New Mexico Historic Sites

Sam Slater - Artist in Their Residence Program

As a Diné moccasin maker, Sam Slater has attempted to use his art as a form of researching and sharing Diné history. The initial symbolism of Diné moccasins represents the history of our Emergence into this world and later meanings have been layered on as the art has evolved. In his own family history, they identify the Long Walk as the moment in which their current style of moccasin making--using cowhide and our contemporary pattern--was thoroughly developed. Additionally, the transitions between different materials and styles tell a story of colonization and fierce resistance to external forces. These are the histories that Sam will be sharing by discussing his art and its evolution over the past millennium of Diné migration and survival. "My signature moccasin style is the typical Navajo low-cut kélchí with fabric piping stitched into the seem between the upper and lower portions. This is an attempt to draw attention to the hidden stitching, which represents lighting, as a way of illuminating the full significance of the moccasin." Artists in Their Residence is a program at Bosque Redondo Memorial that highlights the art and scholarly work of local Native Americans. During their residency, each artist or scholar will create a video of themselves demonstrating their craft, which will premiere on the New Mexico Historic Site's page. Viewers will have an opportunity to engage with and ask questions directly to the artist during the premiere!

"It is Revenge, Not Justice Seeking Satisfaction"

“It Is Revenge, Not Justice Seeking Satisfaction” by Rebekha C. Crockett On November 12th, 1862, Judge Joseph Gillette Knapp, who was firmly opposed to slavery, wrote the following to Commissioner of Indian Affairs, William P. Dole regarding a newspaper publication on the Navajo Campaign: “… I desire to call your attention to the ‘leader’ [of the Santa Fe Gazette] […] particularly to that portion relating to the employment of Utahs against the Navijoes. I found a band of the Utahs here, in possession of 6 Navajo captives, women & children, whom they sold as slaves, and who said that they should start on another expedition for the purpose of procuring more captives. Proof of these facts can be easily had here. Now sir, are the laws of God and the U.S. to be thus outraged? And is it the policy of your department to encourage countenance, and promote Indian wars, of one tribe with another? This course if pursued will eventually bring on a general war of the Indians against whites.” Frustrated, he again wrote Commissioner Dole on December 5th after reading a publication by Acting Governor William Arny where he praised the start of the Navajo campaign and the likelihood of obtaining gold from Navajo land. In this lengthy letter he presents a powerfully eloquent argument against the Navajo Campaign which requires no further explanation on my part: “… It seems the military of this department have entered into the arrangement of a campaign, not only against the Navijoes, but against the Mescalero Apaches […] In its execution no distinction is to be made between the innocent and the guilty. The blow of the military arm is to fall on all alike. Those who have desired to remain in quiet and peace, who have opposed with all their power the commission of depredations for a year and a half, are to be treated with the same rigor as the depredators themselves […] The only way of avoiding this injustice, as these Indians are told, is at once to gather all their people and effect

Ghost Hunter Q & A Reduz

Immediately following the premiere of "Proof of Afterlife," Fort Stanton Historic Site's debut on A&E, staff were joined for a LIVE question and answer session with Ghost Hunters team members Brandon Alvis and Mustafa Gatollari. If you missed this session, tune in on Saturday as we re-air our time spent discussing their findings at Fort Stanton. #ghosthunters #newmexico #haunted

Even though we are temporarily closed to the public, the wildlife are free to visit the Sites 🐺🐻🐰🦊🦝🐸🦎🐁🐇🐈🦌🦣🐿️🦫🦨🦇🐦🦅🦃🦆 . #JemezHistoricSite #Jemez #JemezMountains #NMHistoricSites #Muledeer #wildlife #NM #NewMexico #deer #NMTRUE #LandofEnchantment #PureNM

Leaf Changes in Autumn at Los Luceros

Many guests at Los Luceros Historic Site have let staff know they are visiting to see the Autumn leaves so we thought we would give you an update! The trees here are still a couple of weeks out until the leaves reach their peak, as there is still a lot of green left, but many of the younger cottonwoods along the Rio Grande are changing quickly. We will keep you updated for when the leaves reach their peak. Remember to stay home if you're sick and bring a mask if you come to see these incredible colors. See you soon!

Virtual Fall Harvest Wrap up and Winners Announced!

