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Any report on dances at the Santa Clara Pueblo needs to begin with some basic background information. Santa Clara Pueblo is located about 18 miles northwest of the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, directly adjacent to the primarily Hispanic town of Espanola. It is one of only 16 remaining pueblos in New Mexico. People not familiar with current laws regarding the sovereign status of Tribal Nations are frequently quite surprised to hear that all the pueblos of New Mexico are both Indian villages, and also official Indian nations. While the United States government maintains controls over some legal aspects of pueblo life, each pueblo also makes it own laws, and has its own tribal police force. It is always advisable to assume that when you are on the property of any Native American Tribal Nation that you fall under the complete legal jurisdiction of that particular tribe.
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One of the four
dance plazas at Santa Clara
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The sovereignty of the pueblos of New Mexico has been particularly hard-won. First contacted by the Spanish explorers in 1540, the indigenous peoples of New Mexico found themselves virtually enslaved by the Spanish at the beginning of the 1600's. This enslavement was particularly harsh, as the Spanish not only demanded crushing taxes for their secular government, but also forced all the native peoples to work to help pay for the support of the Catholic priests who were seeking to convert them. Between the hardships of forced labor, introduced diseases, and the predications of plains Indian tribes made suddenly mobile by the capture of lost Spanish horses, the populations of the pueblos plummeted. This led to the revolt of 1680, when the Pueblo people combined together to simultaneously attack the Spanish throughout New Mexico. After inflicting thousands of casualties, the Pueblo people drove the Spanish completely out of New Mexico for nearly 20 years. In the end, however, the Spanish conquered them once again. (click on image for larger view)
Under the second phase of Spanish rule, life was at least a little more tolerable. Taxes were still high, but each pueblo was allotted an official Spanish land grant, which was (in theory) theirs to hold forever. It became a never-ending battle on the part of the pueblo elders, however, to keep Hispanic settlers from encroaching upon and seizing their most productive lands. While some battles over land were lost, at least some measure of freedom of religion was restored under the second Spanish occupation. No longer did armed soldiers break into the sacred Kivas to destroy the "heathen" idols (i.e. Katsinas and Muna figures) that are vital to the religious ceremonies of the Pueblo people. Nor were the priests of the dreaded Spanish Inquisition (which reached it's deadly power even into this remote section of the Spanish empire...) able any longer to burn at the stake those Pueblo residents who refused to abandon their traditional faith.
It was during the time of the Inquisition that the Pueblo people adopted a unique plurality of religion that survives to this day. Forced to adopt Catholicism or die, most Pueblo people chose to publicly adhere to Catholicism, while still maintaining the faith of their ancestors in private. While most of us would find it difficult to simultaneously worship in two entirely different religious systems, more than a few Pueblo people have managed to achieve this remarkable internal accommodation. They find no incongruity between their being devout Christians, and simultaneously still remaining true to the gods and traditional rituals of their people.
Religious tolerance by the Spanish of traditional Pueblo dances and rituals eventually became formalized. By the time that Spanish rule was replaced during the Mexican revolution, it was common practice for the Catholic priests of New Mexico to offer blessings at the beginning of public pueblo dances. Through this spirit of compromise the priests kept their flock faithful in attending their church, while diplomatically turning a blind eye to what transpired in Kiva. In this fashion the priests actually succeeded in winning far more loyalty for the Catholic faith from the Pueblo people than was ever achieved by torture and murder.
While this status quo of religious duality survived the Mexican revolution, it nearly did not survive the conquering of New Mexico, in 1846, by the imperialist army of the United States. Justifying their blatant land grab under the specious "manifest destiny" doctrine, the government of the United States quickly took it upon themselves to "enlighten" the Pueblo people by forcing them to assimilate into the dominant Anglo/Protestant culture. By the early 1900's, Pueblo children were being forced to attend boarding schools where they were denied the to right practice their native religions, or even to speak in their native languages. It also became the official policy of the United States government to disperse the Pueblo people as widely as possible in order to facilitate their assimilation. This resulted in many, many deaths from depression-related illnesses, such as alcoholism and suicide. Sadly, this brutal attempt by the US government to destroy the social order of the pueblos only served to prove the remarkable level of social and psychic interdependency that existed among the residents of each of the pueblos. Tearing a tribal member away from his home pueblo turned out to be tantamount to a death sentence. They simply were not born to live alone...
