Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
192
establish a capital there (it was moved to Santa Fe 10 years later), making San Juan
Pueblo the first to be subjected to Spanish colonization. The Indians were generous,
providing food, clothing, shelter, and fuel—they even helped sustain the settlement when
its leader, conquistador Juan de Oñate, became preoccupied with his search for gold and
neglected the needs of his people.
The past and present cohabit here. Though many of the tribe members are Catholics,
most of the San Juan tribe still practice traditional religious rituals. Thus, two rectangular
kivas flank the church in the main plaza, and
caciques
(pueblo priests) share power with
civil authorities. The annual
San Juan Fiesta
is held June 23 and 24; it features buffalo
and Comanche dances. Another annual ceremony is the
turtle dance
on December 26.
The
Matachine dance,
performed here Christmas Day, vividly depicts the subjugation
of the Native Americans by the Catholic Spaniards.
The address of the pueblo is P.O. Box 1099, San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566 (
&
505/
852-4400
or 505/852-4210). Admission is free. Photography or sketching may be
allowed for a fee, with prior permission from the governor's office. For information, call
the number above. The charge for fishing is $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors.
The pueblo is open every day during daylight hours.
The
Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council
(
&
505/747-1593
) is a sort of cham-
ber of commerce and social-service agency.
Fishing and picnicking are encouraged at the
San Juan Tribal Lakes,
open year-
round.
Ohkay Casino
(
&
505/747-1668;
www.ohkay.com) offers table games and slot
machines, as well as live music nightly Tuesday through Saturday. It's open 24 hours on
weekends.
SANTA CLARA PUEBLO
Close to Española (on NM 5), Santa Clara, with a population of about 1,944, is one of
the largest pueblos. You'll see the village sprawling across the river basin near the beauti-
ful Black Mesa, with rows of tract homes surrounding an adobe central area. Although
it's in an incredible setting, the pueblo itself is not much to see; however, a trip through
it will give a real feel for the contemporary lives of these people. Though stories vary, the
Santa Clarans teach their children that their ancestors once lived in cliffside dwellings
named Puye and migrated down to the river bottom in the 13th century. This pueblo is
noted for its language program. Artisan elders work with children to teach them their
native Tewa language, on the brink of extinction because so many now speak English.
This pueblo is also the home of noted potter Nancy Youngblood, who comes from a long
line of famous potters and now does alluring contemporary work.
Follow the main route to the old village, where you come to the visitor center, also
known as the neighborhood center. There you can get directions to small shops that sell
distinctive black incised Santa Clara pottery, red burnished pottery, baskets, and other
crafts. One stunning sight here is the cemetery. Stop on the west side of the church and
look over the 4-foot wall. It's a primitive site, with plain wooden crosses and some graves
adorned with plastic flowers.
There are corn and harvest dances on
Santa Clara Feast Day
(Aug 12); information
on other special days (including the corn or harvest dances, as well as children's dances)
can be obtained from the pueblo office.
7