Tune in to listen to the Los Luceros Virtual Fall Harvest Festival wrap up. Find out who the Pie Alcalde of Los Luceros is, view the beautiful entries, see who the top three winners of the Virtual 5K were and learn about where our apples were donated this year! Highlights: We had numerous artistic pie decorating entries and 5K participants. We raised almost $400 from our Virtual 5k that will support educational programs and over 2000 lbs of apples have been collected and donated so far. Watch the video to learn more. Thank you to the staff of Jemez Historic Site, AIRE, and to all particpants and volunteers. We hope you enjoyed the Virtual Fall Harvest. You can still view the Fall Harvest website at nmhistoricsites.org/harvest-fest

The Emergence of Navajo Polychrome Ceramics: The Social Implications of the Technological Style of Gobernador Polychrome Pottery

The production of Navajo Gobernador Polychrome pottery during the 17th and 18th centuries marks a significant deviation from the well-established Navajo grayware pottery technology of northwest New Mexico. Originally attributed to Pueblo refugee potters living with Navajo families following de Vargas’ Reconquista of 1692, it is now accepted that Gobernador Polychrome pottery is a distinctly Navajo creation that predates the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Notably, the rise of this new Navajo ceramic style circa AD 1630 echoes similar technological and stylistic developments in Eastern Pueblo pottery traditions that extend west to the Hopi Mesas during the 17th century. These data support Navajo participation in the development of an anti-colonial ideology that spreads throughout the northern Southwest during the 1600s and is expressed through ceramic media in the lead up to the Pueblo Revolt. This crossing of social boundaries has implications for the contemporary political concerns that are the bane of contemporary Navajo cultural heritage efforts. Recent developments in Navajo archaeology have shown that Gobernador Polychrome’s emulation of Puebloan ceramic technology is not evidence for one-way, acculturative exchanges between Navajos and non-Navajos, but rather another line of evidence that supports the strength and diversity of long established, cross-cultural interactions throughout the greater Four Corners region. , Just as Puebloan peoples adopted Apachean bows or Navajo rock art incorporates older pan-Southwestern religious iconography, the development of parallel ceramic technological styles throughout the 17th century Southwest can tell us much about the relationships between past peoples a different points in time. In this regard, Gobernador Polychrome stands as a Navajo interpretation of Puebloan painted pottery practices that helped to unite tribal nations as allies against the Spanish in 1680.

Los Matachines Traditions of New Mexico

Join New Mexico Historic Sites Instructional Coordinator Alexandra McKinney and the staff of Wonders on Wheels Mobile Museum in celebrating the traditions of Los Matachines dance and drama in New Mexico.

Culture Counts!

In New Mexico, the arts count! We need to make sure that the incredible diversity of arts and culture are fully represented. Please complete the Census today and encourage your friends, family, and communities, especially those in the arts and culture fields, to do so as well. You can find all the info at www.census.gov. #CultureCountsNM #NewMexicoCulture #2020Census #iCountNM

Los Luceros Virtual Fall Harvest Commercial

Though the Fall Harvest is virtual this year there are plenty of ways to get involved with this interactive event! Running until September 30th- create leaf crafts with the kids, cook traditional New Mexican recipes with our cooking demonstrations, enter your decorated pie into our contest, stay fit and support educational programs by entering the 5K Fundraiser and so much more! Head over to nmhistoricsites.org/harvest-fest

Explore Archaeology Podcast Premier

We invite you to listen in to our new Explore Archaeology Podcast where we are not afraid to get our hands dirty investigating the past. We trench our way past the boundaries of 8 our State Historic Sites in search of a broader understanding of the people who have come before us. Our guests explore New Mexico’s complicated histories through active archaeological research and they connect it to live in the present. Visit nmhistoricsites.org/archaeology for the full free episode.

Virtual Fall Harvest Festival

This year, in place of the annual in-person Fall Harvest Festival, join Los Luceros Historic Site for a month-long virtual version of this incredible event! Online festivities will occur September 1-30, 2020 at nmhistoricsites.org/harvest-fest. A virtual 5K race fundraiser is the premier activity of this online event. We invite you to stay active this fall and support educational programs at Los Luceros. Participants can complete their 5K at any time during the month of September to receive exclusive prizes including a 3D printed medal! This interactive virtual celebration will also include recorded performances from the talented musicians of the Our Fair New Mexico concert series, a pie decorating competition, kid friendly craft activities, and traditional New Mexican food demonstrations. Participants can dive into the history of the apple orchards at Los Luceros through a recorded talk led by Ranger Rebecca and will have the opportunity to record their own histories with the “Schedule an Oral History Interview” feature. The Virtual Vendor Market is a great place to shop for New Mexico arts and crafts or to list your own made-in-New Mexico pieces to be featured for a $5 donation. Participate now with others across the country who are submitting their pie decorations, crafts photographs, fall recipes and stories. A summative event announcing prize winners and sharing oral history excerpts will be held on October 1, 2020 at 6:00 PM.

