November 2016 Green Fire Times by Sun Publishing

N ews & V iews

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WATER, SCIENCE AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

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Vol. 8 No. 11

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November 16th through 20th Santa Fe Convention Center, NM Over 50 workshops exploring biodynamic principles and practices, agricultural wisdom of the Americas, living water, living soil, and much more, including:

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

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Vol. 8, No. 11 •November 2016 Issue No. 91 PUBLISHER

Green Fire Publishing, LLC Skip Whitson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Barbara E. Brown

News & Views

from the

Sustainable Southwest

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Seth Roffman DESIGN

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Karen Shepherd CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Irie Charity, John Davidson, Jack Loeffler, Alejandro López, Andrew Lovato, Seth Roffman, Hilario E. Romero, Japa K. Khalsa, Melanie Margarita Kirby, Chili Yazzie, Athena Wolf CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Japa K. Khalsa, Melanie Margarita Kirby, Jack Loeffler, Alejandro López, Seth Roffman, Marisol Sandoval, Paulo T. PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Cisco Whitson-Brown, Gay Rathman ADVERTISING SALES John M. Nye 505.699.3492 John@GreenFireTimes.com Skip Whitson 505.471.5177 Skip@GreenFireTimes.com Anna C. Hansen 505.982.0155 DakiniDesign@newmexico.com Lisa Powers 505.629.2655 Lisa@GreenFireTimes.com Steve Jinks 505-303-0501 SteveJ@GreenFireTimes.com Liberty Manabat 505.670.7243 Liberty@GreenFireTimes.com DISTRIBUTION

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CIRCULATION: 30,000 copies Printed locally with 100% soy ink on 100% recycled, chlorine-free paper

GREEN FIRE TIMES c/o The Sun Companies P.O. Box 5588, SF, NM 87502-5588 505.471.5177 • info@greenfiretimes.com © 2016 Green Fire Publishing, LLC Green Fire Times provides useful information for community members, business people, students and visitors—anyone interested in discovering the wealth of opportunities and resources in the Southwest. In support of a more sustainable planet, topics covered range from green businesses, jobs, products, services, entrepreneurship, investing, design, building and energy—to native perspectives on history, arts & culture, ecotourism, education, sustainable agriculture, regional cuisine, water issues and the healing arts. To our publisher, a more sustainable planet also means maximizing environmental as well as personal health by minimizing consumption of meat and alcohol. Green Fire Times is widely distributed throughout northcentral New Mexico as well as to a growing number of New Mexico cities, towns, pueblos and villages. Feedback, announcements, event listings, advertising and article submissions to be considered for publication are welcome.

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Intersections of Water, Science and Indigenous Knowledge — Seth Roffman. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 7 Stirring Indigenous Mind Back into the Commons of Human Consciousness — Jack Loeffler. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 11 Ritual, Ceremony and Thanksgiving — Alejandro López . . .. . .. . .. 15 In Gratitude for Vegetables.— Japa K. Khalsa. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 19 Gathering Liquid Starlight from Many Flowers — Melanie Margarita Kirby . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 23 Picking Piñón — Andrew Lovato . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 25 Curanderismo and Curanderas of Northern New Mexico — Hilario E. Romero. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 26 Healing Our World with Curanderismo — Athena Wolf . . .. . .. . 30 Ratón is Envisioning a Sustainable Future — John Davidson. . .. . .. 32 Early College Opportunities School: A Student’s Perspective — Irie Charity . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 34 Renewable Energy Outpaces Nuclear, in New Mexico and the Nation . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 36 Energy Newsbites . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 37 Standing Rock Strong — Chili Yazzie . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 39 Op-Ed: Standing Rock Pipeline — Chili Yazzie . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 40 Architects Slam Cuts to State’s Green Building Incentives . . .. . .. . 41 Newsbites and Sidebars: . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 7, 8, 9, 25, 40, 41, 45 What’s Going On!. . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 46

ON THE COVER:

“Calle al Pueblo” (Road to the Village), a 2016 plein aire oil painting by Roger Montoya, depicts Embudo, in the heart of northern New Mexico. Montoya is represented by Caswick Gallery in Santa Fe. Photo by Paulo T.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

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INTERSECTIONS OF WATER, SCIENCE and INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

Crops growing at the Pueblo of Jemez, in New Mexico – July 2016

Seth Roffman

ast month, Pueblo and tribal leaders, representatives from across Indian Country and climate researchers met at Jémez Pueblo in New Mexico for two days to discuss the intersections of water, science and indigenous knowledge.

Climate change is affecting every tribe.

Participants included Flower Hill Institute, Water is Life: A Tribal Partnership, West Water, South Central Climate Science Center, Louisiana State University, the University of Arizona and New Mexico State University. Attending were tribal representatives from the pueblos of Acoma,

Isleta, Jémez, Laguna, Sandia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo and Zia, as well as from the Mescalero Apache Nation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Hopi Nation, Navajo Nation, Sac and Fox Tribe of Kansas, Mohawk Nation of New York, Fort Belknap Tribe of Montana and the Warm Springs Tribes of Oregon. The All Pueblo Council of Governors and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) were also represented. Those attending were welcomed by Roger Fragua, executive director of Flower Hill Institute, a Jémez Pueblo-based organization that organizes discussions and initiatives related to art, agriculture, water and climate change issues as they relate to CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Participants at the Water and Climate Change Workshop, Oct. 2016

NEW STUDY REINFORCES SOUTHWEST MEGADROUGHTS PREDICTION Reinforcing earlier studies, a new report published in the journal Science Advances says the U.S. Southwest faces between a 70 and 90 percent chance of megadroughts this century as planetary temperatures rise. Megadroughts have been linked to the demise of several preindustrial civilizations. They are comparable to the worst droughts of the 20th century but are of much longer duration. Past megadroughts in the Southwest have lasted between 20 and 35 years, according to tree rings and other data. The Colorado River basin, which runs through parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and California, has been experiencing a historic drought for the past 16 years. Lake Mead has dropped 130 feet during that time.

The study, which utilized computer modeling, says, “Business-as-usual emissions of greenhouse gasses will drive regional warming and drying, regardless of large precipitation uncertainties,” and that “an aggressive reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions [such as negotiated in the Paris climate agreement] cuts megadrought risks nearly in half.”

Practicing traditional songs in a home at Jemez Pueblo

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Another study, released last month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, says that human-induced climate change has doubled the area affected by forest fires in the U.S. West over the last 30 years.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

medicines, increasing populations and sustainability, elders and youth, harmony and confusion, and belief and trust.

The gathering elicited many stories as well as questions and challenges for the participants to ponder. Here are some of them: “Culture is our strength,” “Self-determination starts with me,” “Water is liquid gold,” “We are water,”“When corn dies, we die,”“Becoming culturally responsible,” “Educate our youth,” “Educate non-Indians,”“Balance traditional knowledge and science,” “Incorporate climate change education early and not as an afterthought,” “Climate change is affecting every tribe” and “Food Sovereignty.”

Pueblo of Jemez landscape – July 2016

Intersections of Water continued from page

community economic development and preservation of American Indian cultures. Dar yl Vigil of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, president of Water Is Life: A Tribal Partnership, gave an overview of his organization’s presentations to tribal organizations across the country. Water Is Life is being developed as a national tribal organization focused wholly on water issues. Brett Bovee of West Water gave an overview of tribal perspectives that were discussed at a water summit recently hosted by the

Shoshone-Bannock tribes near Pocatello, Idaho. Attendees at the workshop at Jémez Pueblo brought water from their respective communities that was blended and blessed in a ceremony by a traditional leader. That water was made available for the participants to take back to their communities to place back into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. The leader guiding the ceremony said those bodies of water “are like veins in our bodies carrying life.”

Af ter the ceremony, there was an interactive conversation about traditional Native knowledge of climate change. It covered historical aspects of water dating to Chacoan times and other migrations that followed moisture—to more contemporary and manmade impacts on climate change. Other topics discussed included the intersection and clash of Native and nonNative values; traditions and science, technology and nature, precipitation and groundwater, synthetic vs. natural

The scientific/technical side of the workshop featured information sharing and teaching on subjects such as Integrating Climate Policy, The Difference Between Climate and Weather, Climate Variability and Change, Weather Hazards, Water and Fire, Climate Prediction Center Products, Vulnerability Assessments, and more. By the conclusion of the gathering, the attendees agreed to form a more formal regional coalition of Pueblos and tribes concerned with matters of water and the environment. A regional strategy session was scheduled to respond to the BIA’s “Call for Proposals: Gathering Input from Tribal Communities to Shape the Next (4 th) National Climate Assessment, ” due by Dec. 2. The National Climate Assessment is an ongoing project of the U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program. To learn more about this initiative call 720.220.7720. ■

FUNDING AWARDED to SUPPORT ACEQUIA FARMERS and RANCHERS

Some of the work supported by the grant includes demonstration workshops that highlight conservation practices funded by USDA programs, farmer training workshops using a seasonal curriculum, and technical assistance focused on creating improvements in irrigation efficiency. “We are hopeful about the future of acequia agriculture because of the renewed interest in growing fresh food for local markets,” said García. “We are building a solid foundation for our small-scale farms and ranches to produce healthy, locally grown food. In doing so, we are supporting livelihoods in historic agricultural communities.” Partners on the project include the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts and several local soil and water conservation districts. For information about how to participate, contact the NMAA at 505.995.9644 or serafina@lasacequias.org

Green Fire Times • November 2016

The New Mexico Acequia Association (NMAA) has been awarded a federal grant to work with acequia irrigators to operate successful farms and ranches. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach. “Acequias are vital to our agricultural heritage and economy in New Mexico. We are pleased to have the support of USDA in providing training and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers,” said Paula García, NMAA’s executive director.

An irrigation ditch at the Pueblo of Jemez

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AUDUBON NM and PUEBLOS RELEASE WATER into the RÍO GRANDE In a first-of-its-kind water t r ansf er init iat ive, last month Audubon New Mexico began to release 260 mil lion g al lons of water to the Middle Río Grande to increase streamflow needed by fish and wildlife in stretches of the river vulnerable to dr ying out during the late summer. Over 80 percent of the historic wetland and riparian habitats of the Río Grande Corridor in New Mexico have been lost, and more than one-third of the Río Gr ande ’s 465-mile length in the state is subject to river dr ying annually. Four Midd le Río Grande pueblos—Sandia, Isleta, Santa Ana and Cochiti—each supplied 100 acre-feet of San JuanChama water to Audubon in an unprecedented partnership. This is the first time in New Mexico that a conser vation organization has stored water in the Abiquiú Reser voir for deliver y to the Middle Río Grande. “In collaboration with the Middle Río Grande Conser vancy District, we wil l increase flo w in the r iver channel for a 35-mile stretch f or near l y 24 day s, ” said Julie Weinstein, executive director of Audubon New Mexico. “ The Río Grande is sacred to the people of Sandia Pueblo, as is the environment it provides,” said Gov. Isaac Lujan. “ W ith everincreasing demands put on the river, Sandia offers this water as a dedication to the inherent value the river has to all people and the habitat it supports. Sandia hopes this donation can be used as an example of what can be done for the health of the r iver and the communit y when stakeholders work together.” After hearing of this partnership, the C lub at Las Campanas, in Santa Fe, donated an additional 399 acre-feet leased from the Jicarilla Apache Nation, effectively doubling the total to 799 acre-feet. Dedicating water to the state’s beleaguered rivers is one goal of Audubon New Mexico’s statewide Freshwater Conser vation Pr o g r a m , w h i c h a l s o i n c l u d e s advocating saving the Gila River from a proposed diversion.

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The Second Annual Winter Watershed Benefit Thursday, December 1st 5:30 – 8:30 PM

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

Tickets are now Available at: www.santafewatershed.org or call 505-820-1696

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STIRRING INDIGENOUS MIND BACK INTO the COMMONS of HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS

ust as the winds of autumn stir the air that surrounds us, that we breathe in and out, that we share with our fellow lifeforms, so does our collective consciousness swirl with waves of input from without. Modern media constantly reshapes our perspective from moment to moment, rarely allowing time for conscious reflection, or even stillness of mind, unless we take time out to refocus our attention. Otherwise our minds are in constant motion, endlessly fed input largely designed to persuade us to purchase what we have been convinced we need, or to vote for a political animal carefully resculpted and groomed to appeal to what we ourselves have been re-molded to believe is culturally acceptable. Mind-wrought.

We must check our ‘civilized’ propensity to ravage the commons for commerce. For millennia, we as a species have gradually come to perceive ourselves as Nature’s reason to be rather than integral to Nature’s flow through time and space on this tiny planet at large in a universe scaled to seemingly infinite macro and micro proportions. We have been a distinct species for about 200,000 years— say 10,000 generations of humans at the rate

of five generations per century. When our planet warmed up after an epoch of deep chill during the last Ice Age that we’ve dubbed the Pleistocene, we began to phase out of our hunter-gatherer lifestyles and commenced to ‘civilize’ ourselves. We gradually learned to till the soil and thus reshape our social and cultural proclivities. We have commandeered the commons to suit the presumed needs of our growing civilizations. Thus we have collectively savaged much of our planetary biotic community to the extent that we waver near the edge of continued existence. The acreage of our wildlands is waning at an extraordinary rate, exploited soon to oblivion should we not check our ‘civilized’ propensity to ravage the commons for commerce. In a conversation with author and shepherd Wendell Berry, he had this to say: “The longer I have lived and worked here among the non-commercial creatures of the woods and fields, the less I have been able to conceive of them as wild. They plainly are going about their own domestic lives, finding or making shelter, gathering food, minding their health, raising their young, always well adapted to their places. They are far better at domesticity than we industrial humans are. It became clear to me also that they think of us as wild, and that they are right. We are the ones who are undomesticated, barbarous, unrestrained, disorderly, extravagant and out of

Jack Loeffler

Rina Swentzell control. They are our natural teachers, and we have learned too little from them. The woods itself, conventionally thought of as wild, in fact is thought of and used as home by the creatures who are domesticated within it. In the second poem of 1995, I try defining wild in a way that still seems fairly satisfactory. But when in the eighth poem of 2009 I was finally able to write of our habitat here as ‘a living place of many lives complexly domestic,’ I felt I got past a major cultural obstruction.” (Mr. Berry alludes to poems in his book, This Day: Collected and New Sabbath Poems 1979-2012, published by Counterpoint Press in 2013.)

What an amazing insight that it is we humans who have become savages in a world where fellow creatures have evolved in domesticity within their habitats. And yet this is the case. In so civilizing ourselves, we have filtered out our sensitivity to the needs of place and become interlopers in the commons that sustain our entire biotic community.

