Day Twelve in Chaco

Nick Hernandez

October 20, 2016

 Chaco Canyon field school is a tireless adventure with many rewards. The rewards we receive are the beauty of exploration and picturesque landscapes that seem more fitted for art museums paintings. Our days start before the sun comes up, which leaves a couple moments to stop and appreciate the amazing sunrises of the southwest that catch the sky on fire within the hustle of preparing breakfast and lunch for 15 individuals who all need to get ready for the day. When everyone in the city is barely waking up to their alarm clock we are set up and in place at the Wetherill site, discovering a little bit of history.

Archaeological work draws people from all backgrounds and of all age groups. All with a thirst for knowledge and a deeper understanding of the prehispanic people who once populated this area without the amenities we take for granted. What was the breakfast of the Chacoan people? What were the sleeping arrangements? What was it like without toiletries? In a landscape where everything is abrasive it’s hard to imagine a well-groomed and pleasant smelling gathering of people in one of these rooms that would sleep an entire family.

A common misconception about these early inhabitants is the idea of primitiveness. When we think primitive we almost automatically assume they weren’t as smart as modern man. Chacoans may have never known the Pythagorean Theorem (if that’s how we measure smart) or how to operate an IPhone, (even some of us still can’t figure that out), but the knowledge of living off the land far exceeds our own. It would take weeks or months to teach a Chacoan basic math skills or how to drive a car; however, it would take years of practice to learn how to survive in such a harsh environment, such as knowing what to eat and when to eat it, what to plant and where to plant it, and when to harvest. We show up in luxury, without walking for miles in an endless desert, we show up with meals planned, food stocked, water for showers, and Quilted Charmin. Our understanding has limitations because of the conveniences we have today. For instance, I’ve been practicing flint knapping for a while and can barely mimic the most rudimentary cutting tools and have yet to make anything that would even be identifiable as a Chacoan style tool. 

We can observe and analyze what was left behind. We can try to understand the mind set of these people and their lives but until we are thrust into that situation without our technology or grocery stores, running water through our homes, electricity, and those all-important toiletries, will we truly learn how these prehistoric people survived and thrived! We see air conditioning and heaters as companions for existence. Chacoans knew how to make fires without gas or electricity and make tools out of their resources at hand, to hunt and how to harvest. The U.N.M. Chaco Field School has given us this opportunity to learn and discover just how these people lived.