The "Artist in Their Residence Program" is partnering with local and regional Native American artists/scholars for who are interested in sharing their ancestral connection with or contributing to the history of Fort Sumner Historic Site/Bosque Redondo Memorial. Applications are currently being accepted for Native American artists or scholars to complete one or two week residencies. Participants will stay in their own homes and will have the same requirements as if they were on site - to produce an art or scholarly work to be presented along with one virtual event. For more information about how the program works and to apply, please visit our website at www.nmhistoricsites.org/bosque-redondo/artist-in-their-residence. #NMHistoricSites Music credit to Marlon Magdalena, Native American artist, educator, and performer from the Pueblo of Jemez in New Mexico and Instructional Coordinator at the Jemez Historic Site.

Storytime - A New Home for Isabella by Deborah Ellis

Join Coronado Historic Site docent Deborah Ellis as she reads A New Home for Isabella, a children's book written by her!

Storytime - Lizards for Lunch: A Roadrunner's Tale by Conrad J. Storad

Join Coronado Historic Site docent Deborah Ellis for storytime! Today's book is Lizards for Lunch: A Roadrunner's Tale by Conrad J. Storad. Roadrunners are speedy, fearless, and when they do take time out from ruling the desert scrub lands and meadows they call home, they enjoy a tasty snack of... lizards? It's true! The aptly titled Lizards for Lunch: A Roadrunner's Tale provides you, the reader with a glimpse of the world as it is known to the speedy roadrunner. Far from the cartoon character many people are familiar with, the life and habits (eating and otherwise) of the roadrunner are accurately depicted in this book though a witty rhyme and fantastically vibrant illustrations. You will see something new each time you adventure into this book and the roadrunner's world. And you will gain an appreciation for not having the uncertain life of a lizard, or as the roadrunner would see you - as lunch!

Best of the Best Rock Art Recording for 2019

Join us for a visual feast of the best petroglyphs recorded on Mesa Prieta in 2019. At the beginning of each year, 40 trained MPPP recording volunteers are invited to participate in voting for the “best of the best” of the previous year’s recording on Mesa Prieta. Candie Borduin will present these recordings - the most spectacular, well made, unique and well-documented selections of petroglyphs and other archaeological features recorded in 2019. This is a rare opportunity to see images on several parcels of private land that are not seen by the general public! Mesa Talks is brought to you in partnership by Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Historic Los Luceros Site. Please follow our newsletters and social media platforms for our news, announcements and events!

Nature Break at Los Luceros

Happy Saturday! We hope you can enjoy a minute of peace as we show you some of the beautiful nature around Los Luceros Historic Site. Turn on your volume to immerse yourself in the experience. Have a great weekend!

Getting caught in the rain on Tunstall’s front porch. Thundershower in the Bonito Valley! Turn the Sound Up.... #themostdangerousstreetinamerica

Virtual Pueblo Independence Day 2020: Morning Program

Join the Jemez, Coronado, and Los Luceros staff in our morning program, including activities and a brief history lesson on the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

The Fruit of Los Luceros: History of the Mulberry Tree

Many people have fond memories of picking mulberries off of the trees in the spring. They recall the sweet taste, the way their hands stay stained purple for hours, and the smell of the berries baking in the sun. So how did the majestic Mulberry trees end up at Los Luceros Historic Site? How old are they? What can you make from the berries? This is the first in a series of videos that will discuss the various fruit trees present at Los Luceros! Join us to see how nature and culture intersect on the site!

The Archaeology of Hunting

Join us at Mesa Talks as archaeologist Matt Barbour discusses the Archaeology of Hunting! Hunting has always played a pivotal role in Native American subsistence and culture. While much is made of the megafauna hunters of the Paleoindian Period, later agriculturalists created their own specialized hunting practices. This presentation explores the archaeology and history of hunting in New Mexico from the arrival of hunters and gatherers to the twenty-first century. Mesa Talks is brought to you in partnership by Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Historic Los Luceros Site. Please follow our newsletters and social media platforms for news, events, and announcements.

