October 21, 2023: We started the day in Albuquerque at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, then drove to Taos Pueblo for a tour. In the evening we explored Old Town Taos.
Entrance of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, founded by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.
Five members of the Sky City Buffalo Ram Dancers from the Acoma Pueblo demonstrated their traditional dances. They represented 3 rams and 2 hunters.
The youngest members were 5 and 8 years of age.
Check out the close up of one of the Ram dancers.
The Ram dancers had turtle shell rattles with bells on them attached to their costumes.
San Francisco de Asia Catholic Church just outside Taos. It is an 18th century adobe National Historic Landmark, and an active church. In fact, we could not take inside photos because there was a wedding!
We visited Taos Pueblo and took a tour. It is a sovereign nation and currently only 50 members of the 2,700 Taos pueblo community live on site. There is no running water, plumbing or electricity.
There is a photo of the ruins of the original pueblo church, St. Jerome, which was built in 1619 and was ultimately destroyed in 1847 during the US war with Mexico. Surrounding it are the graves of pueblo members.
Adobe bricks, waiting to be used were about. They are made out of clay, straw and water.
North House (Hiaumma), here the homes range for 1 to 5 stories high. Each door is an entrance to a privately owned home. Homes are passed on from generation to generation and maintained by each family
South House (Hiaukwima) is the same as the north house structure with 3 to 4 stories. Access to both is by way of ladders.
New St. Jerome Church, was built in 1850 to replace the one destroyed.
These adobe mounds are called hornos and are used to bake bread. First a fire is built with cedar wood, then as the wood burns to ash, it is removed and bread is placed inside and cooked in about 30 to 40 minutes.
There should be a video taken from the Plaza of the pueblo where public events are held, this is a 360 view of the pueblo.
Selfie at the pueblo.
Old Town Taos was very quiet tonight.
Kit Carson, the famous scout’s home in Old Town Taos. Kit is buried at the local cemetery about a block from his former home with this wife, and other family members.