In picturesque Palatki (“red house”), a heritage site in Red Rock Canyon just outside of Sedona, Arizona, it is possible to imagine life among the Sinagua Indians many centuries ago.The site has a village feel, with remnants of dwellings, a granary and possible kiva (or ceremonial room) to the right and group gathering sites with fascinating and abundant rock art to the left, some of which dates back 12,000 years and predates the Sinaguan settlers.Artifacts, such as arrowheads, also spontaneously appear from time to time in the unexcavated ruins.
About twice a month, site stewards conduct tours just beyond The Grotto and the Bear Alcove to a very large agave roasting pit and a ceremonial spirit hole where modern medicine men still pray.The agave is a cultivated plant that continues to be prized by several Native American tribes, who roast the sweet, artichoke-like heart for special occasions and cultural festivals.
A few miles west of Palatki and constructed around the same time is Honanki or “Bear House.” These cliff-dwelling ruins housed successive Native American cultures (Sinagua, Yavapai and Apache) over a period of seven centuries, and represent one of the largest population centers in the Verde Valley. Archeologists estimate that at least 400 people lived there at a time.Some of the dwellings were three-stories high.
Other outstanding examples of Sinagua ruins include the national monuments of Tuzigoot in Clarkdale and Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde (described in other articles here) and the V-Bar-V Heritage site by the banks of Wet Beaver Creek, which has more than 1,000 petroglyphs of human, animal and geometric shapes.
These five locations are among some 50 pueblos or towns the Sinagua (“Without Water”) Indians built around present-day Sedona during the time they inhabited the area—from about 650 A.D. until they left the Verde Valley around 1400 A.D.As the Sinaguans moved out, the Yavapai and Apache moved in.Some scholars believe that the Hopis are descendants of the Sinaguans.
To this day, the Yavapai, Apache and Hopi (and other tribes) continue to conduct rituals in and around Sedona, and visitors are sometimes invited. Native wisdom tours often include medicine wheel ceremonies and occasional sweat lodges.
Native American culture is also celebrated at Sedona’s Ringing Rock Foundation, the Institute of Ecotourism and the Institute for Cultural Awareness. From time to time, the Sedona Heritage Museum hosts presentations by representatives of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, which explain both current tribal culture (including ceremonies, arts and crafts, food and education) and the history of tribal traditions. Other opportunities to learn about Native American culture include musical and dance performances throughout the year, collaborative educational initiatives, and the presentation of American Indian jewelry, pottery and rugs in the city’s galleries and shops and at outdoor shows.
