May 20, 2003

It was on dusty ground, next to a small, flowing river, as I watched dogs splash in the water and chase and nip at each other’s tails, that I really began to feel the rich history of the Taos area. Nestled against the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, this high mesa was home to Tiwa-speaking Native Americans long before it became a popular haven for artists and ski-enthusiasts.

At Taos Pueblo, I paid my entrance and camera permit fees and walked the guide-led tour with a group of visitors. We were offered historical information, then allowed to walk freely, to explore the thousand-year-old pueblo, and to browse through small shops, where pottery, jewelry, and other handicrafts are sold by artists.

Most of the housing at Taos Pueblo is grouped into two buildings, one on each side of the small river. Both the North House – called hlauuma – and the South House – called hlaukwima – stand tall against the dramatic mountain background. Additional, smaller houses are scattered around the larger structures. Formed of adobe— mixture of earth, water and straw—these buildings are believed to have been built sometime between 1000AD and 1450AD.

I stopped first to talk to Marilyn, who sat in the shade not far from the North House, a table of fresh baked goods next to her. Each plastic-wrapped package contained two cinnamon-sugar cookies, which she had baked earlier that morning. I bought some, chatted for a bit, then nibbled on one of the cookies as I moved on.

Though the Taos Pueblo structures were originally built without windows and doors, entered only from above, over time additional openings have been added. Now many of these roughly-framed doorways are painted with rich colors of blue, green, red, orange, or deep rose, forming a sharp visual contrast to the earthy brown of the adobe walls. Signs hang by many of the open doors, announcing the residence and shop of a Taos Pueblo artist.

Drawn into one such dwelling, I met up with an artist who goes by the name of Sunflower, who held a brush steadily in her hand, drawing fine lines on a small piece of pottery. In the corner, the embers of an earlier fire glowed in a kiva fireplace.

I asked Sunflower if it was difficult to draw the precise lines that the traditional pottery requires. She told me it was really just a matter of practice. She finds it soothing to work on her artwork, likening her mornings by the fire to someone curling up with a book on a relaxing afternoon. This is how she spends most of her days, and it was clear from our conversation that she enjoys her work.

In another shop, Juanita Martinez showed me her storyteller dolls, proudly posing next to a display case for a picture. Many of the Taos Pueblo natives are not comfortable having their pictures taken, but I found by asking that some are quite willing. For Juanita, this photo request isn’t new. Several published articles featuring her work were taped near the display case, including a couple in German and Japanese. I purchased a small clay ornament of a rabbit, sculpted by Juanita’s daughter.

I spent a good amount of time visiting with artists and observing life in the pueblo area. Even with roaming tourists, who are allowed to visit from 8:00 – 4:30 daily, there was still regular pueblo activity to view. Two native residents patched a rooftop, carrying buckets of adobe mixture up and down a side ladder. They smiled, but waved a signal to me that they preferred not to have a picture taken. Tribal elders, who work from offices just outside the ruins of the old wall, walked in pairs and small groups, folders of paperwork tucked under their arms.

Children played in the open area in front of the church of San Geronimo, named after St. Jerome, the patron saint of Taos Pueblo. This church, built in 1850, stands not far from the ruins of the original church, which was built in 1619, destroyed in 1680, during the Spanish Revolt, rebuilt, then destroyed again in 1847 by the U.S. Army during the War with Mexico.

I finally drew myself away in the mid-afternoon, leaving the rich culture of Taos Pueblo and heading back into the town of Taos itself. A phone call to my next lodging stop confirmed that they were ready for me to check in. I packed my new pottery ornament and remaining cinnamon-sugar cookie into my car, then headed over to the inn.