Wendell Berry

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Just what are the commons? According to my late great friend Rina Swentzell from Santa Clara Pueblo: The commons is everything. It is the context that we live in. Again, when I talk about it, it’s the old Pueblo thinking.The community was

always thought of as being whole.Everything was interconnected. There was always a center to it as well, and I was a center and you were a center. There were many centers as a part of the whole thing. And we think that a whole has one center. In a way it’s true. But with the Pueblo there are so many simultaneous things that can happen at once, which is all part of the commons, I think, because there are so many things that go on at the same time. The wind is blowing, the water’s flowing, and we’re actually walking around and talking. It’s all part of this idea of what we all share. It’s that notion of sharing. “In that Pueblo context, then, the focus was always, what is it that surrounds me? Who and what surrounds me, and who do I work with and around all the time? But the primary thing is that we felt that it was the earth, the sky, the clouds, the wind and that incredible term that we have that for me says it all: it’s the p’oh-wa-ha, it’s the water-wind-breath— the thing that we’re feeling right now. And that connects, it moves through our entire world in such a way that it connects everybody and everything. That becomes the commons in a sense. It’s that real ethereal thing. What is that blowing through the window right now that’s giving us all vitality? That’s the flow of life. In the Pueblo it really was that thing that swirls around, that swirls, that moves, that creates that sense CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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Stirring Indigenous Mind continued from page

of commons. It’s the ultimate of what is common to every living being. What do we have with the trees, with the rocks, with all of that that makes our life what it is today?” This is the best definition of the commons that I know of. It is an assessment of reality formulated from within the mind of a wildly intelligent woman who was indigenous to her homeland, a person who was domesticated to the wild from within an ancient culture deeply rooted within home habitat. Hers is a perspective to which I aspire. She spoke from within Indigenous Mind, a perspective shaped more by the flow of Nature through homeland than by a list of facts about the nature of homeland. She lived within what Fritjof Capra identified as “a systems view of life.” She was possessed of a refined intellect but allowed her natural instincts and intuitions to run free. And she took a dim view of the shrunken, conventional outlook of mainstream culture: “Today, what we do is just talk about human community. It gets to be such a small thing, within the larger scope of things. And I think that that is the demise of our lives, of modern lives today. We keep making the world smaller and smaller until it is nothing but us. Just human beings. Out of context. Out of our natural context. Out of our cosmological context. We have become so small in our view of the world. Our world is simply us human beings. And that is a crucial thing that we need to get beyond, and move back again to seeing ourselves within context.”

through homeland as sacred are far closer to the mark than those of us who would secularize habitat for endless economic growth. Those of us who recognize that profound sense of the kindred with all living creatures—as well as the air, the water, the soil itself—are tapped into Indigenous Mind. These are sensibilities to be nurtured and honored, to be stirred back into commons of human consciousness. The late cultural anthropologist Edward T. “Ned” Hall once shared with me his own perspective, based on a long lifetime of work among peoples of Indigenous Mind: “The land and the community are associated with each other. And the reason they’re associated and linked, and the reason that people get their feeling of community from the land, is that they all share in the land. Ethnicity is looked upon normally as a liability, because people want to make everyone else like themselves. And this is something we’re going to have to learn to overcome, because ethnicity is one of the greatest resources, if not the greatest resource, that we have in the world today. What we have here are stored solutions to common human problems, and no one solution is ever going to work over a long period time, so we need multiple solutions for these problems. So ethnicity is like money in the bank, but in a world bank. Culture is an extension of the genetic code. In other words, we are part of Nature ourselves. And one of the rules of Nature is that in order to have a stable environment, you have to have one that is extraordinarily rich and diverse. If you get it too refined, it becomes more vulnerable. So we need diversity in order to have insurance for the future. Again, you need multiple solutions to common problems. The evolution of the species really depends on not developing our technology but developing our spirits or our souls. The fact is that Nature is so extraordinarily complex that you can look at it from multiple dimensions and come up with very different answers, and each one of them will be true. And we need all of those truths.” ■

Indigenous Mind is a perspective shaped by the flow of Nature through homeland.

Indeed, human consciousness is a commons unto itself. It is presently shaped and fed by the predominant cultural trends that seem to be spiraling in a vortex that is devouring itself, soon to blink out of existence by virtue of overspecialization and lack of insight. In our overabundant self-indulgence, we have grievously neglected the roots of our consciousness, our indigeneity to Nature. We are spawned by Nature, we are sustained by Nature, we are but a tiny part of Nature’s flow through time and space. We are rooted in Nature, but if we neglect that realization and thus alter our natural habitat to the extent that it expels our species, we shall have laid absolute waste to a form of consciousness that even now has a tremendous capacity for elegance. Indigenous Mind is vital to collective consciousness. The perspectives of indigenous peoples who continue within their traditional regard of the flow of Nature

Jack Loeffler is an aural historian, author and radio producer whose pe r s pe c t i ve i n c l u d e s bioregionalism and systems thinking. He has recently completed a 10-part documentary radio series entitled “Encounters with Consciousness.” www.loreoftheland.org

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Saturday, December 17th

Scottish Rite Temple Santa Fe | 463 Paseo de Peralta Doors open at 1:00pm

Celtic Christmas Performances by:

Cowboy Christmas

The Order of the Thistle Pipes and Drums Belisama Irish Dance Company Santa Fe Men’s Camerata and other acts TBA

Concert from 2:00 - 4:00pm Conce

Performances by:

Bill Hearne Trio and other acts TBA

Concert from 5:00 - 9:00pm

$20 General Admission • $15 Balcony • $30 Preferred Seating Food and Drink will be served for General Admission and Preferred ticket levels Tickets will be available soon through the Lensic Box Office or by calling 505.988.1234 or at ticketsantafe.org

Winter is coming! Help Santa Feans in need by donating warm winter clothing items at this event.

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RITUAL, CEREMONY and THANKSGIVING The Art of Hospitality Story and photos by Alejandro López

s most know, early in the 17th century, the Wampanoag native people of the eastern seaboard (now Massachusetts) generously fed and welcomed the Puritans, an oppressed religious minority group that fled England’s climate of religious hostility and took refuge in these distant shores. Since then, Thanksgiving has become a celebration that has generally succeeded in cutting through most religious, cultural and class divides in this country, thanks, in part, to President Abraham Lincoln’s declaration of it as a national holiday in 1863, a time when the country was being torn apart in a civil war. Thanksgiving is perhaps the only sacred obser vance that the over whelming majority of Americans have bought into. It is a time when people everywhere seem to make a genuine effort to open their hearts and homes to each other and share what is usually a sumptuous feast while giving expression to a deep, heartfelt thankfulness for all that they enjoy.

Thanksgiving has become a celebration that has generally succeeded in cutting through most religious, cultural and class divides.

Much of its meaningfulness has to do with people embracing an activity that requires considerable effort and preparation and culminates in a collective blessing and sharing of foodstuffs, as well as an outpouring of goodwill and positive energy. For this particular celebration, people throughout the country make every effort to be with their families, in spite of the great distances they may have to travel. Those who cannot make the annual pilgrimage to their family home may take spiritual refuge with others in improvised “universal families.” On this day, it matters less who is sitting across from you at the table and more that there is someone sitting there who is glad to pass you the yams and green beans.

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Although this celebration focuses on the commonplace activity of nourishing our bodies, even at the risk of stuffing ourselves with the mountains of food that Americans are wont to prepare, it is nevertheless carried out with the intentional highlighting of the t r a d i t i o n a l f o o d s o f a No r t h e a s t harvest and, usually, with a blessing or prayer. Blessings that people in our vastly multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious society may be thankful for frequently include the protection by a Supreme Being, valued elements of nature and the manmade world, as well as the irreplaceable gifts of family, friends, home, health and security. Because many of these blessings can at any time vanish from our midst, there is not a one who sits around the Thanksgiving Day table who is not moved to acknowledge the precariousness of his or her existence and inherent dependence on the allenveloping “web of life” that includes the soil we walk on, the water we drink, the food we consume and the air we breathe. To collectively enter through ritual and ceremony into a state of profound

A blessing at a northern New Mexico table welcomes socially conscious artist from Philadelphia, Lily Yeh.

New Mexican and Mexican families in northern New Mexico prepare a meal. appreciation, nay, of love and reverence, for the totality of unseen forces that uphold our existence—call it by whatever name you wish—is in itself a gift that helps us to navigate through the world. However, to avail ourselves of the

possibility of entering into meaningful life-serving ritual and ceremony such as we do at Thanksgiving, we first need to suspend our ordinary comings and goings, our inner ramblings and CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Santa Fe Community College is proud to announce its latest

national achievement in sustainability Honorable Mention in the Second Nature and U.S. Green Building Council’s

2016 Climate Leadership Awards The annual Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards recognize innovative and advanced leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation, and resilience at signatory campuses of the Climate Leadership Commitments. They do so based on demonstrated advances in innovation, embedded opportunities, and student preparedness with relation to sustainability and climate action. Second Nature offers these awards in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Accessible, Affordable, Exceptional EDUCATION Registration for spring begins Nov. 15. TALK TO AN ADVISER TODAY. 505-428-1270 • sfcc.edu

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Ritual, Ceremony and Thanksgiving continued from page

mutterings, our judgments, resentments and other limiting forms of being. In life-serving ritual and ceremony, we consciously choose our posture, breathing, thoughts and words, movements, sacred objects and clothing, music, sources of illumination, offerings, and food and drink to be able to enter a state of unity and communion with all things. Through participation in meaningful ritual and ceremony, one becomes greatly aware of just how enormous, wondrous, complex and indeed sacred our existence is, down to our ability to draw in a single breath, utter a syllable or move a finger. Through simple, open-ended rituals and ceremonies that acknowledge our common origin, needs and destiny, many if not all of the opposing forces at work in our pett y and divided human communities (native and nonnative, old and young, moneyed and not moneyed, Chr istian and nonChristian, gay and straight, etc.), as well as the seemingly opposing forces unleashed by nature herself (creation and destruction), can be reconciled and accepted for what they are. For as long as the ritual or ceremony lasts, we can potentially find ourselves immersed in a sea of beauty, bounty, sanctity, bliss, purity, healing, peace and unity. Through ritual and ceremony, these long-soughtafter states that we know are possible can be experienced deeply and as a result, become fundamental parts of our constitution and the new consciousness that so many people in our society long to birth. At such moments, we become aware that were it not for the

multitude of pressures bearing down on our lives, we might possibly opt to live in a more deliberate manner as one does during a ceremony and thus savor more deeply everything that appears before us rather than rush headlong into the compulsory “ceremony of busyness”that we unconsciously practice most of the time.

Through participation in meaningful ritual and ceremony, one becomes aware of how wondrous, complex and indeed sacred our existence is.

From the dawn of human history, rituals and ceremonies that incorporate a deep and holistic communion with ourselves,with each other and with the unseen forces of the universe have been catalytic to the deepening of the human psyche and to the realization of our ultimate purpose on Earth—to be awake to the marvel of existence and to honor it in every way possible. Indeed, one has only to look at the magnificence of a Pueblo Indian ceremony to acknowledge that a more integrated, reverent, beautiful, poetic and richly symbolic existence is indeed possible over the dominant culture’s prevailing “survival of the fittest” mentality and obsessive consumerism. Because of New Mexico’s unique character as a repository of old cultures, together with its awe-inspiring landscapes, it has often served as a magnet for a multitude of groups that practice rituals and ceremonies. In northern New Mexico, in addition to the bedrock native religions and their sanctuaries, there are numerous Christian churches, Jewish synagogues,Sikh and Hindu temples,Buddhist stupas, Islamic mosques and New Age spiritual communities, as well as sweat lodges and sacred natural sites that draw attention to the human need for establishing a deep communion with the cosmos that goes beyond our nine-to-five routines. In each of these places, as well as in the privacy of people’s own homes, individuals and groups consistently gather to honor life in many ways, as well as to offer thanksgiving for all that sustains us. No doubt, the depth and quality of these observances help determine the depth and quality of our daily comings and goings and interaction with each other, as well as with our planetary home. ■

María Dolores Valdez de Pong pouring water for friends

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Alejandro López is a northern New Mexican writer and photographer.

Ceremonial feeding of Mother Earth. Santa Cruz, northern New Mexico

Locally preserved vegetables

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IN GRATITUDE for VEGETABLES

The bounty of freshly prepared vegetables brings color and life to a meal Article and photos by Japa K. Khalsa

t Thanksgiving, the turkey is the centerpiece of the meal, but what brings color and life are the bounty of freshly prepared vegetables. The New Mexico fall harvest gave us many squash, pumpkins and our famous chile for the Thanksgiving meal. How can we bring lots of veggies to the table that are colorful, full of flavor and add to the traditional side dishes of mashed potatoes and peas?

During the last 10 minutes, pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the lightly simmering water and add your Herbes de Provence directly to this mini oil pool. As the oil herbs disperse into the water it will spread flavor throughout your soup. After the flavorings have dispersed and cooked, turn the heat off and let it cool for a bit, then purée soup, either with immersion blender in pan or in batches in regular blender. Soup can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated. Reheat before serving, add chile, red powder, green chile at the last minute to maintain texture and flavor and serve as a spicy garnish. Open and remove the seeds from your second pumpkin to use as a serving dish.

Pumpkin Chile Soup

Pumpkin soup is a beautiful and healthful accompaniment to your Thanksgiving supper. Pumpkins are considered one of the best ways to build the health of the adrenals and kidneys. Their slightly sweet flavor and texture are beneficial for the pancreas, and they are full of antioxidants, vitamins and cancer prevention. Guests will appreciate something unique from the usual sweet potato. Find a cooking pumpkin, different from the Halloween jack-o-lantern, as it has a slightly thicker skin. You can buy a second pumpkin to open and use as a serving dish for a festive presentation. Serves five or more if served as an appetizer 2 – 2-pound pumpkins These items can be chopped somewhat coarsely, as soup will be blended later on: 5 ribs of celery 1 onion 3 garlic cloves 4 medium shallots 4 cups stock of your choice salt and pepper 2 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence 5 tablespoons fresh green chile, deseeded and chopped optional garnish; chives and red chile powder or paprika The flesh of one pumpkin, chopped into 1-inch chunks Cut top off pumpkin and scoop out the innards, separating flesh from seeds and goo. You can save the seeds and pan-roast them later. You may also want to save the outside layer of your pumpkin to use as a serving vessel. Cut flesh into 1-inch chunks. In a large saucepan or small stockpot, sauté green chile over medium heat about 5 minutes. Remove green chile with slotted spoon and set aside. Next, sauté the remaining veggies: celery, onion, garlic and shallots. After about 8 minutes, add stock and pumpkin pieces. Raise heat to high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to maintain low simmer. Soup is the most tasty when cooked slowly. Cook about 45 minutes, until pumpkin is very tender.

