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Canyon de Chelly 1 October 17, 2008 |
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| Except for occasional residence by some Hopi, the canyon remained largely uninhabited until it was
occupied by the Navajo around 1700. In later times, the canyons were to become strongholds against Spanish and American forces. In 1805 a Spanish lieutenant Antonio Narbona led an incursion in the Canyon del Muerto against the Navajo. The Spanish and Opata force roundly defeated the Diné, who in their retreat hid their women, children and elderly in a cave high on a cliff wall, and tried to lure the Spaniards away. When an old woman began taunting the Spanish from the mouth of the cave, however, these procured access to the cave and slaughtered everyone there, cracking skulls with guns butts and severing ears as trophies. Before leaving the canyon, the Spanish force destroyed everything in sight. [1] The cave is now named Massacre Cave. It was also in the Canyon de Chelly stronghold that the Diné under chief Manuelito made their final - unsuccessful - stand against US General Christopher "Kit" Carson in 1864. The defeat signaled the advent of the Long Walk. | ||
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