Music with Marlon, "A Row of Parrots" Flute Song Week 8

🎵🎶 Music with Marlon, "A Row of Parrots", Week 8🎶🎵 Join Jemez Pueblo tribal member and Jemez Historic Site Instructional Coordinator, Marlon Magdalena as he performs one of his songs entitled, "A Row of Parrots" on a wooden Native American Style Flute. For more summer activities got to http://nmhistoricsites.org/virtual-camp

Story Time: Doña Flor

Story Time: Doña Flor Doña Flor is a giant lady who lives in a tiny village in the American Southwest. One day, all the villagers hear a terrifying noise; it sounds like a huge animal bellowing just outside the village. Everyone is afraid, but not Flor. She wants to protect her neighbors, so with the help of her animal friends she sets off to find the creature. Doña Flor (2005) Written by Pat Mora. Illustrated by Raul Colón. Published by Alfred A. Knopf: New York.

Story Time: Doña Flor

Story Time: Doña Flor Doña Flor is a giant lady who lives in a tiny village in the American Southwest. One day, all the villagers hear a terrifying noise; it sounds like a huge animal bellowing just outside the village. Everyone is afraid, but not Flor. She wants to protect her neighbors, so with the help of her animal friends she sets off to find the create. Doña Flor (2005) Written by Pat Mora. Illustrated by Raul Colón. Published by Alfred A. Knopf: New York

💧🌳Keeping it Green: Maintaining Los Luceros

🌳🦝 Join Instructional Coordinator Carly as she tours you around Los Luceros Historic Site and discusses some of the things that the team does to maintain the safety and beauty of this magical place.... featuring special animal guests!

Did you know?

Have you been to the Montano Store at Lincoln Historic Site?

'Coyote and the Sky' Book Reading

Coronado Historic Site Docent Debroah Ellis Reads 'Coyote and the Sky' by Emmett Garcia

How to Make an Adobe Brick

Adobe is a building material made from earth and organic materials. Adobe is Spanish for mudbrick, but in some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage the term is used to refer to any kind of earthen construction. Adobe is among the earliest building materials and is used throughout the world.

Music with Marlon, "A Spirit's Path", Week 6

🎵🎶 Music with Marlon 🎶🎵6 Join Jemez Pueblo tribal member and Jemez Historic Site Instructional Coordinator, Marlon Magdalena as he performs one of his songs entitled, "A Spirit's Path" on a wooden Native American Style Flute. For more summer activities got to http://nmhistoricsites.org/virtual-camp

Story Time: Buffalo Soldiers and the Western Frontier

Story Time: Buffalo Soldiers and the Western Frontier Buffalo Soldiers and the Western Frontier (2003) is written by Emily Raabe and published by PowerKids Press: New York. This book gives a brief, child friendly introduction to the role played by African American soldiers, whom Native Americans called Buffalo Soldiers, in the wars and U.S. westward expansion of the nineteenth century. Fort Sumner Historic Site Fact: While the Buffalo Soldiers were stationed in many places all over New Mexico and the Southwest, they were never stationed at Fort Sumner. However, one group of Buffalo Soldiers did camp for a short time near Fort Sumner in 1866 while travelling to Fort Union from Arkansas, as documented in the diary of Thomas A. Muzzall a soldier in the 57th U.S. Colored Infantry. Below are his journal entries regarding Fort Sumner: “August 31 Start early and march about 20 miles and camp at a Cavalry outpost of Fort Sumner which is 12 miles on from here. Weather hot, no wood. Sept. 1 Start at 4 A.M. and reach Fort Sumner at 8 A.M. We camp about a half mile from the Fort. This Fort is built of adobe and has a farm of about 2400 acres; it's worked by the Navahoe Indians who are kept here to prevent them from doing any damage to the settlers. There are 7500 of these Indians here, all fed by the Govt. This Fort is on the Pecos River and is generally known as the "Bosque Redondo," which means round timber. The Pecos is so high that we will have to wait perhaps for a week for it to go down low enough for us to cross it. Weather close and sultry. Sept. 2nd to the 5th. Lay in camp waiting for the Pecos to get low enough for fording. We have orders to kill all male Indians we may meet after leaving here, and to take the females prisoner but not to hurt them. I think we will move tomorrow. I sent some letters home. The weather is very hot. Sept. 6 Start early and march about 12 miles. In crossing the Pecos this morning we had to unload our waggons and take the baggage over