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Chop, Saute, Serve

What if you still need one more side dish besides the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and green beans? Or you are going to a Thanksgiving potluck and need to whip something up that’s easy and tasty? A vegetable stir-fry is a crowd pleaser; the bright colors and variety of vegetables add choices to the spread of food. Just chop up any assortment of veggies, and put the slowest-cooking veggies in first (carrot, onions, potatoes, celery) with olive oil and a splash of water. The olive oil cooks best on medium heat, and the water helps the oil to keep its integrity and healthful qualities during the cooking. Add the zucchinis, broccoli or greens a little later (about 5 to 7 minutes) as these cook fast. These last veggies should be cooked to the point of visual brightness (they will brighten as they cook) and then stop. You should taste-test along the way so that they are not too crunchy, but don’t let them get dull and soft by overcooking, as you want the color of the vegetables to dazzle on your table. For flavorings put in combinations of garlic, basil, salt and a pinch of red chile or ginger, soy sauce and garlic. Just pull the veggies to the side, add one more tablespoon of oil and then quickly stir in the seasonings in the pool of oil. Let this simmer for a few minutes and then stir well so that all the veggies are coated with flavor.

Red Chile Tofu

You can contribute a New Mexican flavor to turkey alternatives with some fresh red chile powder. Baked tofu is very easy and will satisfy your vegetarian guest. Slice the tofu into ¼-inch-thick slabs and lay on a slightly oiled cookie sheet. Squirt with lemon juice and also Bragg’s Amino Acids (a special soy CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Green Fire Times • November 2016

In Gratitude for Vegetables continued from page

sauce) for flavor. Lemon juice helps the tofu break down a bit and become easy to digest. Now cook for about 20 minutes in the oven, preheated to 375 degrees. Flip over at about 20 minutes until each slab of tofu is bubbling and starting to crisp. Sprinkle medium red chile powder on top of each slice and let cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. For flavor, sprinkle it with nutritional yeast for the last few minutes of cooking. Tofu is very high in protein, calcium and iron. It tastes similar to a bland white cheese, like a Mexican farmer’s cheese. Because it picks up the flavor of whatever dish it’s in, it’s an excellent companion to many vegetables.

Tasty Gravy and Veggie Broth

Say you’ve made your veggie stir-fry and soup, and while you were doing this, you left a giant pile of vegetable parts on the counter. Instead of composting them or sending them to a landfill, you simply swept them into a giant pan and boiled them on the counter for an hour or two. Now you have a delicious, healthful broth to use for your gravy. If you have a vegetarian guest you can use this broth for a separate gravy from the pan drippings. It has no additives like store-bought broth and is full of minerals.

One tip is to put all your Thanksgiving vegetable discards in a bag or Tupperware and freeze them. Save this bag and, when you need to, just crockpot the veggies, cover with water and cook all day to make a beautiful broth. Healers and cleansing enthusiasts swear by vegetable broth as a gentle way to cleanse and detoxify the body. The minerals from the vegetables support the body, and the sheer simplicity gives the body a timeout and a chance to restore health. It is generally recommended to sip broth and fast for a morning or even a full day as a way to “reset” the body. If you overeat for Thanksgiving or the holidays, this is your secret weapon to recovery. ■

What is a PNM Home Energy Checkup?

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Japa K. Khalsa, (DOM), is co-author of Enlightened Bodies: Exploring Physical and Subtle Human Anatomy (enlightenedbodies. com). She teaches a weekly yoga class for people with chronic pain at Sacred Kundalini in Santa Fe. She combines traditional acupuncture with herbal and nutritional medicine, injection therapy and energy healing. Her work emphasizes optimal health and personal transformation through self-care and awareness of the interconnectedness of all life. www.drjapa.com

Happenings at the Does PNM really have rebates on air conditioners?

EVENTS IN NOVEMBER Wednesday, November 9 Santa Fe Estate Planning Council

Saturday, November 12 Acequia Madrid Elementary School Fundraiser November 18, 19, and 20 Fall Fiber Fiesta evfac.org Saturday, November 26 White Tantric Yoga Festival WhiteTantricYoga.com View our new webpage

www.santafesco ishrite.org for calendar and information.

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

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Black Mesa, Northern New Mexico ÂŠ Anna Christine Hansen

James H. Auerbach, MD and Staff support Green Fire Times in its efforts to bring about a better world by focusing on the people, enterprises and initiatives that are transforming New Mexico into a diverse and sustainable economy. SoMe oF THe TopicS GreeN Fire TiMeS SHowcASeS: Green: Building, products, Services, entrepreneurship, investing and Jobs; renewable energy, Sustainable Agriculture, regional cuisine, ecotourism, climate Adaptation, Natural resource Stewardship, Arts & culture, Health & wellness, regional History, community Development, educational opportunities James H. Auerbach, MD provides dermatology services in Santa Fe, NM (Sorry, we are no longer accepting new clients.)

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

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GATHERING LIQUID STARLIGHT FROM MANY FLOWERS

A choreographic interplay between plant and planet Melanie Margarita Kirby

n the beginning there was the Zia sun, its light radiating warm, energizing particles upon our enchanted lands.Over millennia, this starlight caused snow to melt and plants to grow and blossom. Floral blooms transferred the radiant energy through perfumed nectars and pollen, instigating the birth of seeds—each with its own unique, resilient story. These seed stories form an illuminating collective that also nurtures people, societies, cultures, traditions and cuisines. Every year, these stories wait silently and discreetly to be told. For this to happen, many six-legged ballerinas must dance among flowers, serving as midwives for the flowering-to-fruit cycle.The seeds face many challenges in braving the rough and rugged topography of our high desert. They awake to blustery springs and manifest foliage through midsummer monsoons. Then they endure the heartbreak of summer’s end and put forth their progeny: more seeds, which endure brisk autumns and alpine winters.

Bees and diverse pollinators are the midwives of agriculture

As if this choreographic interplay between plant and planet isn’t enough, they do it all over again. It is the anticipation of this seasonal dance that beckons us to engage by planting and nurturing seeds, harvesting them when time and tradition tell us, storing them appropriately, and then planting when conditions are conducive. Stewards nurture seed growth for the food that provides nourishment for body and mind. And though the main dancers buzz, flit and hover above each cacophony of bloom, it is this stewardship—of man holding hands with Mother Nature—that adds some finetuning to the orchestra. As the bee ballerinas weave the pollen ribbons from the desert mesas and wind it through the world’s largest cottonwood forest, sweeping through the bosque up to brush the alpine meadows and vegas, we stewards watch in fascination and express gratitude to this light- and lifegiving choreography. The bees, as beings

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Bee hives in Truchas, northern New Mexico of light, come together and create greater incandescence by capturing the sweet Zia starlight nectars. And we, as beings of light, gather together and, with awe and reverence, savor the fruits of their efforts and their honeys.

All photos courtesy Zia Queenbees Farm & Field Institute

It is the gathering of all this cosmic energy that helps us to recognize that we too are seeds, carrying stories that can be passed on from one generation to another, creating cultural customs and traditions that transcend time over thankful harvests. This gathering runs parallel to the definition of community and also highlights the gathering of ingredients which chefs take to the next level of aroma and flavor resonance. It takes a community of bees—a colony—to forage for liquid starlight. 2016 marks the 10-year anniversary of Zia Queenbees Farm & Field Institute. Mark Spitzig and I, ZQB’s founders, describe ourselves as “nectar nomads,” followers of the bloom. As first-generation landless bee farmers, our process is dependent on what, where and when stewards plant. Providing pollination services to a variety of cultivated and wild landscapes, our bees help grow food—from farms to forest lands. This gracious interaction nurtures our enchanted lands to manifest liquid starlight: honey.

Working on the hives in Truchas

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Gathering Liquid Starlight from Many Flowers continued from page

Farmers are transformers. We transform bare ground into luscious nutritionrich gardens. We transform empty plates into full bellies. And we help our communities to transform love and light into delicious meals. May we take this time to give thanks and praise to those who feed us— both the land and those who care for the land; to applaud the midwives of agriculture—the bees and diverse pollinators who nurture the cycles of life and help to provide sustenance for all organisms; to pray that our love for the green earth can encourage positive and sustainable living and land stewardship practices.

Honey from various regions of New Mexico, beeswax and honeycomb display

Harvest time is a time of reflection—a time to remember the endurance of farming and farmers; a time to recall all the laborious love of helping nurture our diverse and adverse landscapes; a time to remember who and what we are grateful for, and a time that demonstrates the transformative quality of good food and good times.

ZQB specializes in survivor stock bee propagation, adhering to a treatment-free process through biomimicry. ZQB has made a small but notable niche name locally and globally. Additional services include multidisciplinary research and education, and pure and raw hive products for health and wellness.

We would also like to thank the many community members and organizations that have nurtured bees by planting gardens, flowers and by hosting hives. We thank you and our bees thank you. Que Viva Las Abejas—Long Live the Bees! Que Viva nuestras Agricultores—Long live our farmers! And long live our Zia sun. ■ Melanie Margarita Kirby w r ites about bees and sustainable agriculture for various publications including The American Bee Journal and Bee Culture Magazine. She also serves as the editor of Kelley B e e k e e p i n g, a f r e e, o n l i n e m o n t h l y newsletter. She has been keeping bees professionally for 20 years, having learned from bees and farmers in North, South and Central America, the Pacif ic Islands, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and No r t h A f r i c a . Fo r m o r e i n f o, v i s i t www.ziaqueenbees.com

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Working with beehives

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PICKING PIÑÓN

A Vignette from "Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette" Andrew Lovato Part six of an intermittent series.

Treat beyond compare Tiny nuts from branches fall Resting in my hair Autumn was traditionally a busy time in Santa Fe when the piñón nuts were dropping from their cones and ready for picking. Elvis’ mom and dad supplemented their modest income by selling the tasty nuts during the holidays. Elvis and his little brother Ángelo accompanied them on weekends into the piñón-dotted hills around Santa Fe. The boys didn’t see these excursions as work but rather as great fun. The piñón tree has been an important source of food and fuel for centuries in New Mexico. The Pueblo Indians and Spanish natives have a long, beneficial association with the scraggly little tree that survives in the dry climate. Elvis’ mom had picked piñón nuts since she was a little girl. She learned most of what she knew about picking and roasting the hard, brown nuts from her abuelita, Lupita.

The ripe nuts rained down on the blanket like a heavenly offering.

She had fond memories of walking up into the hills with her grandmother and picking piñón nuts in the afternoons as the bright blue piñón jays squawked, complaining to them for intruding into their territory. Elvis’ mom grew nostalgic and teary-eyed when she told him about the old, red blanket and Grandma Lupita. She often recounted her story to Elvis and his brother before they ventured into the hills. Her grandma would announce that it was time to get to work by saying: “Evelyn, Mi hita, get the red blanket and a couple of pillow cases from the top drawer of the dresser. We’re going picking.” Evelyn would spread the blanket on the ground beneath a piñón tree. Then she climbed as high as she could and shook the branches back and forth until the ripe nuts rained down on the blanket like a heavenly offering. Lupita was very particular about

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the nuts they selected to put into the pillowcases. She instructed: “The nuts can’t be too green or they taste bitter and are almost impossible to crack open. They have to be smaller than a pinky fingernail or leave them for the birds.” Experience had taught her that the small nuts had the best flavor. After Evelyn and her grandmother had gathered all the piñón nuts they wanted, they carefully folded the blanket and hauled their harvest back to the kitchen to begin roasting. Evelyn collected kindling and set it in the cast iron stove, and when they had a blazing fire going, they poured the nuts into a large metal pan and placed it on top of the stove, stirring the nuts as they roasted. Lupita warned, “Don’t let them get too hot, nieta, or it ruins the flavor.” After the piñones were done roasting, they spread the warm nuts between two damp towels on the kitchen table and turned a rolling pin over them to crack the shells, thus liberating the precious fruit inside. Elvis’ great-grandma salted the nuts and separated them into two piles, one for eating and the other for baking her indescribably delicious breads and cookies. She always sent Evelyn home after her visits with bags full of piñón goodies. “Come back soon hita and be sure and share with your family. Don’t eat all that by yourself or next time I see you you’ll be una gordita.” These memories washed over Elvis’ mom when she led her sons up into the hills. She wanted to pass this sacred art on to them. “Boys, even a small bag of piñón nuts takes a lot of work, and you should never take them for granted. It is a privilege to grab a handful and place them in your boca.” She emphasized that, apart from the hard work it required, they were scarce and there was a limited supply because the trees only produced nuts every few years, and then only in certain locations. A piñón tree full of ripe nuts was a great gift to come upon. She also advised Elvis and Ángelo as her grandmother had cautioned her:

“Don’t eat too many at once! I’ve seen my share of skinny, healthy piñón lovers change almost overnight into fat, blubbery pansones after they became addicted.” Elvis and Angelo trailed their mom and dad up into the hills on brisk Saturday mornings and they howled with laughter as they stood underneath the branches of a ripe tree as their dad shook the limbs, making piñón nuts shower upon their heads. They’d yell, “Dad, Dad! Make it rain over here! How come you always shake it more on Ángelo’s side? Yipes, they’re going down into my shirt! Mom, Mom! Look, Elvis has piñón nuts in his ears!” Mom held her sides and laughed so hard that she couldn’t talk except to call her boys crazy sonsos. The Romero family spent the rest of the morning gathering the scattered nuts off the ground and scooping them from the same red blanket that Elvis’ mom and greatgrandma Lupita had used. The blanket was the only keepsake that his mom had asked for after Lupita passed away.

Elvis’ dad always brought along a small transistor radio, and they listened to rock n’ roll oldies and northern New Mexico Spanish rancheras as they worked. At noon, they spread out their lunch, which usually consisted of red chile tamales kept warm in aluminum foil and tortillas smothered in butter and honey. Food always tasted a hundred times better sitting under a piñón tree in the mountains. Occasionally, other families were out piñón -picking and they stopped to talk. “Cómo están, ustedes? You got a nice bounty of piñones, amigos.” “Que bonita día!” ■ Through his writings, native Santa Fean Andrew Lovato, Ph.D., walks readers through an exploration of Hispanic and New Mexico cultures of yesterday and today. An associate professor at Santa Fe Community College, Lovato is the author of Santa Fe Hispanic Culture: Preserving Identity in a Tourist Town; The Year Zozobra Escaped: Featuring Zozobra’s Great Escape; and a contributing author of four other books. Andrew.lovato@sfcc.edu

VISIONS OF PIÑÓN PIE 2015, with its abundant early rainfall, was a good year for New Mexico’s beloved piñón nuts, and they are plentiful in 2016 as well. Veteran pickers say that every three to seven years, unless drought interferes, there is a big crop, although some say there hasn’t been a great crop since 2005. Huge swaths of piñón-juniper forests were wiped out by drought and wildfires over the last 20 years. Bark beetles decimated piñón trees across the Southwest about a decade ago. Researchers have predicted that some species of piñón trees may go extinct by 2090 because of rising temperatures and extended dryness. From late September through early October, trucks and cars line roadways of parts of northern New Mexico where the trees have survived. Piñón-picking families can be seen on their hands and knees taking part in a subsistence, sustainable agricultural tradition spanning centuries. It takes about 25 years before a piñón tree will start producing nuts, usually in the top third of the branches. When a tree is 75 to 100 years old, it can bear cones with large quantities for several centuries. It takes three growing seasons for a piñón nut to fully develop. The newly fallen dark, heavy piñones—not the light ones—are worth collecting, roasting and eating. They are also favored by, of course, piñón jays, as well as other birds, rodents and bears. Piñones, which are nearly impossible to cultivate commercially like other nuts, were a trade commodity for American Indians throughout the Southwest.They still supplement incomes today for many Native and Hispanic households throughout the state.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

CURANDERISMO and CURANDERAS of NORTHERN NEW MEXICO A Long and Noble Tradition Hilario E. Romero

n the United States of North America historians trace conventional surgical medicine to the Civil War. However, for over four centuries in what we call New Mexico, curanderismo was and still is the native way for curing mental and physical diseases among the traditional mixed-race Spanish and native Indian cultures. Curanderismo is a term from the 19th century that describes ancient methods of traditional healing among the first group of primarily mestizo-indio colonists who entered New Mexico in 1598. In northern New Mexico, it has been a tradition passed on from generation to generation, mostly among traditional mestiza women, who originally brought it from México and added indigenous knowledge and methods learned from the tribes of New Mexico.

