Author Description

Mystery of the Trees is the culmination of six years of work documenting a part of the cultural heritage of Native Americans that is rapidly disappearing. In the early 1900s, some information was published, but then it languished in archives, remaining unnoticed for years. Through interviews with tribal elders and extensive research the story is now told. The Indian trail trees are sacred to the Native Americans, and their preservation is very important. While many of these trees can live to be 300 to 600 years old, some are near the end of their lives. Others, unfortunately, have been destroyed by urban development and vandals. The meanings of these trees are not completely known and may never be known since those who know are all but gone. Some of the trees are found marking old Indian trails. Others point to water, shelter, stream crossings and more. The techniques for bending a tree into a particular shape have, for the most part, been lost. These "living artifacts" are a testimony to the skills and knowledge of the Indian people and their being one with nature.