Acoma Puebelo New Mexico

Today we stepped back in history.  Older kids could really tie it in with the Texas History they have studied the past few years.  Last time we were here I didn't pay to take my camera up on top.  This time I didn't make that mistake.  

Tour started in the Cultural center.  They had this sign on display which I loved!   I ask to take a picture of it and share it.  We need to see this sign more places out of respect for ourselves and others!

On the mesa!  These white ladders are used to go into the Kiva's. 

View from the top toward the direction the Acoma people first saw the Spaniards.

I loved this yucca.  This is what the Acoma women use as paint brushes to paint amazing pottery.

This building shows the difference in the older, maybe dating back into the 1600 or 1700 and the "newer" buildings.  The bottom is much older than the second story where they rocks are more evenly cut.

Enchanted Mesa, the story is that this was the first home of the Acoma people in the valley.  A flash flood destroyed the one path to the top while all the people but two women were in the valley floor.  The people then moved to the mesa they still live on.

This Church was built before most/all of the E. Coast even knew there was a "New World".  I think it was finished about 1590 something.   It is amazing, art work that was given to the church then is STILL there and Amazing! They do not allow photos.  The bell tower has a bell that cost them 4 young men and 4 young women from the Acoma tribe.   That was the "price".  The Church has 10 ft thick walls at the bottoms and 4 ft. at the top.   The beams that support the roof were carried without touching the ground from Mt. Taylor, 40 MILES away!!!

You go up on a bus, but are allowed to walk down.  This is one of the 5 trails down the mesa.  The one we are allowed to walk down.   See the steps?  This isn't even the steep part yet.

View out the crack that is the way down.   Yes it is steep and cool.

More of the climb down.  This was almost a rock ladder, but not straight down, the steps were carved in the sandstone in a slight curve.

View from the bottom up after we were away from the cliff.  The way up that we came down is about center of this picture.  The road to the top is a new addition built in 1910 by a movie crew.  Wonder what the movie they made was?

It is expensive to tour the Pueblos, this one or Taos, but for my family this has been a lasting memory that they would do every year if we would come this way and let them.  Taos Pueblo, not the town, is just as amazing as this but in a different way.