After the Mittens overlook, this is arguably the second most famous viewpoint at Monument Valley.
Known as John Ford Point, the scene has appeared in an uncountable number of western films — and of course was a favorite of director John Ford.
Some days here you can even find a horse waiting for tourists to hop on (after paying a small fee) and ride out to the end of the ledge for an epic photo op straight out of an old cowboy flick.
And by the way, I’m always a sucker for the sequence in “Once Upon a Time in the West” when Claudia Cardinale rides in a stagecoach right by John Ford Point — and past many other iconic Monument Valley locations too.
Of course, the western movies are, well, western culture and this land is much more than a backdrop for white people to make movies. Monument Valley is on the Navajo (Diné) reservation, and indigenous people have lived upon this land for thousands of years before the Europeans showed up.
A thought in the back of my mind is: what is the Diné name for Ford Point? If they have one, its assuredly deeper and more grounded than naming it after a white guy pointing his camera around. Google says there’s no Diné name for but perhaps the next time I show up to point my camera around, I’ll ask.
I did learn that Monument Valley as a whole is known as Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii in Diné, roughly translating to “Valley of the Rocks.” At least the white people got that one right, ha.
Anyway, that’s today’s Daily Dose. Enjoy your day!
-Jake
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