The Tewa World

"This is a book that springs from richness. . . valuable not only for anthropologists and sociologists. . . the interested but unskilled layman will find a treasure trove as well. One thing seems certain. If this book does not become THE authority for the scholar, it will certainly never be ignored. Ortiz has done himself and his people proud. They are both worthy of the acclamation."—The New Mexican

Tewa Worlds tells a history of eight centuries of the Tewa people, set among their ancestral homeland in northern New Mexico. Bounded by four sacred peaks and bisected by the Rio Grande, this is where the Tewa, after centuries of living across a vast territory, reunited and forged a unique type of village life. It later became an epicenter of colonialism, for within its boundaries are both the ruins of the first Spanish colonial capital and the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Yet through this dramatic change the Tewa have endured and today maintain deep connections with their villages and a landscape imbued with memory and meaning. Anthropologists have long trekked through Tewa country, but the literature remains deeply fractured among the present and the past, nuanced ethnographic description, and a growing body of archaeological research. Samuel Duwe bridges this divide by drawing from contemporary Pueblo philosophical and historical discourse to view the long arc of Tewa history as a continuous journey. The result is a unique history that gives weight to the deep past, colonial encounters, and modern challenges, with the understanding that the same concepts of continuity and change have guided the people in the past and present, and will continue to do so in the future. Focusing on a decade of fieldwork in the northern portion of the Tewa world—the Rio Chama Valley—Duwe explores how incorporating Pueblo concepts of time and space in archaeological interpretation critically reframes ideas of origins, ethnogenesis, and abandonment. It also allows archaeologists to appreciate something that the Tewa have always known: that there are strong and deep ties that extend beyond modern reservation boundaries.

A comprehensive guide to the historic and contemporary indigenous cultures of the American Southwest, intended for college courses and the general reader.

Provides a Native American perspective on the history of North America.

More than 160 tales from eighty tribal groups present a rich and lively panorama of the Native American mythic heritage. From across the continent comes tales of creation and love; heroes and war; animals, tricksters, and the end of the world. “This fine, valuable new gathering of ... tales is truly alive, mysterious, and wonderful—overflowing, that is, with wonder, mystery and life" (National Book Award Winner Peter Matthiessen). In addition to mining the best folkloric sources of the nineteenth century, the editors have also included a broad selection of contemporary Native American voices.

A multifaceted approach to understanding the origins of the Tewa Pueblo people of New Mexico

Great changes have swept the world of the Tewa Indian peoples of New Mexico since 1985, when this volume first appeared, including changes in relationships between Indian communities and the anthropologists who wish to study them. Returning to her classic work, anthropologist Jill D. Sweet revisits the ideas and the people who first inspired her love of the Tewa Pueblo dances. The Tewa have become increasingly sophisticated in managing tourism, including the new casinos, to ensure that it contributes to the persistence and even the revitalization of ancient ritual practices. This expanded edition reflects these changes by featuring the voices of Tewa dancers, composers, and others to explain the significance of dance to their understanding of Tewa identity and community. The author frames their words with her own poignant reflections on more than twenty years of study and friendship with these creative and enduring people.