Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico
Just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the ancient Native American village of Acoma is located on top of a mesa. While still currently occupied, the village does not have any plumbing or electricity giving you the feeling of living in the past. Residents split their time between their family home on the mesa and their modern homes in surrounding villages located within the reservation.
Walking down the tiny dirt streets, there was a unique blend of old and new. Women and men came out of their homes to say hello to us and sell their hand crafted jewelry and pottery. Everyone was extremely friendly and open about sharing their culture, explaining the different dialects of their language, the meanings behind their art, and what their history means to them. It was interesting to note that Catholicism and their traditional religion are both still practiced today.
While we were not allowed to take pictures of certain things like inside the church or the graveyard, we understood the sacredness of everything. There are many museums all over the country dedicated to American Indians but nothing beats the experience of going to an active village and learning from the community themselves.
near and far 