The Secret of Navajo Cave
An eagle soaring over Cougar Canyon, Arizona, is a good omen for the canyon's Navajo inhabitants. To the Navajo, the eagle, referred to as "the sacred one," is a god that can prevent natural disasters…
The Secret of Navajo Cave
An eagle soaring over Cougar Canyon, Arizona, is a good omen for the canyon's Navajo inhabitants. To the Navajo, the eagle, referred to as "the sacred one," is a god that can prevent natural disasters, particularly lightning, which they fear most. Among the animals the Navajo consider to be evil is the cottontail rabbit, which is believed to consort with the devil because it sometimes makes its home in gravesites. The eagle kills and eats a rabbit, and is, in turn, killed and eaten by a cougar, which now makes the cougar evil. The eagle's death angers the god of wind and rain, resulting in a storm. The canyon has no paved roads, so much of its natural splendor is hidden from the outside world. The canyon's chief predator is the cougar, although it is not necessarily the most feared. A hungry cougar stalks a badger, but the smaller animal succeeds in intimidating and driving the cougar away. Another predator is the hawk, which has remarkable eyesight, and can dive and maneuver at very high speeds. In a confrontation between a hawk and a rattlesnake, the hawk uses its keen perception and speed to overwhelm the snake. Navajo legend contains many creatures considered to be symbols of fear. Some are real, like the bear, while others are mythical, like the giant spider of Spider Rock that carries off children who disobey their parents. Residents of the canyon make their living herding sheep and goats. The breed known as "Navajo sheep" is unique to the U.S., and is descended from a breed introduced on the continent by Spanish settlers. Though changing times have affected the lives of other Native Americans, those of the Navajo living in the canyon have changed little since the nineteenth century. The standard Navajo dwelling is the "hogan," a one-room log structure covered in soil that easily blends with the landscape. The Navajo live in harmony with nature, and consider events such as thunder, wind and rain to be gods. As night falls over the canyon, predators emerge, including the cougar, which makes an unsuccessful attack on a wild boar. The ongoing battle between predator and prey demonstrates the concept of "survival of the fittest." The earliest known human residents of Cougar Canyon were the Cliff Dwellers, known as the Anasazi, or "Ancient Ones," by the Navajo. They carved cities, called "pueblos," out of the cliffs surrounding the canyon, which protected them from invaders until the early fourteenth century, when the Anasazi were driven out of the canyon. Navajo trader Johnny Guerro arrives at the hogan of the Benally family to take them on their monthly visit to the trading post above the canyon in Chinle, Arizona. They travel eighteen miles in a four-wheel-drive truck over rough terrain before reaching Chinle, where young Steve Benally, Jr., visits with his friend, Walter Hayes, whose parents own the trading post. The next day, Steve rides to the Benally home on horseback, using the ancient Anasazi petroglyphs adorning the canyon walls as landmarks. The boys go camping in a meadow that night, and Steve tells Walter of Mummy Cave, an Anasazi pueblo where 100 Navajo warriors died in battle against Spanish settlers, many years earlier. The Navajo are forbidden from entering the cave because, according to legend, it is haunted by the souls of the dead warriors. The boys are awakened the next morning by the crow of a rooster, and after breakfast, they herd the Benally's sheep and goats up the canyon to a water hole. Steve and Walter leave the herd unattended to visit a raccoon that Steve has befriended. Meanwhile, a cougar appears at the water hole in search of a meal, and the ensuing commotion attracts the boys' attention. They scare off the cougar, round up the herd and return the animals to the corral. However, after taking a head count, they discover that a baby goat is missing and return to the water hole to find it. With the cougar in pursuit, the goat climbs the canyon wall toward Mummy Cave. The boys arrive on the scene and chase the goat around the pueblo. When Walter finally catches the goat in an Anastazi ceremonial pit, he is attacked by the cougar. Steve comes to his friend's rescue and frightens the cougar away. Steve and Walter return the baby goat to the corral, content in the belief that the gods have protected them from the evil spirits in the cave.