Origins of Curanderismo

Códice of Azteca God of Medicine

Scant written documentation exists regarding the early history of curanderismo, as it was passed on orally through hands-on apprenticeships from women and some men who were indigenous to México, Central America, South America and northern New Mexico.The arrival of the first Spanish soldiers in México and their subsequent conquest of the Azteca confederation of tribes created major changes in central México.The Spanish marveled at the medicinal knowledge of the Azteca and it eventually blended into conventional Spanish medicine. Among the common people, it evolved into curanderismo. From this base in central México, tribal and Spanish medicinal folkways spread north, arriving in New Mexico in 1598. For the next four centuries it evolved and blended further with tribal medicine from New Mexico’s Pueblos, yet it remained apart for use among the Spanish common castas (ethnic groups).

Códice de la Cruz-Badiano

Green Fire Times • November 2016

In Spain, curanderos and curanderas in the small villages served the medicinal needs of communities. In Mexico, educated Spanish priests, soldiers and wealthy families relied mainly on their own physicians who were trained in Spain or at la Universidad de México, founded in 1552. However, few, if any, came with the soldiers and soldiercolonists to New Mexico. In 1552, Martín de la Cruz, an indigenous Nahuatl-speaking medicine man wrote an

illustrated work in his native language on medicinal plants and herbal medicine of the Azteca empire titled Amate-CehuatlXihuitl-Pitli. His research included a lifetime of gathering information and interpreting the Mexica codices of the Azteca confederation of tribes that dominated México for centuries before the arrival of the Spanish. It was translated into Latin by an indigenous professor at the Colegio y Convento de las Santa Cruz (est. 1533), Juan Badiano. Francisco de Mendoza,son of Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, translated it from Latin to Spanish as Libro Sobre Las Hierbas Medicinales de Los Pueblos Indígenas. The book advanced conventional medicine of that period in México, which spread to Spain, Latin America, and made its way to the Pope in Rome.This impressive work, referred to as the Bodiano Códices, should be named for its true author, Martín de la Cruz. The Spanish incorporated Azteca medicine into the training of doctors because it was in many ways more advanced than their own. Despite these advancements, there still was a shortage of trained Spanish and Mexican doctors in México, but the common castas (people of mixed ethnic groups) preferred local curanderas.

Spanish Colonial Period in NM

Throughout the Spanish colonial period in northern New Mexico, most families relied on curanderas to heal their ailments. They were multi-disciplinary parteras (midwives), herberas (herbalists), sobadoras (massage therapists) and curanderas religiosas y espirituales (religious and spiritual healers). Few males carried on this tradition as their role at this time was to sustain the family agriculturally or economically. Any community member seeking help was accompanied by their family and asked a long series of questions about their ailment and family history, followed by a thorough examination of their physical and mental condition. After confirming the patient’s faith in her curative powers, she would diagnose physical as well as psychological ailments. Finally, she would administer specific remedies or therapies. Curaderas offered pre-natal care. During delivery the curandera would act as partera, herbera and sobadora simultaneously.

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For those who believed in their curative powers, they would perform spiritual rituals in addition to providing hierbas medicinales and massage. The colonial era curanderas were women of strong faith and positive cultural values. As healers, they met most of the needs of the families in their towns and villages because they had intuitive and experiental knowledge of the environment and human nature. They were folk psychologists and used comprehensive social and psychological methods to cure mental illness while simultaneously working on physical ailments. As sobadoras, they massaged and adjusted patients who were in need of physical therapy.

Mexican Period and Arrival of the United States of North America

After México won independence from Spain, curanderas continued to serve the communities of northern New Mexico. As the communities began to realize what little they could expect from the new government in México City, there was little impact on the curanderas. The tradition of three centuries continued. The increased Chihuahua trade brought new goods, services and colonists from México, along with a few trained doctors, but little changed until the arrival of the army of the United States of North America in 1846, bringing a new system of government and commerce. The barter system had served New Mexico well up to that time. But with the arrival of capitalism, many poor New Mexicans were at a loss regarding how to deal with a cash economy. In most villages and towns, families exchanged services or goods with one another to fulfill their basic needs. This system had sustained indigenous tribes for centuries and the Spanish for over 250 years. Poor families continued to trade with the curanderas for their services and were reluctant to enter or rely on the new cash economy. Throughout the mid- to late-1800s, curanderas in the smaller communities continued serving their families and villagers, and passed their knowledge on to family members and others. The tradition continued and little changed because it had worked for hundreds of years.

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The new arrivals were ignorant of the traditions of the native Spanish-Mexicanos and the Pueblo Indians. Many were suspicious of curanderas and thought they were witches or charlatans.The curanderas at this time kept a low profile outside their extended families and villages for fear they would be subject to gossip from those who did not understand their tradition, and as a result, scant detail about individual curanderas exists from this period—with some exceptions—from the tradition of oral history.

C uranderas of N orthern N ew Mexico in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Códice de la Cruz-Badiano

In the 20 th century, curanderas were needed and thriving. They learned from their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, greatgrandmothers and other curanderas as the tradition continued in their villages. They never advertised, as word of mouth and the belief that they could help was proven. Curanderas followed in the footsteps of their mentors, under whom they were apprenticed, which meant that the cycle of service remained unbroken. What was successful in the Spanish colonial and Mexican periods was still relevant and successful into the new century. The following biog raphies are a representation of some of the incredible w omen who se r ved and othe rs who continue to serve their communities for most of their lives.

Códice Azteca

Gregorita Rodríguez was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1901 in her father’s house on Montoya Hill. She was selected to be a healer’s apprentice by her tía Valentina, who apprenticed with Gregorita’s grandmother, la curandera Juliana Montoya. At a young age, she gathered hierbas medicinales with her tía on her father’s ranch in Quelites, near Pacheco Canyon, northeast of Santa Fe. Gregorita attended Loretto Academy, a Catholic school for girls in Santa Fe. When her father died, the family could not afford to keep her in school. The nuns liked Gregorita and had her scrub floors and clean for the convent in exchange for tuition. As a young woman she was interested in becoming a nun but instead married Manuel Rodríguez on

Curandera, patient and apprentice

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Curanderismo and Curanderas continued from page

August 7, 1922. She had 16 pregnancies, however, only eight of her babies survived.

Códice de la Cruz-Badiano

Once her children were grown, she became active in politics and was a delegate to the state Democratic Convention in the early 1970s. Her political prowess and skills as a community organizer made politicians seek her out. Like all curanderas, she believed her ability to heal came as a gift from God. As a sobadora, she not only provided massage therapy, but also was able to cure ailments in the abdominal area by seeking out each organ and clearing blockages with her hands. As a partera, she delivered many newborns. She was quoted in many newspaper articles and periodicals, stating: “Curanderas cure with their minds, their experience and their herbs.” In April 1994, at the age of 83, she was honored by the Santa Fe Living Treasures organization. Gregorita Rodríguez passed on to the hands of her Lord on October 19, 1989 at the age of 88. Gabrielita Mares de Pino was born in el Cañoncito, near Mora, New Mexico, on May 25, 1905, according to Anselmo Arellano, who interviewed her for La Herencia Magazine in the spring of 1994. Her parents were José León Mares and Emilia Vargas. Emilia, her mother, died when she was only 2-years-old. As a result, her grandparents raised her in La Cueva, a village six miles east of Mora. Gabrielita learned to be a healer from her grandmother, Jacinta Ortega de Mares, a well-known curandera in the Mora Valley during the 1800s and 1900s. In her early years she assisted her grandmother with gathering, preparing and storing medicinal herbs. When she was 15 years old, she married Antonio Pino and gave birth to 19 children. She apprenticed with her father-in-law, Angel Pino, who was a sobador. Like many traditional curanderas, Gabrielita became a partera as well and served as long as she was physically able. All of her 19 children were born at home with the help of a partera.

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

During her time as a curandera, she seldom charged more than $5 a visit, and if they could not afford it, she would take whatever they could give her. She also gave herbs to her patients because, she said, “they are a gift from God for the healing and comfort of those who have faith in them.” She gathered herbs each year on August 15th on el día de María

Santisima (Assumption of Mary) so they would be blessed, and she would pray to her patron saint “Santa Rita” to help her heal the sick and watch over her family. She was saddened that no one in her family wanted to follow in her footsteps and become a curandera. She left a legacy of 19 children, 80 grandchildren, 70 great-grand-children and over 20 great-great grand-children when she died at the age of 95 on Sept. 17, 2000. Jesusita Aragón was born on March 26, 1908 in Las Vegas, New Mexico and was baptized in Sapello. Her parents were Tomás Aragón and Antonia Otero. Her grandparents were Trinidad Gallegos and Dolores “Lola” Gallegos. When she was 4-years-old her grandfather Trinidad moved the family to Las Ventanas (also known as Trujillo), a ranching community almost 40 miles east of Las Vegas. Her grandmother started her apprenticeship when she was 13-years-old and that same year she delivered her first baby because her grandmother Lola had to attend her own sister who was in labor. Jesusita wanted to be a partera but also learned to be a herbera in order to serve pregnant women with the pre-natal process. She apprenticed with her grandmother until she was 40-years-old—27 years! She built her own house in Trujillo. She astounded many doctors with her intuitive knowledge of medicine. She prayed to Santo Niño de Atocha when she attended a birth. She did so in silence, with reverence, trusting in the power of faith to help her bring newborns into the world. She worked 73 years as a partera, delivering almost 46,000 babies, including 27 sets of twins and two sets of triplets, according to Anselmo Arellano, who interviewed Jesusita in 1994 for La Herencia Magazine. In 1941, Jesusita moved from Trujillo to Las Vegas so her son could attend high school and she could build another house. She continued as a partera in Las Vegas and also took in work washing and ironing clothes for Highlands University students. She died at the age of 97 on April 26, 2005. Sabinita Hererra was born in Truchas, New Mexico in July 1933. She learned about hierbas medicinales as a little girl.Her father,Mr.Trujillo,

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at 75-years-old, would take his 10-year-old daughter out on day-trips digging for herbal roots and plants at the base of the Truchas Peaks. Her mother would protest when her husband took her out on school days. These treks into the wilderness included selecting, gathering,cleaning,washing,cutting and drying hierbas medicinales and learning what they would cure.

Sabinita married and had 10 children. When her youngest was born, she went back into the mountains searching for hierbas. She believed that God gave us these hierbas to use and help everyone. In the late 1960s, the Truchas Clinic opened and the director, David Trujillo, convinced Sabinita to work with the clinic. She passed the entrance exam and became the clinic’s herbera. Truchas villagers talk about the special ointment she makes that heals skin ailments. Sabinita knew that she would be called upon by God to heal. Now in her 80s, she has curtailed her service to her community. She is well known and well respected as a curandera in northern New Mexico.

Dr. Virginia Alaniz, D.O.M. has been serving the medical needs of her patients in Las Vegas, New Mexico for the past 40 years. She apprenticed with traditional healers in northern New Mexico for over 30 years. These curanderas were Jesusita Aragón and Gabrielita Mares Pino, among others, who specialized in healing herbs, midwifery, massage and spiritual healing. To my knowledge, Virginia has never advertised herself as a curandera, yet she has the knowledge and experience of one. Her teachers, friends and companions lived 95 to 100 years. For over 30 years, Dr. Alaniz and her teachers

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provided curanderismo workshops for a wide range of audiences and age groups. She continues to present workshops at higher education institutions throughout New Mexico. At Luna Community College in Las Vegas, there is a mural commissioned by the New Mexico Art in Public Places program, depicting Dr. Alaniz and one of her teachers, Gabrielita Mares Pino, titled “Curandera.” It was painted in 2005 to honor their work in the communities of San Miguel and Mora counties. Both were also featured in the book Natures Medicine: Plants that Heal published by National Geographic Magazine. Dr. Alaniz has over 40 years of education and experience in the fields of mental health and substance abuse, both as a licensed clinician and a program developer for state mental health agencies and non-profits. She retired as a mental health clinician and has since taught graduate courses at New Mexico Highlands University in the Bilingual Social Work Department on Healing Traditions and Beliefs within the Latino Community. Virginia has also consulted with other universities in the Southwest and was a consultant for the film Bless Mi Última. She currently has an office, providing acupuncture, herbal remedies, mental health therapy and traditional medicine services. To my knowledge, curanderas in northern New Mexico who continue this tradition are unique and few. Other than Dr. Alaniz, their have been few attempts at a resurgence within the curanderas of Northern New Mexico.The University of New Mexico and Northern New Mexico College in 2005-2006 presented workshops featuring curanderas from México, which UNM has continued, however, few northern New Mexico women have come forward to apprentice with Sabinita Herrera and Dr. Alaniz to continue this tradition. ■ Hilario E. Romero, a New Mexican mestizo (Spanish/Basque/Jicarilla Apache/Ute), is a former New Mexico state historian. He spent the past 42 years in higher education, as an administrator and professor of History, Spanish and Education at the Community College of Denver, Northern New Mexico College and adjunct professor at Metro State University, University of Colorado-Denver, New Mexico Highlands University and UNM.

Spanish Colonial Casta painting

Green Fire Times • November 2016

HEALING OUR WORLD WITH CURANDERISMO

Athena Wolf

Illness occurs when we are not in tune with our own nature and spirit.

The Mexican leader Moctezuma grew thousands of varieties of plants in order to research their medicinal properties. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors destroyed Moctezuma’s garden and all of the research, as they considered it blasphemous. Although this written information was destroyed, the native peoples passed down the healing traditions orally.

