Pueblos, Nations, and Tribes

Experience at least one to learn more about our nation’s First Peoples.

PUEBLOS

Indians inhabited New Mexico long

before Spanish contact in the 1500s. When Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate began colonizing the state in 1558, he and others referred to the Native American settlements as Pueblos, the Spanish word for town or village. When Catholic missionaries arrived in the early 1600s, they renamed Pueblos with saints’ names, built churches, and introduced Feast Days to celebrate the patron saints of Pueblo Catholic missions.

Today, most Feast Days are open to the public, and this is a prime opportunity for you to experience the full expression of any Pueblo. In New Mexico, there are four Native American Tribes and Nations, and 19 established Pueblos, eight of which are between a 15- and 75-minute drive north of Santa Fe.

Attend a Feast Day!

Feast Days are celebratory occasions when tribal members come together to honor their ancient Pueblo traditions and heritage. Each begins with a Catholic Mass and includes traditional dances and ceremonies that tell different stories. Many relate to seasonal cycles, bringing rain and an abundant harvest. In addition to arts and crafts and cultural activities, Pueblo families prepare a variety of stews, traditional dishes, breads and desserts to share with their guests.

indianpueblo.org/feast-days

There are many other seasonal celebrations and special events. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day bring traditional dances, and a torchlight parade or Los Matachines dance-drama.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Tewa language is spoken at the Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Ohkay Owingeh, Santa Clara, and Tesuque pueblos. Towa is spoken at Taos and Tiwa at Picurís. There are many language instruction programs in regional schools designed to introduce children to and give them support in their Native tongue.

Nambé (Nanbé Ówingeh), Ohkay Owingeh (formerly San Juan), Picurís, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Taos, and Tesuque.

Pueblos South of Santa Fe

Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Kewa (formerly Santo Domingo), Laguna, San Felipe, Sandia, Santa Ana, Zia, Zuni

New Mexico Tribes & Nations

Fort Sill Apache, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mescalero Apache, Navajo Nation

Guests should familiarize themselves with Pueblo visitor etiquette and fully abide by and respect it. Before any visit, call to confirm event dates and that your event in question is open to the public.

Nambé Pueblo

Place of the Rounded Earth nambepueblo.org

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Highlights • A cultural, religious, economic, and social nexus beginning in the 14th century • Nambé Pueblo Recreation Area campsites available in the summer (fee) • Hike and picnic in Nambé Falls; fish and swim in Nambé Lake (fee) • Guided tours can be arranged to walk the looped trail around the buffalo herd, established in 1994

Artwork micaceous Nambé polychrome pottery, traditional textiles, woven belts, beadwork

Events Feast Days & Dances on January 6; Easter; July 4—Nambé Falls Independence Day Celebration; October 4; December 24 and 25

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo

Place of the Strong People ohkay.org

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Highlights • Formerly San Juan Pueblo, returned to its original name in 2005 • One of the largest Tewa-speaking Pueblos with a language program • San Juan Bautista Parish, a neo-Gothic style church, ceremonial kivas, and adobe houses

Oke-Oweenge Crafts Cooperative carries the work of artists from the Eight Northern

Pueblos • Fishing by permit at San Juan Lakes • Area petroglyphs are at least 10 millennia old

Artwork lustrous redware pottery, weaving, paintings

Events Feast Days & Dances on January 1; February first or second weekend; June 13 and 24; December 24-26, 28.

Picurís Pueblo

For Those Who Paint picurispueblo.org

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Highlights • The state’s smallest Pueblo tribe • On the National Register of Historic

Places • Hand-restored, 200-year-old adobe San

Lorenzo de Picurís Mission Church • Museum, buffalo herd, trout-stocked Pu-

Na Lake with picnic areas • Self-guided tour of archeological sites

Artwork beadwork, pottery, weaving

Events Feast Days & Dances on January 1 and 6; February 2; June 13; August 9 and 10; December 24, 25, 28

Pojoaque Pueblo

Water Drinking Place pojoaquepueblo.org

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Highlights • Population of approximately 2,700 • At Poeh Cultural Center & Museum: traditional arts of Tewa-speaking Pueblos, exhibitions and artist demonstrations • Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino • Programs centered on bison, youth hoop dancing, health and wellness • Hosts traditional Indian dances on weekends • Visitor Center and largest Indian arts and crafts shop in Northern New Mexico

Artwork pottery, sand paintings, rugs, kachinas, embroidery, beadwork, sculpture

Events Feast Days & Dances on July 28; December 11 and 12

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Where Water Cuts Down Through sanipueblo.org

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Highlights • Known for black-on-black pottery first created by the late Maria Martinez and husband, Julian • Central plaza, adobe buildings, ceremonial kivas, replica of mission-period church • Visitor Center, fishing lake • On the National Register of Historic Places

Artwork pottery, jewelry, moccasins, weavings, carvings, paintings

Events Feast Days & Dances on January 22 and 23; December 24 and 25

Santa Clara Pueblo

Valley of the Wild Roses or Singing Water Village 505.753.7326

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Highlights • Home of well-known potters Anita Suazo and Margaret Tafoya • Historic section with adobe houses surrounding two main plazas, two ceremonial kivas and a church • Guided tour of ancient 740-room Puye Cliff

Dwellings • On the National Register of Historic Places • Black Canyon Golf Course and Santa Claran

Casino Resort

Artwork polished black and red pottery, baskets

Taos Pueblo

Place of Red Willows taospueblo.com

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Highlights • Multistoried adobe buildings continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years • Only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by

UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark • San Geronimo (St. Jerome) Chapel, completed in 1850 • Self-guided and guided tours • 40+ shops

Artwork silver jewelry, mica-flecked pottery, moccasins, boots, drums, paintings, crafts, sculpture

Events Feast Days & Dances on January 1 and 6; May 3; June 13 and 24, July second weekend annual powwow; July 25 and 26; September 30; December 24 and 25

Tesuque Pueblo

Village of the Narrow Place of the Cottonwood Trees 505.983.2667

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Highlights • In its present location since 1200 CE • On the National Register of Historic Places • Arts and crafts shops at the Pueblo • Tesuque Casino (adjacent to the Santa Fe

Opera) • 70 acres of farmland and 750 fruit trees

Artwork silverwork, traditional clothing, pottery, paintings, sculpture

Events Feast Days & Dances in June first Saturday; November 12; December 24 and 25

Other Ways to Learn About Native American Culture

Bandelier National Monument

nps.gov/band

Chaco Culture National Historic Park

nps.gov/chcu

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

indianpueblo.org

Institute of American Indian Arts

iaia.edu

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

iaia.edu/mocna

Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

indianartsandculture.org

Poeh Museum and Cultural Center

poehcenter.org

Puye Cliff Dwellings

puyecliffdwellings.com

Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts

coeartscenter.org

School for Advanced Research

sarweb.org

Southwestern Association for Indian Arts

swaia.org

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

wheelwright.org

DID YOU KNOW?

Each tribe is a sovereign nation with its own history, rules, regulations, language, governing structure, customs, crafts, events, and political and religious leaders.