For a while in the early 1900's, it looked as though the Pueblo people were doomed. Of the six Tewa Pueblos (of which Santa Clara is one...), the pueblo of Pojoaque essentially disappeared for a while during this period, while San Ildefonso's population dropped to just over 100 people. Santa Clara, Tesuque, Nambe, and San Juan fared hardly any better. Making matters even worse, the flu epidemic that ravaged the world in 1918 hit the pueblos particularly hard. I would estimate from my reading of family trees that nearly one in five residents died from the flu in 1918. The fact that the Pueblo people were able to recover from the well-meaning, but ignorant, meddling of the US government speaks volumes about the strength and resiliency of the Pueblo social order and religious structures. History has clearly shown that these are people who are really tough, and remarkably brave.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that now that the Pueblo people have recovered their religious freedoms and sovereignty, many still hold a grudge against almost all outsiders. Some pueblos, such as Santa Ana (tucked away in the Jemez Mountains west of Santa Fe), are essentially closed to outsiders except for a few days a year. Santa Clara is far more open than many other pueblos, but even there it is critically important for outsiders to understand that they are at all times merely guests when they are allowed to visit the pueblo. Thanks to the generosity and kind spirit of the Santa Clara people we are able to witness many of their sacred dances, but it should never be forgotten that this is a privilege that could easily be eliminated in the future.
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Eloy Naranjo and Grandson Luke
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All of the above having been said, I have below a large number of pictures from the Deer and Buffalo dance that was held on February 22, 2004. Viewing the Deer and Buffalo Dance is a rare experience, as outsiders are not banned, but the dances are also not publicized in advance. They are also not held every year. If someone from the pueblo chooses to invite you (as Nanette and I were invited by Eloy and Millie Naranjo), then you have been given an honor that is quite significant. As you can tell from the pictures below, there were nearly as many dancers as spectators at this year's dance, with the vast majority of the spectators being friends and relatives of the dancers. (click on image for larger view)
The new building just constructed
for the Koshare Clowns
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Because I do not wish to offend the Santa Clara tribal elders by inadvertently revealing any information about the underlying spirituality that prompts the dances, the rest of this column is going to stick pretty much to only providing you with a description of what is transpiring in the pictures. Even that information is quite fun, however, as these images provide you a glimpse into a world that hasn't changed all that much since the ancestors of the Santa Clara people packed up their belongings at the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, and hoofed it south to the fertile plain of the upper Rio Grande river. (click on image for larger view)
The first thing you should notice in the pictures is that Santa Clara Pueblo does not contain the taller buildings that many people associate with the architecture of the Pueblo people. I believe that buildings of that size did exist at a previous Santa Clara site called Puye', but the present village contains primarily single story adobe structures. These buildings are clustered around four central dance plazas, with separate Kivas for each clan of the pueblo located nearby. While the village is open to visitors almost year-round, it is important to know that you never, ever, try to enter a Kiva, or even to climb on the stairs. It is also forbidden to take pictures, unless you first purchase a permit from the tribal office. When I take pictures it generally costs me only $10, so that's no big deal.
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The Drummers and Singers
take their place in the plaza
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When a dance begins, the first people to enter the plaza are generally the singers and drummers. The songs are all in Tewa, the native language of Santa Clara. I find it fascinating that songs are handed down only by word of mouth, and are never written down. When certain dances are performed that have not been done in quite some time, it is often a challenge to find someone who remembers all the right prayers. Some dances are performed as infrequently as only once in 30 years! The other item of note is the beauty of the drums being used. Each drum is a sacred family heirloom, and needs to be reconsecrated if it is damaged, or recovered after somehow being lost. (click on image for larger view)
Close-up of Drummers and Singers
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It is important to note that some of the drummers, singers, and dancers do not live at the pueblo. Many of the Santa Clara people now live in Espanola, Santa Fe, or even as far away as Albuquerque. They leave their "real" lives as doctors, lawyers, and judges behind in order to return to Kiva to learn the sacred songs and prayers of their ancestors, and to celebrate their heritage with their parents and their children. You have to realize that these dances and songs are not simply staged as some sort of tourist exhibition for the non-pueblo spectators. Rather, they are the binding element that bonds each participating individual to everyone else in the Santa Clara community. In essence, the dances are a tangible manifestation of the combined spirit of the entire community. (click on image for larger view)
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Buffalo Dancers
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After the singers and drummers enter the plaza, they are soon followed by the lead dancers. In the instance of the Deer and Buffalo dance, the twelve buffalo dancers come out first. There are six male, and six female buffalo dancers. For the males, dancing with the prodigious weight of the buffalo headdresses requires enormous strength and stamina. Becoming one of the buffalo dancers is considered an extremely high honor. I do not know what criteria are used to select the buffalo dancers, but the buffalo maidens are considered to be particularly blessed for having been chosen to dance. They are the only six women in the entire ritual. (click on image for larger view)
Antelope Boys