Some anthropologists (including Alberto Villoldo) think that curanderismo goes even further back—to the Indus Valley in India. Thousands of years ago the Indus Valley gave birth to the powerful healing techniques of Ayurveda, to which curandersimo has many similarities. There exists to this day a tribe that has been in existence for 10,000 years, known as the Naga-Maya. These Maya may have been referred to in the Mahabharata, an Indian scripture, which describes a tribe that left the Indian subcontinent.; perhaps to settle in México? Ancient Sanskrit texts have been found in the Yucatan, in México. Curanderismo is a blend of many cultures, as well as wisdom from the curandera’s (or curandero’s) own background. Curanderismo (coo-RAHN-deh-REES-moh) is from the Spanish word, curar, “to heal.” The New Mexico Legislature recognized the value of this healing technique and made it legal to practice in our state. Curanderas only do healing work with the person who requests healing or that

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orking through illness without drugs, hormones, or chemicals can help us heal our world and ourselves, according to the ancient art of curanderismo. In this way we treat all of our relations with respect. Curanderismo’s holistic methods have been a tradition in the Americas for centuries. It is also known as Mexican traditional medicine, or “medicina del campo.”

Medicinal herbs for sale at the Española Farmers’ Market person’s small children. Trying to force change on someone who has not given his or her permission is not curanderismo but sorcery. Even if that person is an adult child of the client requesting help, an ethical curandera will not work on anyone without their permission. Traditionally the curandera has a commitment not only to her community but to the Earth and all of her children—the plant people, the four-leggeds, the stone people, those who fly and those who crawl. Ancient cultures understood that we live in a delicate balance with Nature. Illness occurs when we are not in tune with our own nature and spirit. Curanderismo helps bring people out of a diseased state and back into harmony.

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There are many different types of curanderos. Yerberos are pr imar il y herbalists. Hueseros work to heal bones. Sobaderos are muscle therapists. Parteras are midwives. Oracionistas work with the power of prayer. Although many curanderos do have a specialty, most practice at least a couple of these techniques. As an example, an oracionista may also be a powerful yerbera, and so on. Using limpia (energy cleansing), diet, prayer and herbs one can one find resolution to many illnesses. These are some traditional words used to describe ailments. Empacho refers to an intestinal blockage and is believed to be

caused by eating spoiled food, eating too much, food getting stuck in the stomach or other causes. Mal de Ojo has been referred to as the ‘evil eye.’ This illness is believed to mainly affect babies and is felt to be a result of adults paying too much attention to a child. Envidia is translated as an illness caused by envy. Like mal de ojo, the bad intent must be neutralized by physically touching the person who is envious or envied. Susto, sometimes called P TSD, can be caused by our reaction to traumatic events. Curanderas may also help to remove curses and to clear houses of entities. A recent study by the National Institute of Health (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC1011018/) says, “… curanderismo involves a coherent world view of health that has deep historical roots… Just as it would be erroneous to assume that urban Western medicine is rational and scientific in all its aspects, so it is also clear that cuandersimo contains many elements based on empirical observation and shares certain scientific concepts and procedures with Western medical practice.” ■ A t h e n a Wo l f i s t h e founder of the Escuela de Curanderismo. She has a healing practice in the Mimbres. 575.536.9335, curanderahealing.com

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RATÓN IS ENVISIONING a SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Article and photos by John Davidson

the most challenged, leaving the middle 60 percent without the kind of practical education that translates directly to the very jobs that are so hard to fill.

ike so many rural communities in New Mexico and across America, Ratón is at a crossroads.

Founded in the 19th centur y as an outlying colony of westward expansion, Ratón provided coal and water for the new railroad. While it exported cattle and coal, its food was largely produced locally—through small farms, gardens, and the raising of sheep, goats and cattle.

The dilemma is clear. Even if rural communities like ours could get a new industry, we no longer have a workforce. The fact is that Ratón has jobs, with many more coming in the healthcare field. The challenge is finding young people who are willing to move here when housing is inadequate and the public schools are struggling due to the ravages of poverty.

When houses converted to central heating, local coal was the fuel. As demand for electricity came, it was provided by burning local coal. Ratón developed its own electric distribution grid—still in existence and in good shape.

It is becoming apparent that communities like Ratón are produced by a history of colonization and now are part of an intractable system of globalization and consumerism—a system that destroys rather than cultivates local community.

Ratón is developing a new strategy that draws on systemic thinking.

So, Ratón is developing a new strategy that draws on systemic thinking. What would it look like, we are asking, if we turn our heads from the past and look toward a future with an entirely different perspective? What kind of system would work?

Eventually, the exports became coal, cattle and kids. The vacuum cleaner that is higher education arrived in the 1950s, taking our most motivated children. We celebrated those successes before we realized there was also reason to mourn them. Globalization eventually replaced local jobs, so our children had few to which they could return. National centraliz ation of energ y production overrode the efficiencies of local coal. And local food production was replaced by global production. In time, lack of demand diminished and aged the housing inventory. The Main Street business owners are aging-out as well, with no one coming forward to buy them out. And the public schools gradually became the mirror of a community dropping slowly into the poverty that now plagues rural America as a whole. Without a middle class and the young people who inhabit it, the schools no longer have the critical mass of motivated parents who helped public education succeed. At the same time, national K-12 policy has long favored the higher achievers and

If globalization is the challenge, then localization must be part of a solution. If what has happened in the past is not sustainable, we have to ask what sustainable community looks like. As we explore this big question, a few things become apparent rather quickly. Sustainability technology—the ability to produce food and energy locally—is already available. What is perhaps more challenging to find is the “community” part. Company towns were run from the top down. Communities like Ratón need to strengthen their ability to collaborate through new partnerships in a process of mutual support. Partnering is a new concept for old company towns. And it must extend beyond individual municipalities. Our northeastern New Mexico community is really several communities that live and work together. Movie theater in downtown Ratón, New Mexico

Green Fire Times • November 2016

There are critical partnerships that are outside our geographical region. The New

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Mexico Secretary of Higher Education recently allowed Ratón and its schools to be included in Santa Fe Community College’s service area. SFCC is an internationally recognized leader in the development of sustainable technology whose mission is to empower students and strengthen community. It is also a leader in partnering with local schools to bring career technical education (CTE) to both the middle level students and the highest achievers. SFCC is also modeling project-based learning (PBL). PBL is increasingly recognized as the best answer to evolving a standard K-12 curriculum that is no longer working. With it, students can get science, technology, engineering, math and other required credits while, for example, building a tiny house or growing food. SFCC and Ratón Public Schools are now partners in those initiatives.

Amtrak station in Ratón, New Mexico

community, including distance-learning classes with SFCC and Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) and the opening of New Mexico’s first remote Small Business Administration office in the center. If we can get momentum toward a truly sustainable community, there are lots of young people combing the American landscape looking for just such a place to live. We’ve got a good start. ■

The Center for Sustainable Community in Ratón. Ratón also has a new partnership with Eastern New Mexico University, a school that specializes in educating rural students. Ratón’s new effort is being led by The Center for Sustainable Community. Its vision is a sustainable and resilient community. Its mission is to lead our region by creating partnerships that will make the vision a reality. The center held its grand opening on Oct. 14 to introduce its programs to the

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Need a plumber? October 2016 ribbon-cutting celebrating the opening of the Center. L-R: Executive Director John Davidson; board of directors members Linde Schuster and Janet Iacobelli; AnaLouisa Coronado and Paul Jenkins of the Ratón Chamber of Commerce.

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EARLY COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES SCHOOL

A Student’s Perspective Article by Irie Charity

arly College Opportunities (E.C.O.), the new high school in Santa Fe, is located where the old Vo-Tech school used to be. E.C.O. offers unique opportunities for students to learn through hands-on, real-world projects. The school is teaching us to open our minds and hearts. After only 10 weeks, we are developing a new sense of how education can work to make our lives and communities better. When asked what makes E.C.O different, one student replied, “I come to E.C.O because I want to own my auto shop one day. Through the auto pathway, I get to learn core studies like math and English, but my teachers also show me how one needs to learn math to be able to find the correct measurements in building or rebuilding a vehicle.” Another student said, “I have attended many schools and E.C.O is by far the best. Mr. Richards, the principal, makes sure that every student is doing fine. I have never been welcomed like that.” A third student said that this is the first school he has managed to stay in for more than a month without getting kicked out and that he actually likes to be there. “The teachers care about not only what you learn, but also who you are and how you can grow.” Many students struggle with traditional learning in the classroom where the projects are simulated and only for the teachers’ eyes. E.C.O. students create projects for themselves and their future, for the community—for a real audience, so it’s much more motivating. E.C.O gets students out of our seats working with community members to learn and do things that can help solve help some of our biggest problems, such as homelessness and poverty, or impact climate change. Teachers here have to figure out how not to lecture and do bookwork and worksheets for more than two-hour blocks and instead get the kids to take back their own education and learn by doing. For example, building a tiny home or creating a farm, aquaponics lab or a solar car are all projects that help solve issues. Students are starting to talk about self-reliance, a green economy and lowering our carbon footprint. We have group projects that teach about collaboration. There are projects like a solar sound studio that give students the chance to have a voice. We are creating “artivist” murals on interior and exterior walls. A Zen garden teaches both xeriscaping and Zen philosophy. School can get stressful and these things can be therapy.

We’re rebuilding a chicken coop and bringing in a beehive for our farm and garden where students are constructing an horno from adobe bricks made from dirt on campus. Groups of students are looking at the way we eat and working to provide locally grown food. Some are designing and putting up a smoothie stand.

Juan Lovato talking about “artivism” with Xubi Wilson on “Living on the Edge” KSFR radio show

Green Fire Times • November 2016

Nick Valerio, Marisól Sandovál, Irie Charity and Gigi Guerrortiz with Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales at the Center for Contemporary Arts I heard one proud parent say, “My kid has started to talk about how he will be able to show the Zen garden he made to his children. I wasn’t thinking like that when I was his age. I am amazed.” Another parent said, “Thank you for saving my kid’s love for learning, which she was really starting to lose. I feel like she has found a second home.” Parents are excited to have their students blend E.C.O. classes with college classes at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) in order to get their general education or pursue associate’s degrees by starting college early and for free. We’ve got a “Get Out and Go”program to get the students away from electronics and distractions and out into a natural environment. We took 60 students to the golden aspens at the ski basin. Half of them had never been up there or into the wilderness. While we were there, we read about the pine and aspen die-off because of climate change and talked about Nature Deficit Disorder (which adds to the stress of being a teenager) and the Leave No Child Inside Act. We also spent the first week of school touring local colleges like SFCC and the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, exploring careers and pathways that some of us have already started to enroll in through dual-credit classes. This month we will go to UNM to sample classes and tour with current students. Many of our students have never thought about going to college, or even thought it was possible, until now. E.C.O. gets students out of their comfort zones and is right alongside them as they develop skills, a strong voice and come to see that they have a lot to contribute as they gain a new awareness of what is happening in the outside world. Another thing we are doing differently is to create a restorative justice program on our campus that rethinks the idea of “punishment by suspension” and considers ser vice lear ning, teen mentoring and ways we can rehabilitate the whole system. We have many kids who struggle with their home lives as they face

Alondra Gutiérrez Ochoa helping preschoolers with smoothie making

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Zach Gutiérrez teaching kids about healthy eating

poverty, violence and challenges that don’t allow them to be young teenagers who need an education. We see ourselves as a big growing family, and we want to make a difference in our lives and in the world. We already see it happening, but it will take a lot of dedication, work and support from our outside community as well. As we help ourselves, we are helping others and are changing the way education can be done. For more information about the E.C.O. school, email Tamela Harkins: tharkins@ sfps.k12.nm.us ■

Irie Charity and Marisól Sandovál are students at the Early College Opportunities School in Santa Fe, New Mexico..

ECO students, teachers and parent at the Academy for the Love of Learning’s Inspire! Festival of Learning

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Green Fire Times • November 2016

RENEWABLE ENERGY OUTPACES NUCLEAR, in NEW MEXICO and the NATION power. Moore said the state is also the 12th-windiest in the nation and has great wind-power potential. Wind is the fastest growing source of electric generation in New Mexico, followed by natural gas and solar, according to the Energy Industry Association. The state is home to a dozen utility-scale wind farms. Foundations were recently poured for El Cabo Wind Farm, 140 turbines that will span nearly 90 square miles of private property and state trust land southeast of Albuquerque.

S anders Moore, state director at Environment New Mexico, said the state is ranked 13th in the country for solar generating capacity—a ranking she finds disappointing. “Other states are taking advantage of solar energy a lot faster than New Mexico,” Moore said. “Massachusetts, New Jersey and North Carolina all get more solar energy than we do. For the second-sunniest state in the country, we should be doing a lot better.”

Moore said that with the right policies in place, New Mexico could capitalize on its abundant sun and wind resources and generate 14,000 times more power than residents use, thus becoming a net exporter of energy. “Another benefit of renewable energy is it creates a lot of jobs,” she said. “We have about 2,000 people employed directly by the solar industry across the state of New Mexico and about 1,000 people employed in the wind industry.”

New Mexico doesn’t have any nuclear plants, but it does import some nuclear

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enewable energy, including solar, is outpacing nuclear energy in New Mexico and nationally, according to two new government reports. The Energy Information Administration’s Monthly Energy Review revealed that in the first half of 2016, domestic renewable energ y production was 25 percent greater than nuclear power production. A separate report, from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said that renewable energy generating capacity is now double that of nuclear.

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as Environment New Mexico would like to see the state raise its renewable portfolio standard and work toward a goal of getting 100 percent of its energy from in-state, renewable sources. ■

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ENERGY NEWSBITEs THE LARGEST SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT IN NEW MEXICO A new $260-million solar project on 1,400 acres near Roswell is the largest in the state. On Oct. 6, local and state leaders celebrated the Roswell and Chaves County Solar Energy centers, which 300 workers spent a year building. About 600,000 solar panels with a combined generating capacity of 140 megawatts (MW), enough to power more than 40,000 homes, will track the sun. According to a news release, 300 jobs were created during the construction phase. Five full-time employees will oversee the energy centers. NextEra Energy Resources developed and built the project and will own and operate the two centers. Xcel Energy, which recently energized a new 37-mile high-voltage transmission line across the New Mexico-Texas state line, will purchase the power for customers in those states. Renewable energy accounts for 20 percent of the power Xcel produces in New Mexico and Texas, and the company plans to expand its renewable energy sources.

TRIBAL LEADERS AND U.S. LAWMAKERS DISCUSS ENERGY DEVELOPMENT Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chaired a U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee field hearing in Santa Fe last month. He was joined by Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and a panel of invited witnesses. Officials from the Navajo Nation, the southern Ute tribe in Colorado and a tribe in Alaska said they want more autonomy from the federal government when it comes to developing their lands for energy resources. They testified in support of proposed legislation, including the Native American Energy Act, HR 538, which would exempt Native communities from environmental assessments such as the National Environmental Policy Act and federal regulations intended to limit the oil and gas industry’s venting and flaring. The officials said the legislation would give tribal leaders more authority to permit energy development, expedite mineral extraction on tribal lands and make it more affordable for companies. Members of New Mexico pueblos, a former Navajo council delegate and environmental advocates attended the hearing to protest the proposed legislation. They held a banner that said, “No more extraction. Honor Native lands.” The Obama administration opposes the resolution, saying that it limits public comment and removes critical environmental oversight. Methane is an increasing concern for those living close to oil and gas development. The greenhouse gas has been linked to health risks and can impact climate change. A recent NASA study identified concentrated methane as coming from oil and gas producers in San Juan County.

