Rules & Social Tips

Canyon rules:
The Canyon is home to many residents and therefore we need to respect their privacy. Please familiarize yourself with these simple rules.

You MUST be with a guide at all times
Visitors MUST be with an authorized Diné guide at all times, except at the base camp. Please do not, under any circumstances, walk off the Footpath Journeys property without a guide or wander off by yourself while we are hiking. There's plenty of time for restful solitude around camp.

Picture Taking
You may NOT take any pictures of Hogans (houses) or Diné that are not Lupita’s family without asking. If a canyon resident gives you permission, there may be a fee for taking a picture. You can take pictures of the landscape, rocks, wild life, Lupita and Jon and their family and of course your fellow trip adventurers.

Clothing
Please do not wear short shorts or spaghetti strap tank tops as they are. not appropriate clothing in the canyon.

No alcohol is permitted in the canyon.

Social Tips
(Provided by a group leader who hands out these social tips to the groups she leads).

"The Diné culture is very different from the Western European or American culture. In general, they are more polite and respectful of personal space. Here's some tips that will help you to understand the culture you are visiting:

"It is considered rude in the Diné culture to interrupt people who are speaking. So try not to interrupt or finish sentences! This is a GREAT exercise in restraint for all of us not raised in this culture. I've never yet been completely successful! It's considered polite to leave a space between speakers to make sure the previous speaker has finished.

"The traditional greeting is to extend your hand and shake hands when you meet and say hello - which is Ya'ate'eh or good-bye which is Hagoonee. The Diné don’t normally hug everyone like we do - so follow their lead.

"You also go clockwise around a group of people to both meet and leave. Visitors to camp may do this when they arrive and leave.

"Looking directly into people’s eyes while talking to them is also considered rude. Many of the Diné are used to our customs and comfortable with our stares, but try to remember this is impolite, especially with the older Diné, and look off to the side while speaking to them. This is REALLY hard to remember for us who are trained it's impolite NOT to look directly at people when speaking to them!

"Laughter is essential. Get ready to giggle and laugh. It’s part of the Diné culture."