Giant was walking uphill carrying a drum with a giant snake inside. When he got to the top of the hills, he sat down to rest. While he rested, the snake somehow got loose. Knowing how distructive the snake would be, he began to struggle with the snake, he tried hard to put it back in the drum but the snake was too strong. The scene of their battle can still be seen, because the land is pushed into hills and canyons.

  (more…)