July 13 Leaving New Mexico

Our two vans left the Stargazer Lodge by 9:30 for the airport, with a detour to visit Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, the site where the atomic bomb was first created. We walked in the grooves formed by the footsteps of the Anasazi, a Navajo word for "the enemy's ancestors", referring to the Pueblo people's fore bearers. The Anasazi lived in fertile river valleys in the Southwest until continual attacks on their communities forced them to relocate in the upper reaches of the mesas, carving cave-like homes in the soft tufa rock or forming secure  communities of mud brick mesa-top dwellings. They created permanent foot paths from the heights of the mesas down to the valley where their crops grew. We took these ancient footpaths up to where the ruins of their homes remain. We had come full circle in our journey to meeting the people of the Pueblo. 

July 12 - Our last full day in Taos

At the John Dunn Bridge , the group was given inflatable tubes to float a few miles down the Rio Grande River. They took a break to roll around in some medicinal mud, eat lunch and then completed their journey by shooting a few mini rapids. Jackson Davis and Austin Simpson tried the rapids without their tubes and showed that they are superb swimmers. We relaxed in some natural hot springs before we trekked back up the Gorge in a surprise monsoon. That afternoon, we did a closing reflection in a kiva, had dinner in Taos and then finished our day at the Taos Pueblo Pow Wow. 

July 11 - Weeding the corn and making bread and cookies, Pueblo style

This morning we split the groups in two, one (the boys) going to Robert Mirabal's house to weed his corn crop, the other (the girls) to learn the art of baking in a traditional 'horno' which is the conical mud brick ovens Pueblo people use for ceremonial purposes. David and Andrea Gomez, with their son Antonio, invited us to gather the cedar logs that would be used to heat the horno. While the logs turned to coals, Antonio walked the girls to a nearby creek, which originates from the Taos people's sacred Blue Lake. Blue Lake was finally ceded to the Taos people in 1970 by President Nixon after nearly 70 years of legal battles between the US Forest Service and the Taos Pueblo. After visiting the creek, we weeded Andrea and David's corn and bean field and then assisted Andrea in placing 15 tins of dough and several pans of cookies into the horno. A paper bag is placed in the oven before the baking begins. If it comes out burnt, the oven is too hot and air is allowed in to get it to about 350 degrees. While we waited for the bread to cook, David showed us how to make and form the trapizoidal mud bricks that is the universal building material here. He spoke about hunting in the Sangre Christo mountains and showed us several antlered heads. The Rocky  Mountain sheep he killed with a strategic stone between its massive horns. Impressive! When the bread was ready, the boys arrived and we feasted on fresh bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, with sugar cookies. We then went to the Pow Wow grounds to help construct the arbor for the parade grounds. We finished the afternoon with a visit to Arroyo Seco and the Taos Cow for ice cream. Tonight we will visit the plaza of Taos, eat dinner there and then return to enjoy an intimate concert with two time Emmy award winner, Robert Mirabal. 

July 10 Native jewelry making

Michael was taught by his father who was taught by an uncle, the uncle taught by his father. Michael represents 4 generations of jewelry makers. This afternoon he showed the full process of how to create a silver pendent inlays with 3 different stones, including turquoise. 

July 10 - Completing our work for Carmen and Florence

We completely cleared Carmen and Florence's field of Chinese Elm trees. These two sisters were born in the Taos Pueblo and still own two apartments there but the live on a small farm just on the outskirts of the walls of the Pueblo. Because of our work, the farm can produce fresh food for them. I found a piece of wood stripped of its bark while we were clearing away brush. All of the students signed their names and thanked these sweet ladies for the privilege of assisting them to have a better life. In the afternoon we will be introduced to two Taos native jewelry artists who will teach us to make jewelry. Dinner will be a BBQ at our lodge and, in the evening, storytelling, Taos style. Tomorrow, the girls will learn how to bake bread in the traditional way while the boys will be learning traditional farming (and weeding).