Tséhootsooí
In the Navajo Language Tséhootsooí is translated to "meadow between the rocks.” Through this project, I aim to explore the layered history and enduring significance of Fort Defiance, Arizona. My photographs seek to bridge the past and present, capturing the site’s physical remnants alongside its evolving role in the community. By focusing on the textures of the land, the interplay of light on historical structures, and the quiet stories embedded in the landscape, I aim to evoke a sense of connection to those who lived and shaped this space before us.
The site of what locals call “old Fort” is the former location of where important buildings use to be, such as the first hospital the area, Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The first hospital in the area in was built around 1897.