The Secret of Navajo Cave
Adventure,Drama,Family
Film Details
An eagle soaring over Cougar Canyon, Arizona, is a good omen for the canyon's Navajo inhabitants. To the Navajo, the eagle, referred to as "the sacred one," is a god that can prevent natural disasters, particularly lightning, which they fear most. Among the animals the Navajo consider to be evil is the cottontail rabbit, which is believed to consort with the devil because it sometimes makes its home in gravesites.
The eagle kills and eats a rabbit, and is, in turn, killed and eaten by a cougar, which now makes the cougar evil. The eagle's death angers the god of wind and rain, resulting in a storm. The canyon has no paved roads, so much of its natural splendor is hidden from the outside world.
The canyon's chief predator is the cougar, although it is not necessarily the most feared. A hungry cougar stalks a badger, but the smaller animal succeeds in intimidating and driving the cougar away. Another predator is the hawk, which has remarkable eyesight, and can dive and maneuver at very high speeds.
In a confrontation between a hawk and a rattlesnake, the hawk uses its keen perception and speed to overwhelm the snake. Navajo legend contains many creatures considered to be symbols of fear. Some are real, like the bear, while others are mythical, like the giant spider of Spider Rock that carries off children who disobey their parents.
Residents of the canyon make their living herding sheep and goats. The breed known as "Navajo sheep" is unique to the U.S., and is descended from a breed introduced on the continent by Spanish settlers. Though changing times have affected the lives of other Native Americans, those of the Navajo living in the canyon have changed little since the nineteenth century.
The standard Navajo dwelling is the "hogan," a one-room log structure covered in soil that easily blends with the landscape. The Navajo live in harmony with nature, and consider events such as thunder, wind and rain to be gods. As night falls over the canyon, predators emerge, including the cougar, which makes an unsuccessful attack on a wild boar.
The ongoing battle between predator and prey demonstrates the concept of "survival of the fittest." The earliest known human residents of Cougar Canyon were the Cliff Dwellers, known as the Anasazi, or "Ancient Ones," by the Navajo. They carved cities, called "pueblos," out of the cliffs surrounding the canyon, which protected them from invaders until the early fourteenth century, when the Anasazi were driven out of the canyon. Navajo trader Johnny Guerro arrives at the hogan of the Benally family to take them on their monthly visit to the trading post above the canyon in Chinle, Arizona.
They travel eighteen miles in a four-wheel-drive truck over rough terrain before reaching Chinle, where young Steve Benally, Jr., visits with his friend, Walter Hayes, whose parents own the trading post. The next day, Steve rides to the Benally home on horseback, using the ancient Anasazi petroglyphs adorning the canyon walls as landmarks. The boys go camping in a meadow that night, and Steve tells Walter of Mummy Cave, an Anasazi pueblo where 100 Navajo warriors died in battle against Spanish settlers, many years earlier.
The Navajo are forbidden from entering the cave because, according to legend, it is haunted by the souls of the dead warriors. The boys are awakened the next morning by the crow of a rooster, and after breakfast, they herd the Benally's sheep and goats up the canyon to a water hole. Steve and Walter leave the herd unattended to visit a raccoon that Steve has befriended.
Meanwhile, a cougar appears at the water hole in search of a meal, and the ensuing commotion attracts the boys' attention. They scare off the cougar, round up the herd and return the animals to the corral. However, after taking a head count, they discover that a baby goat is missing and return to the water hole to find it.
With the cougar in pursuit, the goat climbs the canyon wall toward Mummy Cave. The boys arrive on the scene and chase the goat around the pueblo. When Walter finally catches the goat in an Anastazi ceremonial pit, he is attacked by the cougar.
Steve comes to his friend's rescue and frightens the cougar away. Steve and Walter return the baby goat to the corral, content in the belief that the gods have protected them from the evil spirits in the cave..