Road to the Rez

By Shon Quannie

I didn't grow up on the Rez. In fact, I was a Navy brat that moved on an average of every 3 years from the time I was 5 to when I was 15 years old. From Tennessee to California and in between–my mother had remarried after my father passed away at a young age. I did not know my father, just my grandparents, my aunt and my uncles. I had this non-native upbringing, only really knowing of my tribes and what state the reservations were at.  

My Grandmother

It was not until I was around 7 years old when the learning started to take place. It was then, that I would venture back to visit my grandparents in Flagstaff, AZ for 2 months every summer. We would take road trips to Kykotsmovi and Acoma Pueblo regularly for dances and feast days. After my grandfather passed away when I was 10 years old, my aunt and uncle did not want to drive to the rez, so I was my grandmother's co-pilot on these road trips. 

During these times, my grandmother and I would grab KFC and drive until we found a good spot to have a picnic in the car with a view. This was usually between Holbrook and Gallup. We would eat our meal at a rest stop or on the side of a county road. She would gaze out into the horizon and tell me stories of her childhood, about our families and our ways. The soundtrack of these lessons were normally to tapes my grandfather had made from Hopi social dances, Fleetwood Mac and even Culture Club (my grandmother's favorite). She would talk for hours while we would drive, always remembering all the little details. 

Later as a teen and into my young adult life, I was the chauffeur. I lived much closer and would regularly stop in to visit her in Flagstaff. She would tell me about her week and what was going on with the family and then she would look at me and smile," Hey - Let's go for a ride." This meant we would get an Orange Julius at the mall or McDonald's hamburgers, fries and a couple of Dr. Peppers and drive out towards the Hopi rez and have a picnic on the side of the road. These were special times in my life. I don’t know how to explain it, but she would share more lessons and stories that seemed to fit questions I had about traditions or even life at that time. We would normally get home after dark.

I - 40 clouds

My grandmother passed away in 2009. But still to this day, I-40 plays like a record for me. At particular landmarks and parts of the drive, I can still hear her continuing to teach and guide me with her wisdom–on the road to the rez.

Shon Quannie is of Hopi and New Mexican descent and is enrolled member of the Pueblo of Acoma. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, where he is a Faculty Associate at The Design School. Shon is the visionary for 4X Studio, a graphic design and marketing communications company based in Phoenix, AZ.