FRACKING STUDIES CONFIRM EARTHQUAKE IMPACTS A new study published last month in the journal Science has confirmed that highvolume injections of wastewater from oil and gas activities deep underground have been causing earthquakes. The study, using satellite data between 2005 and 2007, focused on four wells in eastern Texas. One quake in the area reached magnitude 4.8. Approximately 180,000 of these disposal wells are currently in operation in the United States. The study’s findings may help scientists predict earthquakes and uncover new possibilities for operating wells in ways that reduce earthquake hazards. Oklahoma, a center of the oil and gas industry’s hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities, has become the earthquake capital of the United States mainland.More than 12 tremors jolted the Oklahoma-Kansas border region in the aftermath of the region’s strongest temblor on Sept.3. The Navajo Nation, which is in the process of updating regulations related to oil and gas production on its lands, is seeking to learn more about the potential environmental impacts of industry practices. In April, Council Delegate Jonathan Hale introduced legislation opposing oil and gas drilling. Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company CEO Louis Denetsosie, who recently advocated eliminating BLM oversight of the tribe’s lands before a congressional panel, opposed Hale’s legislation. The conflict resulted in a tribal committee’s request for a scientific study. The study is to be completed by Dec. 31.

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INTERIOR DEPT. TO REVIEW MANAGEMENT OF CHACO-AREA LANDS To address concerns regarding mineral leasing and oil and gas development adjacent to Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the U.S. Department of the Interior will expand its planning effort underway in the area. For the first time, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Farmington Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Navajo Regional Office will jointly conduct an analysis that covers both public and tribal lands. “BIA’s decision to join BLM’s planning effort as a co-lead reflects the complex land tenure around the park and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to ensuring that the region’s rich cultural and archaeological resources are protected,” said Deputy Secretary Michael J. Connor. The BLM initiated a process to update its Resource Management Plan for the San Juan Basin in 2014.The BLM and the BIA are seeking public comments to identify issues and concerns related to BIA-managed mineral leasing and associated activities in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that is being prepared. A 60-day public scoping process ends on Dec. 20. The BLM and the BIA will be hosting public meetings in Shiprock, Bloomfield, Counselor, Nageezi, Ojo Encino, Cuba and Crownpoint in New Mexico, and in Window Rock, Arizona. Additional information is available at www.blm.gov/nm/farmington Last month a federal appeals court rejected a lawsuit by environmentalists challenging the BLM’s approval of 260 drilling applications in the San Juan Basin. The groups will now likely take their case to district court.

Order Encourages Tribal Role in Managing Interior Lands

On Oct. 21, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced a Secretarial Order encouraging cooperative management opportunities between the Department’s land and water managers and federally recognized tribes. The order sets out a framework to ensure that Native communities have the opportunity to assume meaningful and substantive roles in managing public lands that have special geographical, historical and cultural connections to the tribes. It facilitates the integration of tribal ecological knowledge, practices and concerns. “This will boost our efforts to increase tribal self-determination and self-governance,” said Secretary Jewell.“This kind of collaboration with tribal nations will help ensure that we’re appropriately and genuinely integrating indigenous expertise, experience and perspectives into the management of public lands.”

GEOTHERMAL LEASING IN THE JÉMEZ RANGER DISTRICT A proposal to allow geothermal energy production on National Forest land in the Jémez Mountains threatens popular hot springs and recreation areas, habitat for sensitive wildlife and quality of life for area residents, according to the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. The Santa Fe National Forest is weighing several alternatives for geothermal development in the Jémez Ranger District, including areas abutting the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The Wilderness Alliance, a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of New Mexico’s wildlands and wilderness areas, is encouraging the Forest Service to select its no-leasing alternative. Although it is a renewable energy source, geothermal production can have substantial environmental consequences, including surface disturbance for well pads and pumps, roads, trucks, transmission lines and pipelines. Additionally, fresh water is required, and fracking (hydraulic fracturing) often is used. Mark Allison, executive director of the alliance, cited a Forest Service report, which says that geothermal development would increase fire risk and could lower the temperature of existing hot springs because cooler water could mix underground with hotter water. The Forest Service proposal bans surface disturbance in roadless areas and leasing within a mile of hot springs. In May 2015, Ormat Technologies of Reno, Nevada, proposed leasing about 46,000 acres for geothermal production. The Forest Service expanded the area to 195,000 acres, based on U.S. Geological Survey maps of high geothermal potential. The proposed leasing area contains nine popular recreation sites such as San Antonio Hot Springs, Battleship Rock, Soda Dam and the Las Conchas fishing access, as well as sacred Indigenous sites, roadless areas and areas the Wilderness Alliance believes may qualify for wilderness designation. In addition, the area is home to endangered species.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

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Standing Rock Strong By Chili Yazzie

we honor the Earth we protect the water we defend our people monster black snake intrudes polluting medicines of the Earth it cares not, if it destroys sacred sites this snake will poison all our good waters big bad corporation is set on killing the Earth Standing Rock is the epicenter of our resistance Standing Rock is a calling together of good people corporation been having its greedy way for too long so it is, that we stand here to make this the ultimate stand

we are of the Earth and the Holy Breath

Young marchers, Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico

we face attack dogs, pepper spray, AR-15s and legal games in response, our drums resonate the heartbeat of the Earth our strength is the sacred pipe, our songs and our medicines our power is the great circle of relations from over the world our quest for the continuum of life is our banner of humanity as fragile thankful human beings it is our great responsibility to return the care to the Earth that she unfailingly gives us climate change has the life of Earth in the danger zone our prophesy says we must change that course or die amassing more profit at all cost is a powerful force profiteers refusing to see they are killing the Earth their corporate riches won’t rescue their children we choose life; we oppose all that threatens it our plea to the world is that we have reason if we must, we stand to face the destroyer we fight for the life of our grandchildren our struggle is for the life of our Earth we are her children, her life is our life we stand for life, truth and justice we stand to protect the waters we defend our Earth Mother We are Standing Rock Strong

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Duane H. Yazzie (Chili), a down-to-earth farmer, is president of the Shiprock Chapter and served as the first chairman of the Navajo Human Rights Commission. As a champion of indigenous peoples’ civil rights, Yazzie has participated in many non-violent actions. In 1978, in a probable hate crime, he was shot twice, resulting in the loss of his right arm. chili_yazzie@hotmail.com

Green Fire Times • November 2016

OP-ED: CHILI YAZZIE

STANDING ROCK PIPELINE

n struggles throughout histor y there is a positive and negative side, justice versus injustice, good against evil. The standoff at Standing Rock is such a story. The Energy Transfer Partners, with its Dakota Access Pipeline and supporters on one side, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and supporters on the other.

In this confrontation between the Destroyers and the Protectors, the Destroyers have the power of physical advantage and the Protectors have the power of spiritual advantage. The spiritual always prevails over the physical.

Standing Rock and multitudes of people oppose inflicting more damage to the earth. The pipeline will destroy waters of life and further contaminate the environment. Our grandchildren will inherit the permanent consequences of climate change.

March from Pojoaque Pueblo, September 2016

The only recourse the Destroyers have is to exert more brute force, which has its raw limitations. The arrogant taunting with massive and lethal physical force can do two things: intimidate its target into submission or provoke injury and possible loss of life. The show of force has failed in its intent, as the Protectors are not intimidated.

back off. We want life. DAPL and such “developments” across the world threaten all life. The confrontation is beyond the pipeline; it is a battle over the waters and Earth that will sustain the life of our children into future times. It is an ultimate stand that may determine the future of life on the Earth Mother. ■

It is clear who will prevail and who must

Chili Yazzie – 505.860.4436

DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE UPDATE For several months, people from around the world, including many from New Mexico, have traveled to rural North Dakota to show their support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which is in an ongoing volatile confrontation against the Texas oil behemoth, Energy Transfer Partners. ETP is attempting to complete a $3.8 billion 1,200-mile pipeline across the tribe’s ancestral lands and under Lake Oahe—a reservoir that provides the tribe’s drinking water. The Dakota Access Pipeline would transit hundreds of farms, ranches, wildlife habitats and make 200 river crossings, carrying up to 570,000 barrels of fracked crude oil per day across privately owned land in 4 states to a hub in Illinois.

SANTA CLARA AWARDED NEARLY $3 MILLION for LOS ALAMOS PUEBLOS PROJECT The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a cooperative agreement to the Pueblo of Santa Clara, near Española, N.M., to conduct a broad assessment of environmental, ecological and human health conditions on the Santa Clara Reservation. The study is to identify issues of concern and then determine the extent that those issues impact and compromise the Pueblo community’s traditional uses of its natural resources. The $2.8-million award will run for a period of five years.

Knowing that pipelines regularly leak, sometimes rupture, and can blow up, the fight has resonated with indigenous peoples worldwide who are struggling to protect their own resources. It has also come to represent a front in the global struggle to combat global warming. More than 300 tribal nations have sent members to stake their flag at the main protest camp. The encampment has been called the largest gathering of Native Americans in more than a century.

Members of Santa Clara Pueblo and other tribal communities have raised concerns for decades about the effects of living downwind and downstream of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the contamination from decades of nuclear weapons work. Santa Clara Pueblo Gov. J. Michael Chavarria expressed concerns that the new cleanup agreement among the lab, the state and the DOE released in June wasn’t stringent enough to protect the lab’s neighboring communities.

A federal appeals court ruled Oct. 9 that construction could resume. Images of militarized police and ETP’s private security personnel using attack dogs and pepper spray have helped galvanize the opposition. Hundreds of “water protectors” have been arrested, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass and inciting a riot as a result of their “nonviolent direct actions” at construction sites and for blocking roads. They are preparing for a long fight. For more information, visit sacredstonecamp.org

From 1956 to 1972, LANL flushed water from its hexavalent chromium-lined cooling system into Sandia Canyon. Since then, runoff has created an underground chromium plume, discovered in 2005, that is threatening drinking wells, a major aquifer and San Ildefonso Pueblo’s land, which borders the federal property. LANL has said that addressing the plume is one if its “highest environmental priorities” and has installed a pilot pumping well.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

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ARCHITECTS SLAM CUTS to STATE’S GREEN BUILDING INCENTIVES

AIA-NM says cuts would hit tribal communities and low-income residents hardest Ne w Mexico, the state component of the American Institute of Architects, representing almost 400 licensed architects, is urging state officials to reconsider proposed cuts to New Mexico’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program—cuts they say endanger ongoing projects in tribal and low-income communities.

The proposed changes totally eliminate longstanding, established criteria for encouraging sustainable design. In a letter to the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, AIANM President Andre Larroque stated that the proposed changes to the LIHTC Program Qualified Allocation Plan totally eliminate longstanding, established criteria for encouraging sustainable design, including the use of healthy building materials and waterconservation techniques. “These critical factors are important to the health and well-being of residents, can lower longterm costs and should be reinstated,” Larroque wrote. “ The penalties in

the plan … will result in geographical inequity, a reduction in construction quality, and is contrary to the statewide mandate of the program.” The architects also criticized proposed caps on the fees New Mexico architects can charge for their services under the program. Currently the fees typically represent 0.1 percent of the total cost of occupancy, construction and maintenance on a 50-year-old building. But capping these fees “at well below what is an acceptable business profit margin will subsequently reduce levels of design innovation, lower project value, and dramatically reduce the number of highly qualified architects willing and able to take on LIHTC projects,” the letter states. The LIHTC program was created in 1986 as part of the Federal Tax Reform Act. It acts as an incentive for individuals and corporations to invest in the construction or rehabilitation of low-income housing and has become the most important resource for creating affordable housing in the United States. The tax credit provides the investor a dollar-for-dollar reduction in personal or corporate federal income tax liability for a 10year period for projects that meet the program’s requirements. The Mortgage Finance Authority is the agency that

Booth at the Santa Fe Green Festival, May 2016

AIA

administers the program for the state. “Our chapter understands the strains and hard choices New Mexico’s budget crisis has forced on state officials, and we stand ready to help our state in any way we can to weather this

financial storm,” Larroque said. “But cutting the incentives contained in this otherwise innovative state program will cost the state more money in the long run, endanger the environment and hurt communities least able to fend for themselves.” ■

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LANL DEVELOPING SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING WINDOWS A team of researchers at the Los Alamos Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics, a division of Los Alamos National Laboratories, is experimenting with Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) that harvest sunlight and generate electricity. According to a statement from LANL, LSCs, which collect sunshine over large areas via colloidal quantum dots, can function as “light management devices.” The team is tying to prove that the technology can be scaled up from palm-sized demonstration models to windows large enough to power entire buildings and reduce the cost of photovoltaic materials. The scientists say that the solar windows would be incredibly beneficial for urban spaces, where there may not be as much room for solar panels. Their study was published last month in the journal Nature Energy. SolarWindow Technologies, a Maryland-based startup, announced last month that its power-generating windows, which will soon hit the market, can generate 50 times more power than conventional solar panels. SolarWindow can be readily applied as a coating to any glass window or plastic surface and instantly generate electricity, even in artificial light and shade.

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NEWSBITEs ACOMA PUEBLO PARTNERS WITH BRIGHT GREEN GROUP OF COMPANIES

A new partnership between Acoma Pueblo and Bright Green Group of Companies is creating “the world’s most advanced, state-of-the-art greenhouse facility and research center for medicinal plants,” according to a promotional video (www.brightgreengroup. com).The fully automated greenhouse, constructed on approximately 150 acres of Acoma Pueblo Reservation, will have the capacity to grow 40 million plants per year. The MJ Brown Research Center and greenhouse facility will cost more than $160 million and cover 5.8 million square feet; the equivalent of 4,000 average size homes. Power, water and gas facilities will be provided, and are also intended to help Acoma Pueblo become self-sufficient. “The utilities are fully integrated, the operation is environmentally friendly and the climate is excellent for growing high-quality plants,” said Jan Pieter Dalsem, an international leader in high-tech greenhouse projects. Preservation Sciences, Inc. is licensing its protein-based coating and water-based bacterial removal dehydration technology to Bright Green for the project. The unique process accelerates the drying time without the typical vitamin and mineral loss or cellular damage created by conventional methods that use extreme heat or freeze-drying. Bright Green’s main products will be pharmaceutical-grade oils extracted from plants that have been “medicinally-enhanced” through gene-splicing. The company is in the process of licensing federal government patents related to marijuana but plans to focus on other medicinal plants until federal laws change, according to a press release. The products, including a line of health drinks, may be distributed at tribal gaming facilities around the country and through remotely controlled kiosks. During its two-year construction phase, the project is projected to create more than 1,200 direct and indirect jobs. Bright Green’s CEO, John Stockwell, says, after construction, the facility will create high-tech jobs for the region and opportunities for universities to collaborate with the research center. The facility will be entirely funded by private investors, largely through a U.S. job creation program called EB-5, which Congress created in 1990 to stimulate the economy through capital investment by foreign investors. The Acoma project has paved the way for 125 foreign investors, mostly from China, to come to the United States. Those individuals have purchased shares in Bright Green for $800,000 per investor.

