Native American tribes of this area have ancient stories of how their remote ancestors emerged from the under-world into this world. One such story locates this place of emergence at the small sunlit hill in front of the mountains in this picture. I painted this pastel inspired by a picture I took of this scene, which John and I drive by every time we go from Sedona to the nearby town of Cottonwood. Here is my poem about it:
SIPAPU: PLACE OF EMERGENCE
A small womb-like hill
framed by towering mountains;
golden fields; new life
emerging from dark shadows
deep below life's bright surface.