Another "No Cameras Allowed" venue ...

[Gabriel M.A.]

I am also aware that the tribe has several splits that run deep due to this issue. It is probably their best efforts at trying to manage a situation that is contentious within the tribal membership. It may result in fewer visitors however it is their attempt to do something to generate a few dollars. This tribe is not the Navajo Nation. I have a little empathy for them in this one.

I think I understand what that reasoning may be, but it is very at odds with their target market. (And here goes one of my flawed analogies) I think opening a restaurant where you are asking people not to say a word, not to speak unless spoken to by the staff...well, I think that'd be a bit of a culture shock for lots of people. I'm sure there is a market which would love to dine in such a place...but I'm not sure it'd be a big segment of the population.

But, then again, I'm no marketing genius. If I had thought of creating oxygen bars, I'm sure I'd made them flop.

 

[Dfin]

Well it looks like you seppos have run head first into NATIVE TITLE, remember they were there first!! They see you/us whitefellas as INVADERS. IT IS THEIR LAND,they decide who comes and goes and what can and can`t be done on THEIR land. The same as when someone comes into your house. If this is a way of raiseing revenue for their benefit,good luck to them. The N.S.W. Govt. does this with Sydney Harbour Bridge Walks 120AUD + extra for digital photos, it is all run by a sub-contractor, and everyone is doing very well out of it, thankyou very much.

 

[Xmas]

If there's a 15 min limit, I'd say they don't want people lingering & holding others up?

Ben
You using 5 ASA film and a f/128 lens?

Noel

 

[John Camp]

I think Indians should pretty much be allowed to do whatever they want, within certain wide limits. I don't think they should be allowed to *destroy* the Grand Canyon, but as far as I'm concerned, whatever else they want to do is okay, if it helps them out of the rut into which they have gotten and often been pushed.

I've done a lot of work with Indians in the US, and I can say most of them refer to themselves as Indians, or 'Indian people,' rather than Native American or 'Native peoples.' It may be a little different in Canada, where I have heard different terms. On the other hand, they usually don't refer to themselves by any racial label, any more than whites go around talking about being white.

Anyway -- if you think the Skywalk is a desecration of nature, go look at Malibu, or the Hudson River, or the Everglades.

As far as photography is concerned, anything you get out on the skywalk is going to be a snapshot. No great art will be lost by this restriction. I do think it is foolish; word of the restrictions will get around, and then few people will go. Then maybe the restrictions will come off, but by that time, the marketing damage will have been done. They should understand that they're not running a sacred site, they're running Disney World.

JC

 

[Trius]

"Indians going corporate is bad juju." Huh? And just who are YOU (with all due respect) to state what is "bad juju" for a culture? 😕

"I think Indians should pretty much be allowed to do whatever they want, within certain wide limits. " And what limits would those be? 😕

I find the restriction on photography to be disappointing and I don't understand it (at least for the reason given), but until I were to hear the full explanation from them directly, I would respect their decision.

The reason I don't understand it is that the Grand Canyon is a tourist destination (like it or not) and who doesn't want to take photos there? Obviously probably the majority go there with at least a disposable camera in hand.

As for ywenz's question about whether this would present any different vantage point, well yeah, it does. Here, from what I have seen, you are actually over the edge of the rim, so I can imagine at least a few different perspectives. But it's true that there are lots of other opportunities for photography.

 

[reagan]

I'm a Grand Fan of the Grand Canyon and the peoples that live there. I've hiked in and out, hiked across, hiked around and eaten some really good meals on both sides. I've been sooo waiting for this thing to open... but I'm greatly disappointed in price + time limit. For my wallet it's an absolute no-go... at this point.

I've got lots of shots of the Canyon and no, they don't do it justice. But the memories they stir do. It would be same on the SkyWalk; grab a shot of me and the wife with rocks in the background so we could remember another great time together. But $150 for two - 15minutes and no camera? naaaa. Sorry, gotta pass for now.

One of you guys needs to develop an Official SkyWalk Foam-padded non-scratching throw-away camera to be sold only at the Official SkyWalk Gift Shop. Being Cherokee, I'll only charge a minimal % for coming up with the idea. 😉