Guiding on the San Juan River connects Cooley to her home landscape.
“We as women may
The experience propelled her to begin guiding with Wild Expeditions in 2009. have a different Despite the introduction from her sister, guiding on the river still feels perspective in the male-dominated to Cooley. However, way we tell stories, she hopes to inspire other indigenous women to get into guiding. interact with the “I want to let other women know guests and how that we can be in this industry,” she explained. “I've been trying to we connect to encourage fellow indigenous women to the river.” try it out. There's a need for that. That's important! We as women may have a different perspective in the way we tell stories, interact with the guests and how we connect to the river.” Guiding on the San Juan helped forge her connection between the familiarity of her home landscape and its nearby waterway. “The San Juan River as a whole is special to me because it is home. It is sacred. It is a source of life for many. It has a rich history. It has untold stories. It is life. Before any of the state, federal and reservation boundaries, this place was, and to me is still, considered indigenous lands. There is more to this river basin than the recreational aspect. I enjoy the views atop San Juan Hill and seeing the Abajo Mountains to the north and the Mule's Ear Diatreme to the south.” Colleen stresses the importance of hiring indigenous guides. Wild Expeditions, the company she guides for, hires local and indigenous guides from the area. “I've gone with friends, family and people from all over the country, including people from Germany and Italy. Being with a Diné in our homelands is important. It provides a unique experience for the guests.” Though each trip is different, Colleen strives to share her personal connection to the river and landscape with the guests. “There's so much history to be told. There's so much knowledge about plants and wildlife along the river basin. Our ancestors migrated through this area, so I think there is a need to have our voices in this river and in this landscape.” MORGAN SJOGREN is a free-range raconteur typically found roaming wild in the Colorado Plateau.
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