"Oquwa - Rain God" J.D. Roybal (San Ildefonso Pueblo Feast Day Dance Procession)
"Plunder from Sonora" Howard Terpning
There are three tribes that call parts of New Mexico home - the Navajo, the Pueblo, and the Apache. The map above shows where their various reservations are located. We're just trying to give you a hint of the rich culture and heritage our tribes in the area bring to the tri-cultural mix that characterizes New Mexico. Today the tribes are much changed from what they were fifty or a hundred years ago, and yet they still retain much that is Indian, in the deepest sense. Visiting their respective "country" is probably the best way to learn more if you're really interested. Be open, be polite, and leave the cameras in the car until you understand the rules (it varies).
Above - Monument Valley, the location for numerous western films over the years, today a Navajo Nation Tribal Park extending over a swath of southern Utah and northern Aizona. The Navajos in New Mexico are located in the northwest region, on that part of the "Big Rez" which extends into Arizona and Utah, as well as on small "island" reservations (Alamo, Ramah, Tohajilee, and Pine Hill) in western New Mexico.
"The Blanket Weaver - Navajo" Edward S. Curtis
A 1954 documentary (18 min) by Avalon Films about the history and culture of the Navajo.
White Buffalo Dancers at the Pueblo Indian Cultural Center in Albuquerque, on 12th Street, just north off I-40. Exhibits, dances and other activities, excellent restaurant serving traditional Pueblo fare and New Mexico favorites. Dances are held, at various Pueblos and at various times, throughout the year. They're well-worth the time and trouble to go see them. Schedules are available on the web.
"A Load of Fuel - Zuni" Edward S. Curtis
Brief neat documentary from the 50's about Pueblo history and culture.
Above - The Inn of the Mountain Gods on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in south-central New Mexico. There's a casino, hotel, golf course, ski area, racetrack, and more. Gorgeous country, with the nearby resort town of Ruidoso only minutes away.
"The Storm - Apache" Edward S. Curtis
The Alamo Navajo Reservation
The closest Indian reservation to Magdalena is The Alamo Band of the Navajo Indians, about a half-hour drive to the northwest. The 5 minute video below is the opening third of a 15-minte program produced for the tribe to aid in teacher and heath care worker recruitment. This section explains some of their history, andwho they are as a people.
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