In his latest book, John Annerino―famed photographer and writer of America's desert southwest and old Mexico―went in search of clues that would unlock the mysteries of places sacred to the native peoples of the Colorado Plateau, Great Plains, sierra Madre, and Sonoran Desert. In the land inhabited for millennia by the Hopi, Navajo, Pápago, and Apache―and with the help of native leaders, who guided him to hallowed, secret places―Annerino scaled 13,000-foot mountain summits and descended into shadowy caves; he traced the footsteps of legendary warriors to granite strongholds and traced the handprints of ancient ancestral shamans on cliff walls. Along the way he chronicled his astonishing pilgrimage, capturing in remarkable photographs and evocative words a world that few of us have been privileged to glimpse, let alone partake in. Many of the lofty spires, towering monuments, and deep canyons that Annerino explored throughout the Great Southwest are familiar sites from Hollywood westerns and are sought out by avid climbers. But these sites are sacred ground to native peoples, and it is that venerated identity that Annerino experienced and conveys in Indian Country. His photographs and essays pull back the curtain on a timeless world and reveal some of the mysteries to be found within. Southwest Books of the Year "Award winning photographer John Annerino goes on a spiritual journey. . . Exceptional photography." -- Patricia Etter, Southwest Books of the Year "This splendid book looks at the majesticSouthwest homelands of the Apache, Seri, O'odham, Navajo and Hopi. These lands are "hallowed ground that, against all odds, still resonates with the mythical spirits of the people and the place." Stirring portraitsof shaman Melvin Deer, young Wanda Smith, and code talker Eddie Draperare contrasted with craggy sacred peaks, cryptic petroglyphs,ceremonies, and games. I find strength and inspiration on every page. --Bill Broyles, Southwest Books of the Year LIFE Magazine "Apache is graphic and well-told as a photo story, which is rare indeed." --LIFE Magazine Photographer John Annerino mentored indigenous Salt River Pima ( Akimel O'Odham ) students whose photographs were selected from thousands for the LIFE Special and published in the LIFE Magazine cover feature, "Kids' Pictures to God: What Children Want God to See." Native Voices, Heard Museum "Traditions, Ceremonies, and Cultural Perseverance. Acclaimed author and photojournalist John Annerino is known for his high-risk journeys through the frontiers of Mexico and the American Southwest, seeking stories untold and photos unseen. For years, with his pen and his camera, he has told the stories of indigenous people--their struggles and triumphs, their political strife and quiet dignity. His chronicles about the Tarahumara and Inde' (Apache), and his journeys across the desert . . . can be found in several books as well as in frequent articles. Annerino will share his journeys and experiences, reflecting on how indigenous cultures have retained their traditions while dealing with outside influences. --Heard Museum, Advancing American Indian Art "As a medicine man, I practice my beliefs by praying and singing during the traditional ceremonies that are sacred to us Apaches. We pray to the Four Directions--East, South, West, and North--and we have respect for every being. Through his words and pictures, John Annerino conveys the spiritual significance of our peoples' sacred places to those who aren't familiar with them. I have enjoyed knowing and working with him through the years." --Robertson Preston, Medicine Man, San Carlos Apache "Hallowed Ground. John Annerino has captured the spirit, history and beauty of the West. Traveling through the sacredland of the Navajo, Hopi, Apache and Papago, Annerino bears witness tothe majesty, mystery and the spiritual magnificence of this land. Heconveys the emotional and spiritual attachment he has to it and it'speople. His words explain the beliefs of the area's tribes with respectand reverence. One of his finest works to date, Indian Country is a testament to the sacred history of the West and a lesson that these lands and traditions must be preserved and honored." --Donnamarie Barnes, People Magazine Photographed and researched throughout Native American ancestral lands in the Great Southwest, Four Corners and Northwest Mexico, Indian Country includes essays, literary quotes, and descriptive captions with Native American names and places; bibliography, literature cited, and Afterword "Fragile Legacy"; 3 color maps of the Author's Journey through Apachería, Dinétah and Tusqua, and Papaguería; Glossary (Native American words and translations from primary sources). The color photographs feature portraits, ceremonies, sacred lands, cultural and historic sites, national and tribal parks, wilderness areas and biosphere reserves: Ancestral Puebloan, Hisat.sinom, Hohokam, Mogollon and Salado cultural s