Welcome to Native American Sacred Places!

Hello! 

Last weekend, people from all over Colorado converged on a 350-acre swath of the Black Forest north of Colorado Springs known as La Forêt. Dense stands of Ponderosa Pines surround a grassy meadow for walking and games. Along the west side meanders a stream in a small floodplain dotted with cottonwood trees. 

This bucolic place was the setting for the annual get-together of the Association for Native American Sacred Trees and Places, fondly called NASTaP. Its leader and president is a nonagenarian Ute elder named Dr. James Jefferson. He and his crew drove into the grove in a truck and trailer carrying a large tipi, which was set up on the grounds to mark the place of gathering. 

People trickled in and were welcomed with delicious food and greetings all around. A man named Jim Trujillo told stories and led a drumming circle around the campfire. The next day was filled with stories, exchanges, and learning. It concluded with dancing led by Sam Gallegos in full regalia. Just before everyone dispersed on Sunday, there was a sacred circle workshop (also called medicine wheel) led by Sam Hunter. 

NASTaP's original founder and storyteller John Anderson told how the group was tied to La Foret. He said that when Dr. Jefferson and others met there in the early 2000s, they were surprised by a female moose who ran toward them, seemingly to greet them. "The moose hung around while Dr. Jefferson was here," Anderson said, "and then shortly after he left, the staff noticed she was gone." A few years later when Dr. Jefferson returned, the moose also did.

A few people ventured out onto the floodplain of the stream during the evening of the conference, but all was quiet. On Sunday, I went there one last time to try a moose-spotting. I didn't see one, but as I walked over the grassy area, I saw three large depressions where the grass was flattened, evidence of some kind of large wildlife bedding down there. 

At the medicine wheel workshop, we were all sitting around after lunch basking in the afterglow of the conference when a woman named Chris asked, "are moose a kind of tan color?" She was assured that moose could be tan, gray, or brownish in color. "Then, I saw a moose cross the road as I was coming into La Foret," she said. We pressed her for details. It seems the moose crossed the road and disappeared into the underbrush of La Foret. My heart leaped. 

As the time for dispersing came, Dr. Jefferson fired up a bundle of sage on an abalone shell and invited us all to be smudged. Chris had left, so I went in to tell him of her moose sighting. Dr. Jefferson lit up in smiles. He was so happy to reconnect with the female moose of La Foret. 

This is an informational blog about Sacred Places. Welcome and enjoy. I intend to make this place accessible to all who want to preserve and learn about Native American sacred places and trees. In the meantime, you can participate by commenting, sending your contributions to me, and linking to this site. There is much more to come.