';Pueblo'; question

In doing research for our April trip, I%26#39;ve noticed a lot of places with the name ';pueblo'; after them. What exactly is a pueblo? Is it like a city? Are they all old historic areas or are they contemporary too? If we had time to visit only a few, which ones would give us the best flavor of their culture (history, arts, nature, etc.) We%26#39;re flying into Albuquerque and then driving west to Canyon de Chelly, then northeast to Durango, then South to Santa Fe. Thanks!

';Pueblo'; question

';Pueblo'; is a Spanish term, generically assigned by the first Conquistadores, to the agrarian people found living in villages they encountered in Northern New Mexico.

Pueblos, with a capital P, refers to all of these tribes generically speaking still today. But, each village is a separate tribe. Thus the Native Americans living in Taos Pueblo, are of the ';Taos'; tribe, and those from Zia, of the ';Zia'; tribe. Much the same as Apaches or Comanches. If written with a small ';p,'; pueblo is referring to a village, and not the tribe.

There are nineteen remaining pueblos or villages, from what once numbered over two hundred when the Spainish first arrived in the region in 1540 under Coronado.

Acoma, the ';Sky City,'; an hour%26#39;s drive west of Albuquerque, is regarded as the oldest, continuously inhabited ';village'; in the entire United States, and is perhaps the least changed in the past five centuries. It is one of New Mexico%26#39;s ';Must See'; attractions, in my opinion.

Taos Pueblo%26#39;s four and five story high ';houses'; on it%26#39;s plaza, also remain little changed in appearance, and is my other ';Must See,'; among the pueblos. All of the remaining pueblos, have some old buildings, some new. They remain interesting however because of the arts and crafts indigenous to each Pueblo village. Some, or most Acoma and Taos tribal members also live in more modern structures, but at some distance from these original structures.

In Albuquerque, another ';must'; to visit, is the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, owned and operated by New Mexico%26#39;s Pueblo tribes. Part museum, restaurant, shops, etc. It is also one of the rare places where ceremonial dances may be photographed. Dances are usually held on weekends, at approximately 12 noon, and 2pm, subject to change. During the balloon fiesta in October, dances are held every day of that great event.

Since you will also be visiting Arizona, it should be said that technically (as the Spanish understood the meaning), the Hopis are also ';pueblos'; in their similar lifestyle, but the designation ';Pueblos'; has as far as I know, been restricted to the villages, and peoples within New Mexico.

';Pueblo'; question

I second the suggestion of the Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. You can get information there on any of the Pueblos in the state.

You should know beforehand that photography is extremely regulated in all Pueblo%26#39;s; some even don%26#39;t permit it, while others charge a fee. Also, they do restrict what you can see, and ask that you treat their homes and people with respect, following all their rules. If you abide by their rules and regulations, you will find them some of the warmest, friendliest people you have ever met. And, you will learn a lot about these people, their ancestors, and a lot of the pre-history of the area. Remember that they have been here either in the Pueblos or as nomadic people since BC.

Thank you both for your extremely informative responses! I am so looking forward to visiting NM and immersing myself in the culture there that is so different from mine here in NJ. We%26#39;ll add these places mentioned to our list of things to see on our road trip.

There also are a number of Ancestral Puebloan sites which include Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, Bandelier, and many more. Check on www.nps.gov for all the national parks/monuments. Since you are headed to Durango area, make sure you visit Mesa Verde National Park.

Near Canyon de Chelly are the Hopi Mesa Pueblos. This is an incredible place to visit and well worth the time it will take to get there. www.hopiculturalcenter.com

Taos Pueblo near Taos, north of Santa Fe www.taospueblo.com

Acoma Pueblo west of Albuquerque www.skycity.com

If you haven%26#39;t had your fill of pueblo culture by the time you%26#39;re approaching Santa Fe, you might want to make a brief stop at the Poeh Museum in Pojoaque, or maybe stroll though the lobby at Buffalo Thunder just down the road. The hotel lobby has some impressive examples of contemporary Pueblo art.

The New Mexico magazine has an excellent web page listing the pueblos, tribes and nations and giving links to them. Go to http://www.nmmagazine.com/nativeam.php and follow the links on the right hand side of the page. Also there is some good info at the bottom concerning etiquette while visiting pueblos. Remember they are nations unto themselves with their own government so be sure to follow the rules. If you are caught taking photos without permission, your camera will be confiscated. Be sure to buy some bread baked in the pueblos - it is baked in outdoor ovens called hornos and is sooo good.

Thanks! I%26#39;ve bookmarked the magazine%26#39;s web site and will refer to it for info.

zits