Acoma Pueblo

Infobox_nrhp | name =Acoma
nrhp_type = nhl

---

caption = Acoma Pueblo and its reflection in a pool of water. Ansel Adams, c.1941
nearest_city= Grants, New Mexico
area =
built =circa 1100
architect=vernacular
architecture= Pueblo, Colonial
designated= October 9, 1960cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=357&ResourceType=District
title=Acoma Pueblo |accessdate=2008-06-14 |work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = October 15, 1966
governing_body = Pueblo of Acoma
refnum=66000500 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

Acoma Pueblo (pronEng|ˈækəmə; Western Keresan: Aa'ku; Zuni: Hakukya); Haak'ooh in Navajo, also known as "Sky City", is a Native American pueblo built on top of a 367-foot (112 m) sandstone mesa in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

History

The Pueblo, believed to have been established in the 12th century or even earlier, was chosen in part because of its defensive position against raiders. It is regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7DB1231F935A15750C0A964958260] [ [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/da-ancient-citadel.html Ancient Citadel] . "Smithsonian Magazine". April 2008.] . Access to the pueblo is difficult as the faces of the mesa are sheer (a topographic map shows this best). Before modern times access was gained only by means of a hand-cut staircase carved into the sandstone.

There are several interpretations of origin of the name "Acoma". Some believe that the name Acoma comes from the Keresan words for the "People of the White Rock", with "aa'ku" meaning "white rock", and "meh" meaning "people". Others believe that the word "aa'ku" actually comes from the word "haaku" meaning "to prepare"; a description that would accurately reflect the defensive position of the mesa's inhabitants.

Acoma Pueblo comprises several villages including Acomita, McCarty's, Anzac and the newer subdivision of Sky Line. Acoma people dry-farm in the valley below Aa'ku and use irrigation canals in the villages closer to the Rio San Jose.

In 1598, Spanish conquistador Don Juan De Onate, under orders from the king of Spain, invaded New Mexico, and began staging raids on Native Amercan pueblos in the area, taking anything of value. Upon reaching San Juan Pueblo, Onate had all the Native Americans who were living there, removed from their homes, and used it as a base to stage more raids on other Native American pueblos in the area. In responce, the Acoma fought back,and several Spaniards were killed in the battle to re-take the pueblofrom the Spaniards. Durring the battle, the Spaniards brought a small cannon up the back of Acoma Mesa, and began fireing into the village. Although the average Spaniard at the time weighed twice as much as the average Acoma at that time, the Spaniards also brought with them attack dogs, which were fed human flesh, and trained to eat humans alive Dubious|date=September 2008. The Acoma people lost the Battle of Acoma, and the indigionous population of the pueblo, which had been aproximitaly 2,000 people before the Spanish attacked, was reduced to aproximatly 250 survivors; as women, children, and elders were killed by the Spaniards in that battle as well. Fact|date=September 2008After the surviviors were herded to Santo Domingo Pueblo, all the surviving children under the age of 12 were taken from their parents, and givin to Spanish missionaries to raise;but most of them and the other survivors were sold into slavery.Of the few dozen Acoma men of fighting age still alive after the battle, Onate ordered a foot chopped off of each one.In response to this, Onate was recalled to Mexico City by order of the Spanish government,charged with war crimes,found guilty,and executed. Fact|date=September 2008

Tracing their lineage to the inhabitants of ruins to the west and north, the Acoma people continue the traditions of their ancestors. Acoma people practice their traditional religion and some also practice the Catholic religion that came with Spanish settlers in the 1500s. Acoma people have traded and interacted with their neighbors for centuries, some of which extended beyond the local Pueblos. Trade between Aztec and Mayan people was common prior to European settlement. Only more recently has trade and interaction with other tribes been hampered by international boundaries. Traditional alliances still exist between the Pueblos who often speak different dialects or different languages. The Acoma Pueblo and Laguna Pueblo have many ties, including location, language and a shared high school. Throughout the year feasts are held in celebration of historic occasions. Visitors are allowed to attend these feasts but are encouraged to be respectful and aware of local protocol.

The Spanish settlers had the mission church of San Esteban Rey built at the pueblo from 1629 to 1641, under the direction of Friar Juan Ramírez [New Mexico Magazine, http://www.nmmagazine.com/NMGUIDE/acoma.html.] . Its 30-foot beams were carried 30 miles from "Kaweshtima" or Mount Taylor Mountain, and the dirt for its graveyard was carried up the mesa from the valley below. Both the mission and the pueblo are registered National Historical Landmarks. In late 2006 the Acoma Pueblo was also named as a National Trust Historic Site.

Like other pueblos, Acoma and the surrounding area are considered federal trust land, administered by the federal government for the pueblo. Several families still live on the mesa itself year-round, while others elect to live in nearby villages (Acomita Village, New Mexico, among them). The 2000 US Census lists 2,802 inhabitants of the Acoma Pueblo and off-reservation trust lands.

The pueblo is located 60 miles (100 km) west of Albuquerque on Interstate 40 and 12 miles (20 km) south on Indian Route 23. The pueblo is open to the public only by guided tour. Photography of the pueblo and surrounding lands is restricted. Tours can be arranged and $10 camera permits obtained from the recently renovated Sky City visitor center at the base of the mesa. However, videotaping, drawing and sketching are prohibited, with big signs warning visitors not to do any of them (but especially not to videotape) [ [http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34796915 Travel Talk Forums ] ] [ [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/print-narrative.cfm?destID=1583&catID=1583010002 Acoma and Laguna Pueblos : Planning a Trip ] ] .

Communities

*Acomita
*Anzac
*McCartys
*Sky Line

Language

The Acoma people speak a Keresan language (this language family is a linguistic isolate).

Famous Acoma Pueblo Members

[
Enchanted Mesa taken from Aa'ku - 1899]
*Conroy Chino, ex-newscaster and politician
*Merrill Quannie graphic artist
*Rose Chino Garcia artist
*Lucy Lewis artist
*Gilbert Concho artist
*Christine Sims linguist

Cultural references

Acoma is mentioned in Willa Cather's 1927 novel "Death Comes for the Archbishop", Book Three Chapters 1, 3 and 4.

ee also

* Pueblo people
* Keresan languages
* Acoma Indian Reservation
* List of Indian reservations in the United States
* Solomon Bibo

References

External links

* [http://www.skycity.com/index.aspx?nav=1&level=2&pk=147&fk= Acoma Pueblo Sky City Website]
* [http://www.acomaskycity.org/ Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum Website]
* [http://www.chrylab.com/acoma.html Photos of Acoma Pueblo]
* [http://www.holmes.anthropology.museum/southwestpottery/acomapueblo.html More Information at the Holmes Museum of Anthropology]
* [http://www.offbeatnewmexico.com/acoma-pueblo.html Off Beat New Mexico]
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amsw/ American Southwest, a National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary]
* [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=hhphoto&fileName=nm/nm0000/nm0095/photos/browse.db&action=browse&recNum=0&title2=Pueblo%20of%20Acoma,%20Casa%20Blanca%20vicinity,%20Acoma%20Pueblo,%20Valencia%20County,%20NM&displayType=1&itemLink=r?ammem/hh:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28NM0095%29%29 87 photographs of Acoma from 1934] Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress.