A new mobile app called “Tribal Trailz” created by a Navajo man is offering travelers in both New Mexico and Arizona an opportunity to learn about historic roadways, including Route 66, and gain insight on Native American cultures.
Whether you’re driving from Gallup to Flagstaff or Flagstaff to Phoenix the app created by former educator George R. Joe, called “Tribal Trailz” serves as your audio tour guide while you’re on the road.
“Are you driving over the bridge yet? It is known as Canyon Diablo, and Two Guns is right on the rim of Canyon Diablo. Many years ago, Route 66 entrepreneurs once had a roadside gas station, trading post, even a tiny zoo, where lions and bobcats were behind chicken wire” said audio from Tribal Trailz.
Joe said the app includes information about Navajo and Acoma territories because a lot of tourists on the road are very uninformed about Native Americans.
“The education world hasn't done a good job of letting Americans know about tribal people, so they have these crazy ideas and misconceptions about us,” said Joe. “So, I thought, ‘Here's my chance to try to correct some of that information about housing, about how we live, about how we make money, things we do.’”
Tribal Trailz is GPS-activated so all drivers need to do is open the app and start a tour. During your drive, the app will detect where you’re at and point out different monuments, houses, or landmarks.
“You don't have to look at your app, you just put it right there on your dashboard. It doesn't have to be visible, because I don't show pictures, because I think you know you're driving. You don't have time to be looking at pictures and things like that. You just want to hear,” he said.
Joe said the app is meant to be a bridge for curious travelers wanting to know more about Native American communities and the Southwest.
“More like bringing down that barrier, and then inviting them to go eventually visit the tribe,” he said.
Joe is currently working on including more tours in Albuquerque and Santa Fe; the app is free to download on either the Apple Store or IOS.
Support for this coverage comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
