Fiesta a nod to Spanish history, not racism
Elena Ortiz (in a column that ran in the Aug. 12 Journal North) states that “Po’pay is in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., not DeVargas or Oñate. At least that is an accurate history, not the pomp and pageant of inaccuracies and untruths celebrated by the Fiesta Council.”
After the Indian and Spanish of New Mexico were conquered by the U.S., the government recognized exploitation of the Indian and set up the BIA to protect the Indian. This is why a statue of Po’pay sits in D.C. — government representation, not accurate history.
The Spanish had no such luck. If we had Indian blood, as many do, it was not recognized by the same government, which exploited the Spanish, stealing our lawful lands. Our Spanish great-great-grandparents were left to survive on their own; never mind that they did not know the language, laws or culture the American Anglo brought to New Mexico. Today, there is still no government voice for the native northern N.M. Spanish here for over 400 years, so we cannot expect Oñate or DeVargas to represent us in the National Statuary Hall.
Ortiz does not acknowledge the Spanish for their historical contributions to northern New Mexico and to her people, the Pueblo Indians. Human history has been brutal worldwide, along with conquest and surrender. The Pueblo and northern N.M. Spanish have lived side by side since 1598, not only learning from each other, but also the Spanish had allied with the Pueblos for about 250 years against the fiercely violent Navajo, Apache, Ute and Comanche of those days.
Had the English claimed New Mexico, there would be no Pueblo Indians. The East Coast Indians were exterminated by the English, and the Tennessee and Kentucky Indians were forced to Oklahoma. Pueblos are deeply ingrained in the Spanish culture, Catholicism, saint named feast days, hornos, adobes, their names, Pueblo Indian identity and more, Europeanized — never to return living to a backward, impoverished, uncivilized realm.
The Pueblos were subject to the Spanish Crown, which protected their rights and brought Christianity, though there were corrupt Spanish who violated them. The Canes of Power, still in practice today, were presented to the Pueblos in 1620 by the Spanish. The Spanish legally issued land grants to the Pueblos — the U.S. government continued what the Spanish had established. Other Indians no longer have traditions, religion, land or language as do the Pueblos.
The Pueblos were not a united people, except for the sake of the Pueblo Revolt, yet not all Pueblo Indians were anti-Spanish, giving refuge during the Revolt. Some went into exile with the Spanish as there had developed deep relationships — friends, marriage and cousins between these two cultures, which continue today. Shouldn’t the Pueblos acknowledge that, during the 12-year Spanish exile, some Pueblos offered aid for Spanish re-entry to promote peace?
Po’pay’s greed was resented by the Pueblos. When the Spanish re-entered New Mexico, the Pueblos were at odds with one another again, as correctly predicted by an insightful Franciscan friar. There was no unity, no protection from violent Indians, (with Pueblo people) fearing for survival and no longer able to survive without the Spanish. General DeVargas’ initial re-entry into northern New Mexico was peaceful, but not a bloodless reconquest; some Pueblos accepted the Spanish, some did not. After the reconquest and resettlement, the Spanish again buffered the Pueblos, aiding in their livelihood.
If La Conquistadora, a religious image, is publicly prohibited by the 14th Amendment, so are public religious prayers represented by Indian dancers. The mayor states: “This is an important community tradition.” And many agree. Why should the tradition be banned because of biased views? The Fiesta is not a racist celebration nor subjugation of Pueblo people; this was never the intent of Fiesta. This is an exaggeration, an Indian Power attitude, making a fuss over historical events to make the Spanish look bad, ungrateful — biting the Spanish hand that fed the Pueblos.