Uncovering clues to an ancient lifestyle, local teens discover new world

NINE MILE CANYON — Atop towering cliffs that hold secrets of the past, a group of teenage girls is busy trying to unlock mysteries.

It could be an arrowhead here, a scrap of pottery there, or even a new, startling discovery of what appears to be an ancient gravesite recently looted.

Later, back at camp, they pummel corn to fashion into tortillas, much like the Fremont Indians did when they made their home in this canyon as far back as 8,000 years ago.

In a life typically punctuated with computers, Facebook, iPods and boys, uncovering the clues to an ancient lifestyle is like discovering a new world.

"Looking at the past, seeing the ruins of the Indians — it's amazing," said Meghan Broadbent, a 17-year-old Layton High School student. "It's interesting to see the similarities between the ancient past and modern day."

All four girls who participated in this weeklong excursion hosted by the Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance agreed, for example, that women of the tribe got a raw deal because they had to shoulder the bulk of the cooking responsibilities.

"That's messed up," said De'Jarae Walker, 15.

They were delighted to learn, however, that the sticky white juice from a milkweed plant is a good balm for mosquito bites.

Funded with a grant from the Eccles Foundation, the trip is designed to teach teenagers the historical value of ancient cultural resources and why preservation of these treasures is paramount.

By mid-week, alliance executive director Jerry Spangler said the lessons were definitely settling in.

"They are starting to connect with what is around them, when all they had before was the city. They have found this sense of place that is much bigger than the moment of now, of what they're used to living in."

For three of the girls, it was their first camping trip — an up-front and personal foray into nature, surrounded by 10,000 American Indian rock art panels and carvings.

"It's been really cool," said LaDrena Tucker, a student at Ben Lomond High School in Ogden.

"I liked finding all the stuff, the arrowhead and cracked pottery. It's not been that bad — well, except the mosquitoes."

On the final day of camp, the girls are huddled in a circle around a giant wooden spool, participating in a brainstorming session to recount the lessons learned in the last few days.