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| Daniel Staley, owner of De Chelly Tours, grew up in Canyon De Chelly in a traditional Navajo environment. His family hogan had no running water or electricity and his bed was a sheepskin rug on the earthen floor. As a child, he climbed the canyon walls and made clay toys of its earth. When he grew up, he spent several years working in the construction business and raising a family of his own. As time went on, Daniel decided it was time to do more with his life, so he started a hiking tour business into the canyon. There are few who know the canyon as well as Daniel so it was a natural place to start. Eventually, he was able to purchase his first jeep which enabled him to now take tourists on jeep tours into the canyon. From there his business grew. Today Daniel owns 7 jeeps and helps to employ several of his Navajo neighbors as tour guides. By his example, Daniel hopes to inspire other Navajos to improve their own lives. Given his own humble beginnings he encourages, "I want other Navajos to look at me and say, if Daniel Staley can do it, so can I". Daniel takes great pride in showing visitors this sacred canyon of the Navajo people, and being the deeply spiritual man that he is, he asks only that all who visit to please be respectful and treat Canyon De Chelly as the sacred place that it is.
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