Category: Tribal

Laguna Storytelling

The Laguna Public Library (in Laguna, NM) periodically holds events for the public that help promote & preserve the local culture.  This last Monday (5/10) the library had “Laguna Storytelling” with Chris Luther.  This hour long event was great re-introduction to the Keres language for me personally.  I was very appreciative that the library and Chris allowed the event to be recorded.  This video is just a small sample of what occured, the full video will be put on the computers in the library for others to also enjoy the event.

– Dom

* For better video & audio quality watch the 720p HD version.

Feast Days

Here is a compilation of all the feast days & celebration days that have I put together from various sources over the years and with input from many friends and acquaintances in NM/AZ.  I have put them in this post for others to enjoy along with map links.  If a date/description is wrong, please email or comment and I will correct this post.  Enjoy!

– Dom

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Yearly Southwest Native Celebration Days

  • Jan 1 Most Pueblos: Various dances, Transfer of Canes of Authority.
  • Jan 6 Most Pueblos: King’s Day Celebration in honor of new tribal officers, Antelope, Buffalo, Deer dances
  • Jan 22 San Ildefonso Pueblo: Evening Firelight Dances
  • Jan 23 San Ildefonso Pueblo: Feast Day, Comanche, Buffalo and Deer dances throughout the day
  • Jan 25 Picuris Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo): St Paul’s Feast Day
  • Feb 2 Picuris Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo: Candelaria Day Celebration
  • 1st Weekend of Feb – Tohono O’odham Rodeo & Fair in Sells, AZ
  • 2nd Week of Feb Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo): Deer dances
  • 3rd Weekend of Feb – Tohono O’odham Tash in Sells, AZ
  • 2nd Weekend in Mar – Tohono O’odham Pow Wow in Sells, AZ
  • Mar 19 Laguna Pueblo: Saint Joseph’s Feast Day, Harvest dances
  • Easter Weekend: Dances at most pueblos
  • Late April – Annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow
  • May 1 San Felipe Pueblo: Feast Day
  • May 2 Acoma Pueblo: Santa Maria Feast Day
  • May 3 Taos Pueblo: Traditional foot races
  • May 8 Jemez Pueblo: Giusewa Pow wow, at Jemez State Monument
  • Last Sat in May – Native American Community Academy (NACA) Pow Wow in Albuquerque (May 29, 2010)
  • June 5 Tesuque Pueblo: Blessing of the Fields
  • June 13 Picuris, Sandia, San Idlefonso, San Juan, Santa Clara and Taos Pueblos: St Anthony Feast Day, Comanche, and/or Corn dances
  • June 19 20 Picuris Pueblo: High Country Arts & Crafts Festival
  • June 23 Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo): Vespers, foot race and Buffalo dance
  • June 24 Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo): Feast Day. Comanche/Buffalo dance; Taos Pueblo: Corn dance
  • June 29 Kewa Pueblo (Santa Domingo Pueblo): Corn dances. San Pedro Feast Day
  • July 4 Nambe Pueblo Falls Celebration; Mescalero Apache maiden’s puberty rites and Mountain Spirits Dance at Mescalero, NM.
  • July 9-11 Taos Pueblo: Annual Pow-Wow
  • July 14 Cochiti Pueblo: Feast Day
  • July 15-18 Jicarilla Apache Little Beaver Roundup & Rodeo.
  • July 17-18 Northern Pueblo Artist and Craftsman Show
  • July 25-26 San Ildefonso and Taos Pueblos: Santiago’s and Santa Ana Day Dances
  • July 26 Santa Ana Pueblo: Feast Day – Corn Dance; Laguna Pueblo – Harvest & various Dances at the Village of Seama
  • Aug 2 Jemez Pueblo: Feast Day
  • Aug 4 Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo Pueblo): Feast Day
  • Aug 9 Picuris Pueblo: Sunset Dances
