There is a magical place in Utah called Bryce Canyon. Yes, it is a national park but it is also incredibly beautiful and rich with the history of the indigenous people that have inhabited the area for hundreds of years, the Paiute Indians.

In an area along the Navajo Loop Trail large Hoodoos are congregated in one area and tower over the land below. When the sun shines over the hoodoos they light up with hues of red, orange and white. It is an awe inspiring sight. The Paiute tell a story about the hoodoos and how they came to be.

Before any people inhabited the land the Legend People called To-when-an-ung-wa lived there in great numbers. There are some who say that the To-when-an-ung-wa were actually animals, reptiles and birds of the air that disguised themselves as humans.

The To-when-an-ung-wa did not respect the land. Instead of taking just enough water and food to survive they ate and drank to excess. Year after year they depleted the resources of the land and left the other animals hungry and thirsty throughout the cold of winter and heat of summer. After many years of not having enough food the animals, reptiles and birds of the air came together and complained about how the To-when-an-ung-wa were disrespectful, selfish and reckless. Their complaints were many and they caught the attention of the Coyote god.

Coyote is a trickster and he came up with a very unique plan to punish the To-when-an-ung-wa. He invited them to a banquet. This was not just any banquet but an all you can eat feast from sun up to sun down.They accepted the offer right away and came dressed in their finest and brightest colored clothing. Their faces were beautifully painted and they all sat down at the banquet table of food that coyote prepared for them.

Just as they were all about to take a bite of food coyote cast a spell on them and they all started turning to stone. When the To-when-an-ung-wa saw what was happening they tried to escape. They ran as fast as they could and began falling over each other trying to get over the edge of the cliff. It was too late. In the blink of an eye the To-when-an-ung-wa were all turned to stone. To this day they remain there in the place called Anga-ku-wass-a-wits which means red painted faces.