Indigenous Peoples' Day offers us a fitting chance to reflect on the contributions Native American tribes have long made to the #HudsonValley. Among them: the stone "fences" and rock cairns that have often been attributed to colonial farmers may in many cases be Ceremonial Stone Landscapes built by Indigenous peoples beginning long ago. . These Manitou Hassanash (in the Algonquian language) have been called "prayers in stone" — constructed for their creators to connect with Mother Earth and the spirit world. Notable examples have been found in the Catskills, including at Ashokan Point and Overlook Mountain. . Explore more about their construction and significance through the "HV Viewfinder": scenichudson.org/viewfinder/connecting-with-the-valleys-indigenous-spirited-ceremonial-stone-landscapes . 📷: A cairn at Overlook Mountain appears carefully made. Photo by Jeff Mertz / @jeffmertz . Scenic Hudson's News + Valley Views: #HVViewfinder #indigenouspeoplesday