  • Aug 10 Acoma Pueblo: San Lorenzo Feast Day; various dances and pole climbing at Picuris Pueblo
  • Aug 12 Santa Clara Feast Day; various dances
  • Aug 15 Laguna Pueblo: Assumption of Blessed Mother Feast Day; Zia Pueblo Feast Day
  • Late Aug – Santa Fe Indian Market
  • Aug 28-29 Zuni Tribal Fair
  • First week in Sep, Navajo Nation Fair in Window Rock, AZ
  • Sep 2 Acoma Pueblo: San Estevan Feast Day
  • Sep 4 Isleta Pueblo: San Augustine Feast Day
  • Sep 5 San Ildefonso Pueblo: Nativity of Mary Feast Day, Corn Dances; Laguna Pueblo: , Harvest Dances
  • Sep 8 Laguna Pueblo (Encinal Village): Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast Day: Social Dances; San Ildefonso Pueblo:  Corn Dances
  • Sep 19 Laguna Pueblo: San Joseph’s Feast Day
  • Sep 25 Laguna Pueblo: St Elizabeth Feast Day (Paguate Village)
  • Sep 29 Taos Pueblo: San Geronimo Eve, vespers and Sundown dance
  • Sep 30 Taos Pueblo: San Geronimo Feast Day; trade fair, pole climbing and early morning races
  • First week in Oct, Northern Navajo Nation Fair in Shiprock, NM
  • Oct 3-4 Nambe Pueblo: St Francis Feast Day, various dances
  • Oct 4-12 Albq Int’l Balloon Fiesta. Traditional dances, youth pow-wow, crowning of Lil’ Miss IPCC at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Abq
  • Oct 17 Laguna Pueblo: St Margaret Mary Feast Day (Paraje Village)
  • Nov 12 Jemez Pueblo Feast Day; Tesuque Pueblo: San Diego Feast Day, various dances.
  • Last Week in Nov. Christmas Light Parade at Zuni Pueblo.
  • First Week in Dec, Shalako at Zuni Pueblo
  • Dec 12 Pojoaque Pueblo: Guadalupe Feast Day Jemez Pueblo; various dances
  • Dec 24 Sundown torchlight Procession of the Virgin, Vespers and Matachines Dances at Taos, Picuris and San Juan Pueblos; Acoma Pueblo luminarias and dances; Mass and dances at Laguna, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Tesuque Pueblos
  • Dec 25 Matachines and various dances at Laguna, Picuris, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, San Juan, Tesuque, Taos and Zia Pueblos
  • Dec 26 Turtle Dance at San Juan Pueblo; various dances at Santo Domingo Pueblo
  • Dec 28 Holy Innocents Day; children’s dances at Santa Clara and Picuris Pueblos

Maps to the Feast Day Locations & Celebration Places

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center has a nice page on etiquette when visiting any of the tribal communities.  Please take the time to read this important document.

Guiding Eagles

Ok, this post is not really about guiding real flying eagles, it’s a metaphor, what San Ildefonso Pueblo is really doing  here is to raise visibility (and money) for the  efforts of their Health Coalition and their summer youth program.  I know for some this may be short notice, the event is 2 weeks away.

As their flyer says (pdf link is below), “Proceeds are for the Summer Program for the Pueblo de San Ildefonso Youth for education & wellness activities addressing awareness in diabetes, obesity, safety, drugs, alcohol, environmental and traditional values , etc.”

This is something I’m really glad to see happen and I support it, too often the youth on reservations don’t have structured activity in the summer and this leads to less than ideal outcomes later in life.  San Ildefonso Pueblo is also one of the tribes in New Mexico that does NOT have a casino, so I’m guessing funds are limited from the tribal government.

I personally have friends and former classmates from San Ildefonso Pueblo.

If you are a golfer, please consider spending a day at the Towa Golf Resort to support this program.

Guiding Eagles Benefit Golf Tournament – April 30, 2010 (pdf flyer)

Thanks.

– Dom