Day 11: Wupatki National Monument

Though not recognisable from afar, the building is an actually an restoration, and inevitably raises questions about authenticity. 

Our visit to Wupatki National Monument located in central Arizona, with its ruins of the dwellings of prehistoric Native Americans, seemed on the one hand to offer rare evidence of American history prior to 1776. Indeed, the detailed descriptions provided by the visitor center claimed that evidence of agriculture (not typically associated with Native American culture) and extensive trade had been found, with the architecture showing influences from multiple different cultures. At the same time, though, Wupatki also offered evidence of the issues associated with the drive for conservation and authenticity. For example, it was revealed that main building was a restoration, and that it had once been occupied by a National Park ranger. Moreover, despite Wupatki having been part of the land of tribes such as the Hopi and Navajo for centuries, because it is now not part of their reservation, and under the management of the National Park Service (NPS), they have over the years been forced away in the name of conservation itself (Fonseca, 2014). How this contributes to the authenticity of the site is hard to fathom, for Native Americans have always been part of it.

Though not an image one associates with Wupatki, it once again reveals water conservation issues the region is facing. 

Fonseca, F. (2014) Navajo family fights to remain at Wupatki National Monument. Arizona Daily Sun. Available at: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/navajo-family-fights-to-remain-at-wupatki-national-monument/article_c57a2e8e-b2a7-11e3-8414-0019bb2963f4.html [Accessed 14 May 2016]