The Taos Pueblo-

 

 

 

 

© 2004 Harold Arnold

<--Me- In the Background is the South Pueblo)

During the Christmas/New Years holidays the Taos Pueblo invites the public to visit them for their special holiday celebrations.  During the 2003 - 04 holidays Lucy Ann, Jack, & I made three visits to witness these ceremonies.   

Our first visit was on Christmas Eve for the "Procession of the Virgin."  This ceremony comes after sunset on Christmas Eve when the residents after Mass at their church, carry the statue of the Virgin Mary from its usual place on the alter on a litter through the Pueblo compound.  The night is illuminated by some 50 tower bonfires placed along the processional route.  We arrived about 3:30 PM about 1 1/2 hours before sunset.  The temperature hovered  near freezing with considerable portions of the ground covered with snow.  By 5:30 PM it was dark with an estimated 2000 visitors in the compound.  The Indians began to light the bonfires one by one.   Soon there was a roaring fire about 30 feet from where we were waiting that felt very welcome  in the night time cold. 

From our position nearly 1000 feet from its origin point at the church, we saw the procession begin its trek through the compound.  We could hear it also as from time-to-time the ceremony was orchestrated by gunfire.  After some 20 minutes of progression through the compound the procession passed within 50 feet of us led by a single priest and tribal leaders; the Virgin followed on a litter carried by Indian bearers.  Bringing up the rear was a group of Chifonetes, or "Black Eyes," a tribal men's religious society, one of whom carried the rifle providing the celebratory sound effects.  Within 45 minutes of its beginning the loosely packed, well ventilated towers of fire were largely embers, and the procession was back at the church returning the Virgin Mary to her place on the alter.  The ceremony being over we returned to our car as did the 2000 other visitors.  Fortunately our early arrival gave us an easy point of exit and within another half-hour we were seated in one of the better Taos restaurant for Christmas Eve supper.

We returned the next afternoon, Christmas Day, for dance performances.  Two dances were scheduled, the Corn Dance and the Deer Dance.  The crowd of visitors about equaled that of the previous evening.  The first performance was the Corn dance.  It began on " Indian time," about an hour later than the announced schedule indicated introduced by the appearance of the Chifonetes chasing through the South Pueblo.  The group finally apprehended their Indian victim who they dragged to the nearly frozen creek where he was submerged in the freezing water,  His offense remained undisclosed, but what ever it might have been, to us the penalty seemed extreme. 

The Deer Dance followed later; it too was about an hour behind schedule.  When an impatient visitor asked an Indian the reason for the delay, the answer was something like "it will happen when it happens!"   Both men and women participated in these dances.  Women dancers frequently appear in dances related to farming and the garden, but less often in dances related to hunting and animals.  The Deer dance is an exception to this rule with many women dancers participating.  

On New Years Day we again returned to the Pueblo for the Turtle Dance.  This event was performed only by male dancers.  In my judgment it was the best choreographed of the three dance events with between 40 to 50 dancers performing their near perfect steps in the freezing cold afternoon. (Continued)

Taos Mountain- the Pueblo is in  this  valley out of the  picture to the  right.

The North Pueblo structure.

The South Pueblo- Taos Mountain is in the background.

 

Hornos- ovens used for baking

Jack & Lucy Ann 

(Continue)

Since cameras at the ceremonial events are prohibited, we made a fourth trip to the Pueblo on a regular visitors day,  We paid the $10.00 camera fee plus the usual individual admission and walked through the compound taking the pictures that appear here.  In deference to the Pueblo sensitivities, I have not included any pictures showing the Kivas or the cemetery, or the ruins of the old church whose ancient bell tower is the only part of the church structure left standing after the shelling by U.S. Army artillery during an 1848 rebellion.

The open patio space between the North and South Pueblos comprise roughly a 20 acre tract bisected by the small Pueblo de Taos River.  There are two principal Pueblo structures, one on the north of the stream with the other on the south that dates back to the 14th century.  This makes them one of the oldest inhabited structures in North America (maybe the oldest).  Today most of the residents live in small modern houses on Reservation land with electricity and other conveniences outside of the old compound.  There is still no electric service in the old compound area which is  presently occupied by some 50 tribal members maintaining the continuity from the past.  

The rooms on the ground floor are now used as arts and craft shops selling Indian wares to visitors.  Since the last half of the 19th century, the Pueblo architecture has undergone one drastic gradual change.  This is the cutting of access doors and windows in  the ground floor elevation.  Previously Pueblo security required that there be no ground floor openings least they be the access points for enemies.  All access to the ground floor apartments were through openings in the roof.  Entrance was by easily removable ladders up from the ground to the roof and down another ladder to the first floor apartment. 

Numerous dogs wander freely about the Pueblo compound.  All gave the appearance of a distinctive Indian breed tending to be rather large in the 50 to 70 pound class  and of different colors.  In one respect they seemed quite different from Indian dogs described by 19th century writers most of whom testify to the watch dog character of village dogs that typical would challenge visitors with barked warnings and by nipping at legs as the visitor entered the village.  Not so today!  The Pueblo dogs all appeared comfortable with the presence of visitors showing only a curious interest.  They were always peaceful except for occasional quarreling among themselves, and they were always available for play upon the least sign of visitor encouragement. 

This is the Pueblo de Taos River  that separates the Pueblo into its North/South components.  Note the thick coating of winter Ice  with only a small surface of flowing water exposed.  The new Church is visible in the distance.  It was near this spot where the Chifonetes administered the summary punishment described in the text. 

The new Church.  Actually this Church dates back to the 19th Century having been built to replace the old church destroyed by U.S. army artillery quelling an 1848 revolt during which the American Territorial Governor of New Mexico was killed.
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