When it comes to travel, I’ve had my share. I don’t leave the island much for various reasons including reclining airline seats.
Off to the Grand Canyon and Antelope slot canyon I went, to an “Indian reservation“, I still don’t understand why some still call them Indians, none of them have relatives in India. China maybe, Alaska for sure but not India.
You can read all the reviews on Tripadvisor or Facebook but when it comes to tour companies you get what you get when it comes to “your guide” him or her? In my case I got really really lucky.
Matt was my guide from Grand Canyon Adventures. He had half a van with only me asking questions for 10 hours, pour old Matt.
Being from Hawai’i with our own Indigenous people I had many questions. He had 1,000 well informed answers to all and great stories as well.
With 44% unemployment and a closing power plant the future doesn’t look good for these First Americans, except for tourism.
Once we arrived at Antelope Canyon we were off USA territory and on an Indian reservation. This was a sobering change of energy for me.
But my luck continued as Matt handed me over to sweet Betty Ellen as my 100% native to guide me through the beautiful Antelope slot canyons. She was very nice and had a great eye for image making, at one point kindly grabbing my iPhone to get me “The million dollar Shot” herself.
I had a big Pro Canon camera but honestly her shots were better. In parting I asked her what her people would call me? As Hawaiians call us Haoles…..with her head bowed down she said many names. One for each race.
My mission now is to learn as much as I can about our nations original Americans, it’s long overdue.
