2 minute read
The Heart of the Season
from Taos Aglow 2022
Pueblo winter ceremonials acknowledge the roots of heritage
By Rick Romancito
People begin gathering in the village plaza near sunset. Stacks of pitch wood are erected on both sides of the river, some as high as a building. Being winter, visitors are bundled up in heavy coats, cowboy hats, some in ski parkas, a few in Pendleton blankets. The Rio Pueblo that bisects the village gurgles under a stained glass mosaic of ice that is dotted along the bank with holes where village residents still gather buckets of water for cooking and drinking. As dusk settles over the growing crowd, pitch wood bonfires are lit, creating pockets of warmth and flickering golden light. Kids run and play on berms of snow despite the falling temperature. Sparks fill the air, carried aloft in clouds of black smoke. Anticipation builds as tribal officials begin moving through the crowd, creating a path from the San Geronimo Church into the plaza where the procession will soon be led. When Vespers are concluded in the church, those same tribal officials now hold tall torches that they ignite and head into the pathway. People in the crowd note that some of them are carrying loaded hunting rifles. Then, the Procession of the Virgin begins.
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KATHERINE EGLI / FILE PHOTO
At Taos Pueblo, this has been part of a ritual at Christmastime that has gone on for generations. It is a time when family members gather from near and far, and visitors from the nearby towns are invited to partake in a celebration that blends the symbols of Christianity and Native American religion. As such, it is a wondrous, joyful and yet solemn occasion, because this is a time when ancient ties to the land and divine natural life are held near. Christmas at Taos Pueblo begins with the Procession of the Virgin on Christmas Eve. Then, on Christmas Day, the tribe will either do a Deer Dance or Los Matachines. The Deer Dance is part of the tribe’s Native religion, so the utmost respect and homage is asked of visitors who are afforded the honor of observing. Photography and recording are strictly prohibited. Tribal officials may confiscate the cameras or cell phones of those who ignore the ban, with no recourse. The Matachines is a dance rarely done at Taos Pueblo. It is a very old dance with roots that go back to the Moors and made its way to the New World via Spanish Colonial clergy who used it in their efforts to convert Natives to Catholicism. Today, it is a colorful blend of cultures and traditions that illustrates the evolution of resistance and eventual repossession of core beliefs. Since this dance, which has been done all over the Southwest and beyond, is not officially part of Native religion, the ban against photography and recording is sometimes lifted. However, it is advised to self-impose the ban because too many cameras during the Matachines can be very intrusive. In addition to the dances at Christmastime, Taos Pueblo also observes New Year’s Day with a Turtle Dance and Three Kings Day, Jan. 6, with a Buffalo Dance. Please remember, changes to schedules and admittance may occur with no notice.
