Day 7 (D-54) The Pueblo Peoples

Day 7 (D-54)  Puebloans 

WARNING:  This blog post is long, but there is important information.  Some examples:

NO PHOTOS OF TRIBAL MEMBERS WITHOUT PERMISSION.

DRESS IN LAYERS AND WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES.

The Puebloans or Pueblo peoples, are Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material and religious practices.  When Spaniards entered the area beginning in the 16th century, they came across complex, multi-story villages built of adobe, stone and other local materials, which they called pueblos or towns, a word that later came to refer also to the peoples who live in these villages.

There are currently 19 Pueblos that are still inhabited, among which Taos, San Ildefonso, Acoma, Zuni and Hopi are the best-known.  Pueblo communities are located in the present-day states of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, mostly along the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers and their tributaries.  The term Anasazi is sometimes used to refer to Pueblo people but it is now largely dispreferred.  Anasazi is a Navajo word that means Ancient Ones or Ancient Enemy, hence Pueblo peoples' rejection of it.

Today the Taos Puebloan Peoples have two spiritual practices -- the original indigenous spiritual tradition and Roman Catholicism.  It is said that the majority of the Taos Indians still practice their old ways even though 90% of their member have been baptized as Roman Catholics.  

____________________________________________________

I visited the Taos Pueblo site on the internet.  I suggest you go there too. http://taospueblo.com/home/   

Please read these rules for visiting the pueblo. 

Taos Pueblo is a living community, there are rules and regulations to abide by during your visit.

1.  Please abide by "Restricted Area" signs. These areas are designated to protect the privacy of our residents and the sites of our native religious practices.

2.  We ask you not enter doors/homes that are not clearly marked as businesses.  Some of the homes are used as a place of business which are clearly marked with signs.  Other homes are not open to the public.  

3.  Please do not photograph tribal members without permission. 

4.  Absolutely no photography in San Geronimo Chapel.

5.  Please respect our cemetery by not entering; it also holds the ruins of the old church.  An adobe wall surrounds this area; this is the boundary.

6.  Do not enter the river -- our sole source of drinking water.

7.  And last, but far from least, as we welcome you into our home, please respect it as it was your own home.  There are rules in place to ensure a great visit for visitors and to ensure the culture and traditions of our home are maintained and kept intact.

They give good advice for clothing also.

Here are a few clothing recommendations when visiting Taos Pueblo.  Keep in mind we are somewhat located off the beaten path, comfortable shoes are a must.  Whether you choose to wear sneakers, hiking boots, flats or sandals, the visit is a walking tour and we want you to be comfortable.  Taos does enjoy all four seasons.  A light jacket and dressing in layers is always a good choice.  We do live in a high desert climate and the weather can sometimes be unpredictable. 

___________________________________

And here is something to watch, if you'd like to see Taos Pueblo before we get there, or if you are traveling in front of your computer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sp7szY1HVk#action=share

There are no subtitles, but you can slow down the recording.

Click "paramètres".

My best,

Jane

PS.  I told you this was going to be a long post. You can take two days to read it!  Long, but interesting, n'est-ce pas?  And there is vocabulary for you which follows-->

_______________________________________________

-- to come across = to find or to encounter by chance
-- peoples =  "people" is the plural of "person": 1 person, 2 people.  However, when we put an "s" on "people", we are referring to different groups of people belonging to the same culture, ethnicity, nation or race! If you are interested, click here:
http://learnersdictionary.com/qa/What-is-the-difference-between-people-and-peoples-
-- peoples'=  here it is the plural possessive form!

-- hence = for this reason, therefore

-- to abide by the rules and regulations = se conformer aux règles, respecter les règles

-- "Restricted area" signs = panneaux zone interdite

-- boundary = ce qui marque les limites

-- sole = only

-- to ensure = to guarantee

-- somewhat = quelque peu, assez.  We use this word a lot in English.  You can look at the many examples here:  http://www.wordreference.com/enfr/somewhat

-- off the beaten path = hors des sentiers battus
-- sneakers = tennis shoes

-- dress in layers = s'habiller en couches (de vêtements)