SHIPROCK HAS BECOME one of the most recognizable places in the Southwest. Dozens of movies and TV shows have filmed scenes before the dramatic 7,178-foot peak that rises sharply from the desert floor in northwestern New Mexico, part of Navajo Nation’s Northern Agency. “It’s a monument that is world-renowned,” says Rose Morgan (Diné/Navajo), senior economic development specialist for the Navajo Nation.
Tsé Bit’a’í, as it’s known in Diné, or “rock with wings,” holds deep religious and historical significance for the Navajo people. Stories tell of a great bird that transported ancestral people to this land with the volcanic peak serving as their home. As such, visitors are required to view and photograph the site only from paved roads. Hiking and climbing are forbidden.
Nearby, the town of Shiprock, New Mexico, acts as a gateway to the Navajo Nation’s 27,000 square miles, which also span Arizona and Utah, and provides a sense of local culture. Start at the Coffee Ship, where you’ll find lattes, espresso drinks, Navajo tea, and snacks. “It all has that Navajo flavor,” Morgan says. The community hub also displays and sells works from local artists. “Every Navajo is a walking artist,” she says. “They all have some kind of art.”
On Saturdays, open markets pop up throughout the Navajo Nation. Visit the Shiprock Flea Market on the northwest side of the US 491 bridge for traditional Diné jewelry and art, a taste of local food, and flea market finds.
At the beginning of October, a nine-day healing ceremony begins once snow appears on the highest peaks in the mountains. The public is invited to the sacred tradition of Tł’éé’jí Hátaal (the Nightway Ceremony), with the understanding that no pictures, video, or audio recordings are allowed. The Northern Navajo Nation Fair, the oldest and most traditional of the Navajo Nation fairs, kicks off on the fourth day of the ceremony to celebrate the new year in the Diné calendar. “If you’re looking for jewelry, quality handcrafted items—whether it be tapestries, jewelry, Native clothing—or just to meet people,” Morgan says, the fair is the best time to go.