There is a part of our past that mainstream American history education washes over. In the American southwest, this history screams to be told. Artwork left on cliff walls, pottery fragments scattered on the desert floor, ruins of well-architected communities, homes tucked into cliff alcoves, and remnants of roads and irrigation systems all show proof of a large community of people that archeologists have grouped into "Ancient Puebloans." All of these artifacts shout "We were here." National parks are doing better about including the voice of modern day Puebloans in videos and visitor center displays, but throughout our travels, I found myself repeating, "I wonder what a native would have to say about this." Taos Pueblo is a modern day Pueblo dedicated to preserving traditions of the past and teaching others about their persevering culture. In this unique village, the Taos people stand up to tell the world, "we are still here." The Taos have lived in this location for 1,000 years. (Let that sink in by recognizing that the United States of America is less than 250 years old.) Within these walls are 35 to 150 people (depending on the time of the year) who honor their tribal traditions by living in their ancestral homes with no running water, electricity, or other modern conveniences. They speak their tribal language, and schools in the Pueblo only teach in Tiwa. (Still many of them are fluent in English from attending grade level schools and higher education off the reservation). Throughout the year they invite outsiders into their community to learn about their proud history, take part in holidays and festivals, and experience what life is like in the pueblo. The people are welcoming, but also stress that visitors are entering their homes--not a living history museum-- and should behave accordingly. Photos are not allowed to be taken of community members unless permission is given, and there are some areas where no photos are allowed. A tribal member gives guests a twenty minute tour upon arrival, and afterwards guests can roam the public areas of the Pueblo, shopping for crafts and native food, and getting to know the people. Many of the inhabitants open their homes for visitors to shop for jewelry, pottery, and other crafts, as well as fry bread, Indian tacos, and oven bread baked in community ovens. One creative gentleman has developed a love for good coffee, so he recently opened a small coffee shop, which he runs off a battery that he takes out nightly to charge. When we arrived, he had only been open for three days and it was certainly a hit! He uses fresh herbs and ingredients, like mixing his own chai recipe and adding sage to cafe mochas. Dusty and Banana had a beautiful tea/lemonade combo. About the homesEach home is made out of adobe, earth mixed with water and straw and poured into forms or made into sun-dried bricks. Many of the homes here date back 700 years. The adobe walls are several feet thick. The flat roofs are made of tree trunks and covered with packed dirt. Twice a year, families come together to maintain their homes by replastering the adobe bricks with thick layers of mud, just like their grandparents did before them. Inside, the walls are washed with white earth (gypsum from the nearby mountains) to help reflect the light from windows and doors, which are a modern addition to the pueblo homes. In ancient times, entryways would be on the roof and only accessed by ladder. Throughout the village, many of the doorways are painted blue or red. Red keeps the bad spirits out and blue lets the good spirits in. In each store, you can find bundles of cedar and sage, and within fireplaces, pinion pine is burned in the winter. The fragrance is calming, uplifting, and just all kinds of incredible! In each shop we went in, we had meaningful (and often long) conversations with the artists and home owners. To me, each conversation was special, and I left feeling honored and blessed to have spent the day there. A tough historyThe Taos Pueblo people have always had to fight to keep their land and traditions. Pre-1600's, enemy tribes would raid them for resources. In the late 1600's the Spanish invaded with intentions to turn the Pueblo people into Catholics, tricking them into slave labor and punishing them-even by death- if they didn't conform to European beliefs and customs. The St. Jerome Church was built in 1619. In the Pueblo Revolt, the tribe successfully pushed Spaniards out of their territory and the church was destroyed in 1680. After 12 years, the Spaniards re-took the land and built another church on the same sight. Centuries later, the U.S. was at war with Mexico and Native Americans were desperately trying to defend their way of life. An attack on American forces caused retaliation that still scars this pueblo today. While Puebloan men, women, and children sought sanctuary inside the church, Americans bombed it repeatedly with cannon fire, destroying the church and the people inside. The ruins stand today in the center of a cemetery. During Spanish rule, the People found ways to remain true to themselves by blending the Catholic faith and their own traditions. St. Jerome Church was rebuilt in 1850 in another location and is still used today, as approximately 90% of the Puebloan Indians practice the Catholic faith. The Taos Puebloans are a proud people. They've stood up through the test of time, reminding people that they won't be going away. In 1970, after hard work from tribal chiefs, 48,000 acres of mountain land was returned to their People after being taken by the U.S. Government for National Forest Land. Only tribal members are allowed on this property, which is guarded by warchiefs.
As a sovereign nation, they welcome visitors into their village to learn about their history and traditions, but rightfully guard their privacy with a fine balance. I, personally, am honored by the opportunity to be a guest in their home and encourage others to make the trip, too. As Americans, it's our responsibility to learn about and respect the true history of our country and the often forgotten People who were here long before us and, most importantly, are still here.
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