I have two postcards of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico, and am posting one today and the other next Wednesday...because next Wednesday Dex will be here for his seven-day visit with us. On Tuesday night we'll be returning from an overnight stay at the Oregon coast and I seriously doubt I'll want to be here at the computer preparing an Old Postcard Wednesday post! So for the first time since I've been blogging I will be testing out the pre-set posting option here at Blogger.
The information on the back of next week's card (which appears to be a bit older than this week's view of the Pueblo) was more detailed so I have included it with this view. An update to the old information via Wikipedia includes:
Santo Domingo Pueblo (Eastern Keres: Kewa) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States and is located 25 miles (40 km) south of Santa Fe. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 2,550. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Pueblo is composed of Native Americans who speak an eastern dialect of the Keresan* languages.
The following is from NewMexico.org:
Kewa Pueblo formerly Santo Domingo Pueblo
Kewa Pueblo formerly Santo Domingo Pueblo is located near the ancient Cerrillos turquoise mines and its people have an entrenched history of making fine jewelry and heishi out of the colorful stones. The Kewa people historically are great traders of their crafts, very much like their Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon ancestors.
This Keresan pueblo hosts an internationally known ceremonial dance on August 4, honoring the pueblo’s patron saint, St. Dominic.While visitors are welcome to the pueblo, the Kewa people are adamant about preserving their traditional way of life.
A cultural center and small museum provide opportunities for visitors to learn more about the pueblo, which is home to more than 3,100 people. While there is no admission fee, donations are appreciated.
Many roadside stands with jewelry, pottery and silverwork for sale can be found during a visit to this pueblo. Look for these special items and others during the Santo Domingo Arts and Crafts Market held each Labor Day weekend with more than 350 Santo Domingo and other Native artists. Enjoy traditional dances and sample great food which are all part of the festivities. The pueblo also has a small museum and a gas station off of the Santo Domingo exit on I-25 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
That is somewhat mysterious information above, given that IndianPueblo.org contains the following information (note the second line -- "Traditional Name".....might it be Kewa, as noted by the NewMexico.org website quoted above?....and, if so, I wonder why NewMexico.org would feel comfortable publishing the name when the tribal government does not):
English Pronunciation: "San-toe Dough-min-go"
Traditional Name: Tribal Government asked that it not be published.
. . .
Santo Domingo Pueblo is one of the best known tribes of the southwest Indians, largely because of their skill in marketing, their jewelry and other crafts. The Pueblo is fifth in population of the nineteen New Mexico Pueblos, and is generally considered the most conservative in terms of customs and culture.
Life in the Pueblo has altered little since the arrival of the white man, Santo Domingo people have closely guarded their ceremonies, placing great emphasis on their ancient religious structures and societies, the center of the social structure.
While adhering strictly to tribal authority, much of the Pueblo productivity is devoted to the making of jewelry. They travel all over the country displaying and selling the silver and turquoise necklaces, rings and bracelets which have made them famous They also make fine heishe of turquoise and other stones and silver.
As would be expected the pottery of Santo Domingo is strictly traditional, reproducing with care, the ancient forms and decorations.
Like so many other Indian festivals, the Santo Domingo Dances attract many visitors. Among others, the Corn Dance of the patron saint’s day is very popular, as well as the Sandaro, which is a burlesque with lots of clowning.
There are other ceremonies during the Christmas and Easter holidays.
*For more information on Keresan languages, visit here.
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4 comments:
i think what will be interesting for you when Dex arrives is to compare the person in the flesh to the person on the written word - like with me: i can write for pages and pages, but if you ever met me you'd think i was quiet, maybe a bit miserable (I'm not the latter usually - just live inside my head)
I hope you have a fantastic visit together and that your friendship continues to grow
With regards to the poster - it made me think of those Clint Eastwood movies where everyone stands in a circle for half an hour and squints at one another
Another great "Old Postcard Wednesday" Lydia! I know very little about this part of the country but Les and I hope to visit there this summer because my sister recently moved to CO and that isn't far. I've bookmarked this particular post to revisit when we visit in August.
I hope you are doing okay, Lydia--I've been thinking of you and sending positive, healing energy.
Take care,
Melinda
Great, just great dear Lydia!
Pixies~ Thank you for your good wishes for the visit with Dex. We've had some phone conversations beyond blogging and emailing...but you are right that it will be fascinating for us to compare "the person in the flesh to the person in the written word" (well said!). I am outgoing in person, but only in spurts. Dex seems the quiet type and my husband certainly is so I think we will have nice silences during the visit. My mother felt a need to fill every minute with conversation and it drove me nuts!
I am going to remember your Clint Eastwood analogy to the postcard for next week. :)
Melinda~ You and Les will travel there with such an appreciation for the cultures. I was there as a kid and it's high time to enjoy it as an adult!
Phivos~ Oh, thank you so much for saying that.
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