ABQ EMPLOYERS START BUY/HIRE LOCAL PROGRAM

At 6.4 percent, Albuquerque has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country. Education and healthcare providers employ more than 8 percent—about 47,000 people, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number doesn’t include office or administrative positions. Major institutions in Albuquerque often bring in out-of-city and out-of-state products and services that could otherwise be building jobs at local companies. Urban farms and local food co-ops could be directly supplying workplace cafeterias. New Mexico has many untapped workers who just need to hone the skills that employers need. On Sept. 27, some of Albuquerque’s largest healthcare and education institutions debuted Healthy Neighborhoods Albuquerque, a citywide initiative to create training programs and work with local contractors and workers. UNM’s Health Science Center, Presbyterian Healthcare Services,First Choice Community Healthcare,Central New Mexico Community College and Albuquerque Public Schools have pledged to think, train and buy local to help boost the local economy. UNM HSC and Presbyterian alone represent almost $3 billion dollars of economic activity in central New Mexico. Healthy Neighborhoods ABQ, which expects to have programs in place by early 2017, is modeled after a successful initiative in Cleveland, Ohio. A community development organization, The Democracy Collaborative, is helping facilitate both programs by convening multiple stakeholders.

OUR LAND 2: TRACING THE ACEQUIA COMMONS

NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE • NOV. 9–17 A national symposium focused on questions of land stewardship, sovereignty and health will take place in Albuquerque and Santa Fe this month. Our Land 2: Tracing the Acequia Commons will explore issues related to regional food economies, climate change, dryland agriculture and the history, management, lessons and prospects of northern New Mexico’s unique acequia (ditch irrigation commons) system. Can acequias be expanded to include their uplands and headwaters? Will ditch rights be lost to privatization and sold to developers?

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During six days there will be talks, walks, exhibits, films and pop-up programming. An acequia walk on Nov. 13 will include a presentation about intergenerational knowledge transfer, landrace seed saving, coping with drought and conflict, recordkeeping and community involvement. On Nov. 14, Public Trust Law, a commonwealth legal framework that protects ecological systems, will be discussed, and there will be a presentation about efforts to preserve the Gila River, one of the last free-running rivers in the Southwest. On Nov. 16, “land justice” from a social movement context will be discussed and videos by farmers and ranchers will be shown, including a Guggenheim Award-funded work on how desert landscapes serve as land-use sentinels. The symposium has been organized by the Agrarian Trust in partnership with the Quivira Coalition, Biodynamic Association, Food First, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, Slow Money Institute, Bioneers, the Río Grande Young Farmers Alliance and Northern New Mexico Young Farmers Coalition. The events are open to the public, are mostly free and take place mostly in the evenings. To see the full program, visit www.agrariantrust.org/2016Symposium

SFCC’S NEW COMMERCIALIZATION CENTER

On Oct. 17, Santa Fe Community College held a ribbon-cutting for the college’s Commercialization Center. This startup incubator is home to two new companies that are examples of the potential for private sector job growth when breakthrough technologies developed at New Mexico’s national laboratories and research universities are commercialized. Río Grande Neurosciences’ Dr. Sean Hagburgistakingbrainstimulationtherapies developed at UNM and looking for novel ways to treat patients with brain trauma and concussions. NTxBio cofounder Dr. Alex Koglin is working to turn a discovery made at Los Alamos National Laboratory into a game-changer for the way pharmaceutical drugs are developed.

L-R: Dave Pesiri, division leader of LANL’s Feynman Center for Innovation, Kathy Keith, LANL director of Community Partnerships, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, Dr. Alex Koglin, cofounder of NTxBio, Dr. Michael Humbert, cofounder of NTxBio, Randy Grissom, president of SFCC

The presence of these companies at SFCC will have a direct impact on students, who will have an opportunity to learn firsthand from local inventors. SFCC’s Trades and Advanced Technology Center is doing similar work in biofuels and clean-energy technology. This innovative workforce training model is intended to help make New Mexico the place to be for “disruptive” start-up entrepreneurs, create jobs and major new industries, and strengthen the state’s economy.

NORTHERN NM COLLEGE AWARDED NSF GRANT

Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for its EDUCERE project to increase enrollment and retention of Native American and Hispanic students in its Engineering Program. Thirty first-time college students are currently enrolled in the Physics for Engineers I class. Northern’s College of Engineering and Technology has implemented a research project—to continue through Sept. 2019—called EDUCERE: Ensuring Diversity and Undergraduate Completion: Enrichment and Retention in Engineering. The project, led by Drs. Ashis Nandy, Steven Cox and Stephanie Amedeo Marquez, is designed to explore how under-represented students best learn complex Physical Science concepts. As part of the curriculum, students participate in active learning and project-based activities before the theoretical foundation is laid, and after, to determine which learning model provides the best predictor of success. Students also participate in mentoring experiences and summer internships to encourage commitment to pursuing STEM career pathways and graduate studies. In other NNMC news, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education has granted accreditation to NNMC’s baccalaureate degree program in nursing, indicating that the school’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences has met national standards. NNMC and other New Mexico institutions of higher education are hoping that, on Nov. 8, voters approve General Obligation Bond C (www.nmbondc.com). That funding would be used for critical health and safety infrastructure improvements; create jobs for architects, builders and contractors, and boost spending to local businesses. It would also allow those institutions to further invest in STEM programs.

Green Fire Times • November 2016

WHAT'S GOING ON! Events / Announcements ALBUQUERQUE NOV. 5, 9 AM–12 PM BACKYARD FARMING SERIES Gutiérrez-Hubbell House 6029 Isleta SW

Seed Saving and Seed Exchange workshop includes discussion on heirloom, hybrid and genetically modified seeds. 505.314.0420, www.bernco.gov

NOV. 5, 9 AM–4 PM ANNUAL PUEBLO FIBER ARTS SHOW & SALE IPCC, 2401 12th St. NW

Also, 12–2 pm: Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook discussion/book signing. www. indianpueblo.org

NOV. 5, 7:30 PM INTERACTIVE ART PROJECTS ON THE LAND Outpost Performance Space 210 Yale SE

Climate Change Speaker Series. Public Forum: Lisa Nevada, Chip Thomas, Andrea Polli & collaboration. Free. 516arts.org

NOV. 6 DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS MARIGOLD PARADE Isleta Blvd., So. Valley

Celebrates Day of the Dead. Live music, art show, craft demos and traditional Mexican food at the West Side Community Center. 505.433.5829, MuertosYMarigolds.org

NOV. 9–11 QUIVIRA COALITION CONFERENCE Embassy Suites Hotel 1000 Woodward Pl. NE

“Lights, Soil, Action!” The 15th conference will tackle the urgent question: How can we transform our world by getting regenerative solutions implemented widely and quickly? Featured speakers: Wes Jackson, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, Lucy Waruingi. Exhibitors from companies and organizations. 11/9, 7 pm fundraiser: An Evening with Temple Grandin: $25. (Open to the public.) 11/10–11: All day plenary sessions. 7 pm: Awards reception and social. Registration: www.quiviracoalition.org

NOV. 9–17 OUR LAND 2: TRACING THE ACEQUIA COMMONS Albuquerque and Santa Fe

A series of talks, exhibits, films and an acequia walk to advance discourse on land commons and farmland futures. Most events are free. Presented by the Agrarian Trust with support from the Rio Grande Young Farmers’ Alliance, Northern NM Young Farmers Coalition, Food First, Bioneers, SF Farmers’ Market Institute, Slow Money Institute and others. www.agrariantrust.org/2016symposium

NOV. 11–12 NEW MEXICO FILM & MEDIA INDUSTRY CONFERENCE Isleta Resort/Casino

and benefits of high-desert home-composting techniques. $25. Registration deadline: 11/5. 505.929.0414, register@nmcomposters.org, nmcomposters.org

of farming in NM’s varied climate and seasons. Growing techniques, business management and planning. sean@riograndefarm.org, http://riograndefarm.org/farmer-training-farm-incubator/

NOV. 13, 9 AM NB3FIT NATL. CROSS COUNTRY RACE Santa Ana Golf Club, Santa Ana Pueblo

ABQ 2030 DISTRICT

5K All Native American High School Race, 3K, 1K kids race. Presented by the Notah Begay III Foundation, which is dedicated to reducing Native American childhood obesity and diabetes. $50/$40/$35. www.nb3foundation.org/event/xcrace/

NOV. 18–20 INDIGENOUS COMICCON Natl. Hispanic Cultural Center

Indigenous illustrators, writers, designers, actors and producers from worlds of comic books, games, sci-fi, fantasy, film and tv. Opening night reception: $25. 1491’s show: $15. Day passes: $15–$25. info@indigenouscomiccon.com, www. indigenouscomiccon.com

NOV. 19–20, 10 AM–5 PM PUEBLO FILM FEST IPCC, 2401 12th St. NW

3rd annual festival devoted to the work of Pueblo filmmakers and actors, as well as to films that explore the Pueblo experience. Discussions with filmmakers. $10 suggested donation. 505.843.7270, pueblofilmfestival@indianpueblo. org, IndianPueblo.org

NOV. 25–26 WINTER SPANISH MARKET Hotel Albuquerque

Discover the culture and living traditions of the region’s Spanish colonial villages through arts and crafts. 505.982.2226, SpanishColonial.org

SATURDAYS, 1 PM WEEKLY DOCENT-LED TOURS National Hispanic Cultural Center 1701 4th St. SW

Tours of different exhibits and themes in the Art Museum. $2-$3, free with museum admission. 505.246.2261, nhccnm.org

DAILY, 10 AM–6 PM WILDLIFE WEST 87 N. Frontage Rd., Edgewood (just east of ABQ)

122-acre park/attraction with educational programs dedicated to native wildlife and ecology. $7/$6/$4/ children under 5 free. www.wildlifewest.org

DAILY OUR LAND, OUR CULTURE, OUR STORY Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Historical overview of the Pueblo world and contemporary artwork and craftsmanship of each of the 19 pueblos; Weekend Native dances. 866.855.7902, www.indianpueblo.org

4th annual conference to spread the word about the film and emergent media industry in NM. 505.266.3451, Registration: NMFilm@ Kess.Jones.com, www.nmfilm.com/film-mediaindustry-conference.aspx

FIRST SUNDAYS NM MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 1801 Mountain Road

NOV. 12, 8:30 AM–5 PM COMPOSTING AND SOIL FERTILITY WORKSHOP Bernalillo County Extension Service, 1510 Menaul NW

THROUGH 2016 LAS HUERTAS FARMING TRAINING COURSES Bernalillo County Ext. Office 1510 Menaul NW

The science, art, materials methods, choices

Museum admission is free to NM residents on the first Sunday of every month. 505.841.2800

Intro to Horticulture in Aridlands covers basics

Green Fire Times • November 2016

A voluntary collaboration of commercial property tenants, building managers, property owners and developers; real estate, energy, and building sector professionals, lenders, utility companies; and public stakeholders such as government agencies, nonprofits, community groups and grassroots organizers. Property partners share anonymous utility data and best practices. Professional partners provide expertise and services. Public partners support the initiative as it overlaps with their own missions. Info: albuquerque@2030districts.org

SANTA FE

NOV. 2, 11:30 AM–1 PM GREEN LUNCH SFAHBA, 2520-B Camino Entrada

PNM Energy Efficiency Award winners. Learn how to lower your energy costs and get rebates from PNM. $20/$15. Reservations: 505-9821774. Presented by the SF Green Chamber.

NOV. 3, 6–8:30 PM LAUNCH PARTY BODY of SF, 333 W. Cordova Rd. Patrick’s Probiotic Soda Waters. info@bodyofsantafe.com

NOV. 4–5 QUANTUM AGRICULTURE WORKSHOP Pueblo of Tesuque Intergenerational Center Presented by Hugh Lovel. Learn how agriculture works in harmony with nature and how to improve yields, reduce cultivation, eliminate weeds, pests and diseases while building humus. (See ad, page 17) Info: 518.332.3156, 505.699.6408 or fourbridges@live.com. Sliding-scale fee. Registration: www.4bridges.org/conference-biodynamic

NOV. 5, 10 AM–2 PM BAG FLEA MARKET Palace of the Governors 110 Washington Ave.

SF Book Arts Group/Palace Press annual multi-vendor arts market. Supplies for mixed-media, assemblage and collage, handmade books and journals, specialty papers, antique books and prints, ephemera, gifts. 505.660.9942, SantaFeBAG.org

NOV. 6–9 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ GATHERING FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, CULTURE AND CLIMATE Buffalo Thunder Resort, Pojoaque The Colorado Plateau Intertribal Conversations Gathering group has invited tribal presenters from North and South America to share ideas about farming, sacred site mandates, community-building strategies, water, language, etc. Registration: $300. 928.774.7488, www.intertribalgathering.com

NOV. 7, 6 PM ANCIENT COLORADO PLATEAU AGRICULTURE Hotel Santa Fe

SW Seminars presentation by Sydney and Marie Davis. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@ aol.com, southwestseminars.org

NOV. 9, 2–6 PM IAIA OPEN HOUSE

Institute of American Indian Arts guided tours, exhibition, digital dome screening. Open studios and classrooms. 2–4 pm: Disc golf demo, 3 pm:

Bronze pour, 3:30: performing arts showcase, 4 pm: groundbreaking for performing arts/fitness building. iaia.edu/event/iaia-annual-open-housegroundbreaking-ceremony

NOV. 9, 3:45–5:15 PM NM FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLES FOR SCHOOL MEALS NM State Capitol, Rm. 322

Presentation to the NM Economic Development Legislative Interim Committee. NM Food & Agri Policy Council meeting is 1:30–3:30 pm in room 324. Info: 505.660.8403, pam@farmtotablenm.org

NOV. 9–17 OUR LAND 2: TRACING THE ACEQUIA COMMONS SF and ABQ

A series of talks, exhibits, films and an acequia walk to advance discourse on land commons and farmland futures. Most events are free. Presented by the Agrarian Trust with support from the Río Grande Young Farmers’ Alliance, Northern NM Young Farmers Coalition, Food First, Bioneers, SF Farmers’ Market Institute, Slow Money Institute and others. www.agrariantrust.org/2016symposium

NOV. 10, 10 AM 12 PM SF CITIZENS’ CLIMATE LOBBY Higher Education Center 1950 Siringo Rd.

