"Cage the badger and he will try to break from his prison and regain his native hole. Chain the eagle to the ground - he will strive to gain his freedom, and though he fails, he will lift his head and look up at the sky which is home - and we want to return to our mountains and plains, where we used to plant corn, wheat and beans."


-- Written by a Navajo in 1865


Thursday, May 26, 2011

First Day: Albuquerque/Santa Fe

Hello,

So today was the first full day in New Mexico. It started the day at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The first exhibit was about Native Americans with African American heritage. It was interesting to hear about their struggles with their identities and their strong feelings towards the cultures the belonged to. Next, we took a trip downstairs to learn about traditional pottery and jewelry of the Pueblo people. Fun Fact: On some pots there's a symbol of an animal and an arrow running from its nostrils to its heart, which is to honor the animal's life. I like that they honor the lives of the animals and make sure not to waste any part of it. (If you did not read the answers to the questions in one of the first posts, there are 19 Pueblo tribes). The exhibit also had a whole section about the history of the Pueblos, which was great because I love history. Not-so-fun Fun fact: Some Pueblos were forced into boarding school in order to assimilate them into European and culture and "kill the Indian, but save the man." The last exhibit we visited talked about the significance of all things in the Pueblo culture. The Pueblos believe that everything in life has a significance. I think that's really cool because they don't take anything for granted and appreciate all things in life. Fun Fact: the Pueblos practice not only their own spirituality, but also Catholicism and each Pueblo tribe is associated with a patron saint. We then travelled to Santa Fe and explored the Plaza where Native American artisans were selling jewelry. Well that's all for now....I hope you enjoyed this small tidbit of the day.

L

No comments:

Post a Comment