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After the buffalo dancers enter the square, they are quickly followed by the 4 mountain sheep, the four elk, and the 60 (!) deer. There are also four young boys who are specially chosen to dart about dressed as antelope. All of the dance costumes are remarkable. They are hand made by the dancers, and consist of beautiful fabrics, hides, feathers, and real horns. All of the deer dancers have their faces painted black, and perform their dance with the aid of two waist-high sticks that they use to simulate the front legs of a deer. It is simply amazing how gracefully they dance as a large group. Each movement has been practiced for many evenings in Kiva before the day of the dance, so the dancers glide gracefully around the plaza. They look so cool that it is easy to imagine them as really being a herd of deer. (click on image for larger view)
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Long line of Deer Dancers
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One of the elements of the dances that I find most endearing is the eager participation of the very young children. The Deer and Buffalo dance does not contain parts for any young girls, but I have witnessed both boys and girls under the age of 5 dancing for hours under the mid-summer sun in other dances. These young children frequently don't know all the steps, and often need to have their costumes adjusted by the dance leaders (who stand in bright shirts just outside of the dance area), but these kids really do try to keep up with their elders. Just imagine trying to inspire a typical Anglo 5 year-old to dance all day in the hot summer sun... (click on image for larger view)
Young Deer Dancer getting help
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The dancers perform each dance several times, and then take two breaks. During the second break a meal is served by all of the women of the pueblo who are not dancing. The houses I have visited at which to "feast" have a large table set up, usually with eight or ten places. Visitors wait in the living room for their turn at the table, until a space opens up, and new silverware is brought. You are then invited to sit down with whomever is still eating. Aside from the fact that the food is very tasty (but quite spicy!), I love the conversations during these meals. Sharing dance days with the Santa Clara people is a great honor, but being a part of their life, even for a single day, is even more rewarding. (click on image for larger view)
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Deer Dancers with
curious young girl
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After the meal the dancing resumes. This time, however, the families of the dancers start taking an active role. This interactivity is manifested in two primary ways. In the first instance, grandparents, parents, uncles, and cousins show their support for the dancers by either pinning money to their costumes as they dance, or by placing a bag or basket of groceries in their name at the foot of the nearest dance masters. It is the responsibility of the dance masters to make sure that each dancer gets their proper gifts after the end of the dance. (click on image for larger view)
Young Deer Dancer with gifts
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The second way in which family members show their support is by tossing small gifts into the crowd of spectators. Given that the average per-capita income at Santa Clara is still quite low, the items tossed into the crowd tend to be of a very practical nature, such as plastic bowls, or small bottles of juice. Last year, a very kind old lady from Santa Clara tossed me a bright pink plastic bowl during a dance that I now use to eat my evening raisin bran. Just looking at that bowl always brings a smile to my face! (click on image for larger view)
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Dance Master with bag of groceries
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What makes the Deer and Buffalo dance different from all other Santa Clara dances is the ending. How many of you remember "Sadie Hawkins Day?" That mythical day was promoted by Al Capp in his Li'l Abner comics strip throughout the 1950's and 1960's. Well, I've got news for you. I think Al Capp may have gotten the idea from the Tewa Indians. They've been performing the Deer and Buffalo dance for a long time before Al Capp was born... To be more specific, at the end of the Deer and Buffalo dance a rifle shot is fired, and all the "deer" have to run for their lives. If any woman of the village can capture a deer, then he is required to provide her with gifts. (click on image for larger view)
"Captured" Deer Dancer
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I won't go into detail here about what all is entailed in this chase, except to say that everyone in the village takes this very, very seriously. The deer dancers absolutely do not want to be caught, so they can (and do) sometimes cause serious injury when bolting through the narrow alleyways of the pueblo. On the flip side, the women of the pueblo are not above tackling any deer they can catch. This event is so bursting with sudden energetic activity that they've had to segregate a couple of the heftier deer from the chase, as one overweight deer reportedly dropped dead of a heart attack during the chase at the end of the 1999 dance. (click on image for larger view)
That one sad casualty aside, this dance is a unique event in the cultural mosaic of America. We are blessed that the Santa Clara people have had the courage and the resiliency to keep their customs and heritage alive. Through their reenactments of their traditional dances we all are given an opportunity to reach back over 500 years, and to catch a small glimpse of what life was like in the high plateaus and river valleys of the Southwest before the coming of the Spanish.
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Chuck with legendary
Santa Clara potter Mary Cain
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In closing, I have to admit that I started off my relationship with the Santa Clara people only as a result of loving the beautiful Santa Clara pottery that they produce in such abundance. Of late, however, I've come to the realization that I am now even more in love with the Santa Clara people themselves. I know darn good and well that they are not all saints, and that they have just as many rascals among them as the rest of us. In the combined strength of their community, however, I feel not only their history, but also my own. You see, I came from a village of just about the same size, in northern Bavaria. We, too had long-standing local traditions and rituals, almost all of which are now lost to me. I certainly know that I cannot ever be a part of the Santa Clara nation, nor is that really my desire. What I do gain from my interactions with the Santa Clara people however is a sense of once again being a small part of something that goes far back in history. That might not matter to most folks, but it means more than quite a bit to me. (click on image for larger view)
Chuck Rozanski
February 25, 2004
PS: If you follow this link, you will find the complete series of pictures I took during the dances. As a special note, Santa Clara family members of any of the dancers, drummers, or singers are very welcome to contact me for reproductions of any photos at chuck@milehighcomics.com.
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