Meets monthly. Learn about climate change solutions that bridge the partisan divide such as the carbon fee dividend, which gives revenue back to households. santafe@citizensclimatelobby.org, www.facebook.com/ccl.newmexico

NOV. 10, 3–4;30 PM CANYON GARDENS: THE NM HISTORIC LANDSCAPE SF Botanical Garden, 715 Cam. Lejo

Lecture by Baker Morrow will illustrate characteristics of New Mexican landscape architecture. $10/$5. http://santafebotanicalgarden.org/

NOV. 12, 11 AM REGISTRATION BICYCLE CHARITY EVENT Back Road Pizza, 1807 2nd St. #1

Bike ride, food drive, scavenger hunt. 1:30–3 pm: Finish/after-party. Non-perishable contributions accepted through 11/10. www.cranksgiving.org

NOV. 13, 2–5 PM SUPER FOODS FOR BEST HEALTH Unity SF, 1212 Unity Way

“Feeding the Crystalline Body.” A workshop with Szuson Wong, RN, Ph.D. $25. 505.989.4433, Catherine@unitysantafe.org, www.szuson.com

NOV. 14–17 RESERVATION ECONOMIC SUMMIT Buffalo Thunder Resort

Regional summit hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development brings together tribal leaders, elected officials and Native American business representatives. Topics: Energy, procurement, marketing and social media, telecommunications, healthcare, taxation. Gala, trade show, art market. 480.545.1298

NOV. 15, 10 AM–2 PM AMERICA RECYCLES DAY Santa Fe Community College

Exhibits and workshops from SFCC and local organizations in main hallway. 505.428.1665

NOV. 15, 5:30–8 PM CRAFT ENTREPRENEURSHIP WESST, SF Business Incubator 3900 Paseo del Sol

Optimizing an online store Etsy model interactive workshop. $29. 505.474.6556, rperea@wesst.org

NOV. 16–20 2016 BIODYNAMIC CONFERENCE Santa Fe Convention Center

Tierra Viva: Farming the Living Earth. Over 50 workshops, 10 keynote speakers, more than 100

www.GreenFireTimes.com

presenters, field trips, food, exhibits. An approach to agriculture that collaborates with the planet to create healthy, vibrant landscapes and nourishing food. 262.649.9212, ext. 2, www.biodynamics.com

NOV. 17, 6 PM PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY DOWN THE OLD RÍO GRANDE Collected Works Books Presented by Melissa Savage, introduced by William deBuys.

NOV. 18–20 FALL FIBER FIESTA Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta

Handmade, local, hands-on demos, kids activities. 11/18, 5–7 pm: Artist Reception. Music by Cipriano Vigil. Silent auction. $10; 11/19–20: Show & sale. Free admission. info@evfac.org, www.evfac.org

NOV. 19–20 CONTEMPORARY CLAY FAIR Santa Fe Women’s Club

More than 30 NM potters and clay artists. 505.913.1235, contemporaryclayfair.com

NOV. 19–25 SEED: THE UNTOLD STORY— SANTA FE PREMIERE CCA Cinemateque

New award-winning film about protecting our 12,000-year legacy features Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Winona Laduke and others. Director Taggart Siegel will present a Q&A with Tesuque Pueblo farm director/seed saver Emigdio Ballon following the 11/16 screening. www.seedthemovie.com

NOV. 21, 6 PM HOPI TRADITIONS AND WATER Hotel Santa Fe

SW Seminars presentation by Lyle Balenquah, M.A. Where does the river go? $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

NOV. 22, 6–7:30 HABLANDO DE NOSOTROS Higher Education Center 1950 Siringo Rd.

Talking about Ourselves. Free community conversation series. “What does “Hispanic” mean to you and in Santa Fe?” 505.428.1467

NOV. 25 APPLICATION DEADLINE RECYCLE SANTA FE ART FESTIVAL

Applications sought for trash fashion show and youth juried art exhibit. The festival at the SF Convention Center, from Dec. 2–4, showcases art created from discarded materials. www.recyclesantafe.org

NOV. 28, 6 PM HISTORIC NM RIVER CROSSINGS Hotel Santa Fe

SW Seminars presentation by ecologist Dr. Bryan Brown and photographer Gary Casio. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

DEC. 1, 5:30–8:30 PM WINTER WATERSHED BENEFIT Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

Featuring aural historian, author Jack Loeffler. Tickets: $50/$35. 505.820.1696, www.santafewatershed.org

DEC. 4–7 NUCLEAR SUMMIT 2016 Santa Fe Convention Center

National symposium about nuclear weapons presented by Creative SF. 20–30 interdisciplinary leaders will be immersed in the history of nuclear weapons, discuss present-day nuclear threats and explore “what if” scenarios. Keynote speakers include former secretary of Defense William Perry. 12/4: Public discussion at the Lensic. www.creativesantafe.org/global.html

www.GreenFireTimes.com

DEC. 5, 6 PM NATIVE AMERICAN SCOUTS AT THE SANTA FE PRESIDIO IN THE 1700s Hotel Santa Fe

SW Seminars presentation by author Steve Post. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

DEC. 10, 4 PM–7 PM KINDRED SPIRITS ANIMAL SANCTUARY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION 3749-A Hwy. 14 Refreshments. Tour at 4:30 pm. 505.471.5366, www.kindredspiritsnm.org

DEC. 17, 1 PM: DOORS OPEN CELTIC CHRISTMAS/COWBOY CHRISTMAS Scottish Rite Temple 463 Paseo de Peralta

Celtic: 2–4 pm; Cowboy: 5–9 pm. $30/$20/$15. Benefit in support of securing the temple as a continuing resource for northern NM. Tickets: 505.988.1234, tickessantafe.org, Donations: 505.982.4414, Secretary@NMScottishRite.org

THROUGH MARCH 5, 2017 LOWRIDERS, HOPPERS & HOT RODS NM History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave. Car Culture of Northern NM. 505.476.5019, www.nmhistorymuseum.org

SUNDAYS, 10 AM-4 PM RAILYARD ARTISAN MARKET Farmers’ Market Pavilion 1607 Paseo de Peralta

Local artists, textiles, jewelry, ceramics, live music. 505.983.4098, Francesca@santafefarmersmarket.com, artmarketsantafe.com

TUES. & SATS., 8 AM-1 PM SF FARMERS’ MARKET 1607 Paseo de Peralta (& Guadalupe) Northern NM farmers & ranchers offer fresh greenhouse tomatoes, greens, root veggies, cheese, teas, herbs, spices, honey, baked goods, body care products and much more. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

SUNDAYS, 11 AM JOURNEY SANTA FE CONVERSATIONS Collected Works Books 202 Galisteo St.

11/6: Political blogger Joe Monahan, 11/13: St. John’s College President Mark Roosevelt, 11/20: NM Voices for Children Exec. Dir. James Jimenez, 11/27: Passport to NM’s Wilderness with author Bob Julyan. 12/5: Lois Rudnick on Mabel Dodge Luhan. Moderators: Alan Webber, Bill and Ellen Dupuy. Free. www.journeysantafe.com

MON.–SAT., 8 AM–4 PM RANDALL DAVEY AUDUBON CENTER 1800 Upper Canyon Rd. Striking landscapes and wildlife. Bird walks, hikes, tours of the Randall Davey home. 505.983.4609, http://nm.audubon.org/landingcenter-chapters/ visiting-randall-davey-audubon-center-sanctuary

THROUGH DEC. 30 A NEW CENTURY: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LLOYD KIVA NEW Museum of Indian Arts and Culture 710 Cam. Lejo Fashion designs, art, photos and archival documents. 505.476.1269, indianartsandculture.org

SANTA FE RECYCLING

Reduce, reuse and recycle. City residential curbside customers can recycle at no additional cost and drop by 1142 Siler Road, Building A to pick up free recycling bins. For more information, visit http://www.santafenm.gov/trash_and_recycling or call 505.955.2200 (city); 505.992.3010 (county); 505.424.1850 (SF Solid Waste Management Agency).

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR

SANTA FE COUNTY

Hard copies $70, CDs $2. Contact Melissa Holmes, 505.995.2717 or msholmes@santafecounty.org. The SGMP is also available on the county website: www.santafecounty.org/growth_management/sgmp and can be reviewed at SF Public libraries and the County Administrative Building, 102 Grant Ave.

TAOS

NOV. 5, 2 PM THE PAST AND HISTORY

Kit Carson Electric Co-op Boardroom 118 Cruz Alta Rd. Reflections on their differences by Dr. Joyce Appleby. Taos County Historical Society’s free public lecture related to the Taos Visionaries theme. 575.779.8579, www.taoscountyhistoricalsociety.org

NOV. 19 CONGRESO DE LAS ACEQUIAS Sagebrush Inn

Annual meeting of the NM Acequia Association, a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect water and acequias, grow healthy food and honor cultural heritage. 505.995.9644, www.lasacequias.org

THIRD WEDS. MONTHLY TAOS ENTREPRENEURIAL NETWORK Taos County Courthouse Mural Room, Taos Plaza Networking, presentations and discussion. Free.

ONGOING HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL HEALTH SUPPORT HCH Community Wellness Center (lower entrance), 1397 Weimer Rd. 575.751.8909, mariam@taoshospital.com, TaosHealth.com

HERE & THERE

NOV. 5, 5:30 PM NORTHERN YOUTH PROJECT HARVEST DINNER Joe Ferran Gym, Pueblo de Abiquiú Plaza, Abiquiu, NM

Community dinner made with ingredients from local farms. Music. Silent auction of local artists’ work. $15/$5 kids. 213.718.2806, northernyouthproject@gmail.com, northernyouthproject.org

NOV. 5–6 DIXON STUDIO TOUR Dixon, NM

an event focused on entrepreneurs and statewide innovation and commercialization opportunities that impact agriculture, value-added food products and food industries. www.hddd.org

NOV. 11–13 DRONE SUMMIT Spaceport America, White Sands, NM Drone racing, cinematography challenge. Keynote speaker: Intl. Drone Racing Assn. founder Justin Haggerty. www.SpaceportAmericaDroneSummit.com

NOV. 17, 4 PM TEWA WOMEN UNITED SOLAR INSTALLATION CELEBRATION 923 E. Fairview Ln., Española, NM

Speakers include Beata Tsosie-Pena, Corrine Sanchez, Mariel Nanasi. Food, music. 505.989.7262, newenergyeconomy.org

NOV. 30, 8 AM–4:30 PM NM SUSTAINABLE AGRI CONF. UNM, Valencia Campus 280 La Entrada Rd., Los Lunas

“Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture in NM.” A conference for farmers and other agriculture stakeholders. Sponsored by the USDA’s Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Free. Lunch provided. Info: jidowu@nmsu.edu, http:// aces.nmsu.edu/programs/sare/index.html, Registration: http://rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/sutainable2016

JAN. 17 APPLICATION DEADLINE LANL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Supports high school seniors and undergraduates from Los Alamos, SF, Mora, Río Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval and Taos counties pursuing 4-year degrees in all fields. $1,000–$20,000. www.lanlfoundation.org

MON., WED., FRI., SAT., 10 AM–4 PM PAJARITO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER 2600 Canyon Rd., Los Alamos, NM Nature center and outdoor education programs. Exhibits of flora and fauna of the Pajarito Plateau; herbarium, live amphibians, butterfly and xeric gardens. 505.662.0460, www. losalamosnature.org

WEDNESDAYS, 10 AM GREEN HOUR HIKES Los Alamos Nature Center Los Alamos, NM

Kid-centered hikes. Free. Losalamosnature.org

Painters, potters, photographers, jewelers and more. 29 studios. 505.579.9199, dixonarts.org

NOV. 5, 9 AM–5 PM ANNUAL SOLAR CELEBRATION SolLuna Solar, 56 County Rd. 65 Dixon, NM

Local food, raffle, live music. 505.455.8875, sollunasolar.com

NOV. 7, 1:25–3:40 PM SOILS AND LANDSCAPES OF THE SOUTHWESTERN US Phoenix, AZ

Symposium on soil-plant relations. Learn to adapt land management strategies for maintaining ecosystem health and conserving plant diversity. Pre-registration by 10/26 required. Sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of American and the Soil Science Society of America. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/ webprogram/Session15446.html

NOV. 9–10 INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD Las Cruces, NM

The startup accelerator High Desert Discovery District (HD3), NM Dept. of Agriculture and the Arrowhead Technology Incubator at NMSU present

1ST THREE WEDS. EA. MONTH, 6 PM GALLUP SOLAR CLASSES 113 E. Logan Ave., Gallup, NM Free 12-part course on off-grid solar teaches people how to understand, size and install off-grid systems. No pre-registration necessary. 11/2: Storage Technology. 11/16: Inverters, AC, DC. 505.726.2497, gallupsolar@gmail. com,Gallupsolar.org

SPIRIT OF THE BUTTERFLY 923 E. Fairview Land, Española, NM Women’s support group organized by Tewa Women United. Info/RSVP: Beverly, 505.795.8117

BASIC LITERACY TUTOR TRAINING Española area

After training by the NM Coalition for Literacy, volunteer tutors are matched with an adult student. 505.747.6162, read@raalp.org, www. raalp.org/become-a-tutor.html

RÍO GRANDE RETURN

Locally produced salsas, jams, honey, chocolates, soaps, lotions, incense and more. Supports local farmers, producers and the conservation of the Río Grande. 505.466.1767, toll free: 866.466.1767, www.riograndereturn.com

Green Fire Times • November 2016

WEDNESDAY

NOV. 9TH

MONDAY

NOV. 14TH

WEDNESDAY

NOV. 16TH

THURSDAY

NOV. 17TH

QUIVIRA COALITION CONFERENCE

THE COMMONS, PUBLIC TRUST, WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS

LAND RELATIONS AND LAND COMMONS

HALF DAY WORKSHOP AT BIODYNAMIC CONFERENCE

10 AM – 11 AM

6 PM - 9 PM

5 PM - 9 PM

1 PM - 4 PM

AT EMBASSY SUITES

SUNDAY

NOV. 13TH

TUESDAY

AT WOMAN’S CLUB SANTA FE

NOV. 15TH

AT FARMERS’ MARKET PAVILION

INTERGENERATIONAL ACEQUIA WALK

WATER COMMONS TRAGEDY FILM NIGHT

LAND ART REMIX-PROJECTIONS FROM UNM LAND ARTS OF THE AMERICAN WEST PROGRAM

1 PM

7 PM - 10 PM

5 PM - 9 PM

AT SANTA FE DEPOT FOR CARPOOL

O L N

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EACH SESSION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: agrariantrust.org/2016Symposium

AT CCA CINEMA SANTA FE

AT EL MUSEO SANTA FE

TRACING THE ACEQUIA COMMONS

OUR LAND PARTNERS:

The Whitehead Foundation, Biodynamics Association, Quivira Coalition, Betterday Coffee,

Green 48 Fire Times • November 2016

Northern New Mexico Young Farmers Coalition, Green Fire Times, Rio Grande Young Farmers Alliance,

AT CONVENTION CENTER

OPEN ALL OF

NOVEMBER

OPEN LAND ARCHIVE AND EXHIBIT AT

BETTERDAY COFFEE

R A 2

Food First, Bioneers, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, Slow Money Institute.