If you are planning a road trip through the Southwestern United States, chances are the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and some other national parks come to mind. There is a lesser-known monument that everybody should have on their list: Window Rock in the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American reservation in the United States. It is over 27,000 sq miles and encompasses parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is so large, in fact, that it is bigger than 10 U.S. states: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Hawaii, New Jersey, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Delaware.
About 340,000 people live in the Navajo Nation. About 50% of the population can speak Navajo fluently. Out of all the Native American languages in the United States, Navajo is the most widely spoken. This can be attributed to the Navajo nation’s efforts in promoting their language in their educational system and their efforts to maintain their cultural traditions.
Window Rock
Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation and is located on the border of Arizona and New Mexico. Window Rock, or tségháhoodzání in Navajo, is named for its large sandstone monument with its characteristic arch in the center. The pale orange monument provides a stunning backdrop to the deep blue sky. There are a few trees on top of the monument and even inside the “window”. The best place to view the monument is from the Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park and Veterans Memorial.
Code Talker Memorial
There is a large statue of a Navajo Code Talker located directly in front of the Window Rock Monument. The statue honors the hundreds of Navajo who served in the military during World War II, delivering messages in their native language that could not be deciphered by enemy forces. These code talkers were instrumental in ensuring American victory in World War II.
The Navajo language was a perfect option for transmitting Top-Secret messages due to the complexity of the language, and the fact that, prior to World War II, the language had not been written down. Some accounts claim that only one or two non-Navajo could understand the language in the 1940’s. The Navajo code talkers developed a code so complex that even native Navajo speakers couldn’t understand it. The Japanese, who were exceptionally skilled at deciphering codes, were never able to understand the Code Talkers.
The memorial also pays tribute to the many Navajo who have served in the military. Navajo are overrepresented in the armed forces. Native Americans as a whole serve in the military at 5 times the national average. The location of the Veterans Memorial in front of the Window Rock monument is perfect to serve as a tribute for those who have sacrificed for their home.
The Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park and Veterans Memorial is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I visited on a weekday afternoon in September and there were no other people there. The weather was also perfect. I would recommend visiting between April and October to avoid freezing temperatures.
Finally, don’t forget to eat some fry bread while you are on the Navajo reservation!
