The Navajo Medicine Pony ~ Living a Magical Life

Navajo Medicine Pony ~ Pure Vision Studios

In my last post, I promised the story of The Navajo Medicine Pony.  I think we all get to choose the type of life we live.  I have chosen a magical life.  I believe.

Angel Wynn of NativeStock Pictures is my dear friend, mentor and co-creator.  Angel is the leading supplier of Indian Country Imagery. We both share a great love and respect for the Native American People and their culture. She, my husband (who is a very brave man) and I were on a mad adventure in Arizona in 2009. It will take many posts to tell you all of the amazing places we were honored to see and photograph on that journey.
 

Certainly one of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Canyon De Chelly in Chinle, Arizona part of the Navajo Nation. I will post the story of our unforgettable tour through the bottom of Canyon De Chelly another time. Epic doesn't even come close to covering it.

After a very long and magical day, we were headed back to the campground at sunset.  Horses are everywhere in Chinle.  I understand the Navajo Nation is not in the habit of restricting their horses behind fences.  Several times we had already witnessed horses running freely through town.  At the end of this day, however, a beautiful single pony stepped out of the brush by the side of the road bathed in the beautiful light of an Arizona sunset. 

Angel and I were nothing but ##@es and elbows grabbing our gear from the back of the cab and we were out of the car in 2 seconds.  The horse just stood there patiently posed.  We shot like crazy thinking this was going to be over as quickly as it started and the horse would run. No....just looking at us with it's soulful eyes and "gifting" us with a magical moment. Finally, we decided to move along before we caused an accident on the highway.

I felt we had just experienced something really mystical but I really didn't know what it was exactly.  I still don't know. Maybe I don't ever have to know. Do we make the magic or does it make us?

I printed a big 40 x 40 canvas of this photo for one of my first big shows.  It has always been a treat to see people drawn to it.  Some are analytical about it's magic...I was even once asked if I had something "blowing" the horses mane.  Most people ask for the story and I am happy to tell it again and again.  Many people are moved to a memory of their favorite horse and I am honored to hear "their" story.  I have sold many of the smaller prints of this photo but the big canvas stayed with me.

As I told in my previous post, this was the canvas viewed by Michael Wamego.  His face lit up like that Arizona sunset and he smiled the most beautiful smile. He knew it would be his.  I am honored that my first big canvas of the Navajo Medicine Pony has now found it's true home in the workshop of such a beautiful spirit, Michael Wamego of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.  Michael told me this is a medicine pony and explained they have a special aura. He tells me his dog will sit patiently staring at the pony while he works, but he turns away if you catch him staring at it.  How honored am I? Michael loves his pony and I love my beautiful flute. Someday I will return to Canyon De Chelly and Chinle,  Arizona and learn more about this amazing spot on planet earth.  In the meantime I just continue to love this Navajo Pony and it's great gift to me. There is something so powerful about the southwest. It draws me back time and time again like a long forgotten home.

Canyon De Chelly - Pure Vision Studios

Sunrise at Spider Woman Rock  ~ Pure Vision Studios

Magic is all around.  Just look for it.  I think I will take a walk in the woods now.