Visiting Bandelier National Monument: Model of Early Sustainable Living

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Hiking into the canyon of Bandelier National Monument.

The Bandelier National Monument, besides an inspiring place to travel, reminds Steve Chambers, Dallas architect, of four of the ‘Seven Rs’ of sustainable living. The early inhabitants of this mountainous area in Northern New Mexico, who lived here for a thousand years, set a stellar standard for sustainable design: respect and gentle use of resources near the site, reduce rooms by using them for multiple purposes, design to encourage future use, and remember and pass on what is learned to future generations. Frijoles Canyon, where the monument is located, is in an ecotone, a transition zone where plants and animals from several biological communities mingle. In an ecotone, the variety of plants and animals is greater than in any one community alone. Because of this biological diversity, the Anazasi native people found more possibilities to hunt and gather for food and medicinal herbs.

Self-taught anthropologist and historian, Adolph Bandelier, came to Frijoles Canyon in 1880 with the ambitious goal to trace the social organization, customs, and movements of the southwestern and Mexican peoples. The sheer cliffs, year-round stream, and distinctive cave-room architecture captured his imagination, as depicted in his novel, The Delight Makers. Vivid reminders of the ancestral Pueblo people–their homes, kivas, their petroglyphs–still remain (1300-1400 AD). The “Anasazi” grew maize, beans and squash, supplementing this with deer, rabbit, and birds. Winter blankets were woven from yucca-fiber string, twisted with turkey feathers or strips of rabbit skin. Bone, wood, obsidian, and basalt were fashioned into tools and cooking implements. Their respect for the enviroment, reduction of space needed for living, the reuse and re-purposing of the living quarters for other activities, and the remembrance of their techniques, which they passed on to many generations, are all models of a sustainable life. If we all take but one small step today, we can make a huge difference in the preservation of our precious resources.

For more on sustainable design in residential architecture, refer to other posts on sustainability by Stephen B. Chambers, AIA, Dallas architect.

Recipe for Indian Fry Bread (Sopaipillas)

1-cup all-purpose flour (coarse, unbleached or whole wheat flour gives a different, but nice, texture and flavor)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon sugar (if making a savory bread to fill with meat and vegetables, omit this)
2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
½ cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil for frying

Interior of one of the cliff dwellings.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar (omit for savory bread) in bowl. Cut in shortening until a coarse meal results. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until soft dough is formed. Form into ball, knead several times, cover, and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Heat oil in deep saucepan to at least 375 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into squares, circles, or triangles. Drop cut pieces, one by one, into hot oil and fry until golden, taking care to roll over on all sides. Drain on paper towels and serve with warm honey or powdered sugar. When making the savory variety of this recipe, prepare recipe above, then cut open and stuff with grilled or cooked meats and vegetables, as you might fill flour tortillas.

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