May 22, 2010 -- Taos Pueblo, or "the place of the red willows", like Acoma Pueblo is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States.
Tracing their history through oral tradition to the beginnings of time, and speaking the Tiwa language, the Taos puebloan people are generous to allow visitors a glimpse of their culture.
Most
archeologists believe that the Taos people as with other puebloans migrated from the Four Corners area. According to wikipedia, "The history of Taos Pueblo includes the plotting of the
Pueblo Revolt in 1680, a
siege by U.S. forces in 1847, and the return by
President Nixon in
1970 of the Pueblo's 48,000 acres (194 km²) of mountain land taken by President
Theodore Roosevelt and designated as the
Carson National Forest early in the twentieth century".
Today the San Geronimo Church is the only building with European influence in the village, and while nearly 3/4 of the Taos population share in some of the Catholic practices, native rituals and religion continue to permeate the traditional culture in sacred kivas not open to the public.
With the Red Willow Creek running through the heart of the village and the San de Cristo Mountains looming to the east Taos Pueblo has an unusual and welcomed tranquility even amid all it's visitors.
