Taos Pueblo

Taos Pueblo is a thousand year old continuously occupied pueblo just out side Taos. Taos Pueblo is also the name of the tribe and the reservation. Most pueblo members live outside the ancient pueblo in typical Southwest style houses. About 150 still live inside the ancient pueblo and other than having propane for lighting and heat live much as their ancestors did. They carry water from the river to drink, cook, clean and bathe with. They have no indoor plumbing (in water or out water) and no electricity. They have their own school system for K-8 with Pueblo tradition and language built into the curriculum along side the curriculum used in the non-Indian local schools. Our guide was a young woman who is attending UNM Taos branch to get her degree in Applied Science so that she can use her knowledge to help retain and repair the traditional ways of the pueblo. They call themselves the Red Willow People because red willows grow along the river that runs through the pueblo.

There are lots of Native craft shops within the pueblo and most of them are run by a person who actually makes at least one type of item sold in the shop. It was fun to talk to each of them about what they were making.