Pueblo Culture: Answers from the Pueblo Tribes
Answers from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which is owned and run by the 19 Pueblo tribes of New Mexico. This excerpt uses five answers. It leaves out the other questions, including those about feast days and the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
This page is a simplified version of the original text (leveled toward 800L). Photos, maps, and other images are not on this page — use the original link above to see them.
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What is a Pueblo?
A pueblo is a tribal nation. It is a body of land under a tribal government structure. It is also a community made up of related people who have similar beliefs, spirituality, and lifestyle.
What is the meaning of prayer, song, and dance in Pueblo culture?
Pueblo communities celebrate the cycles of the seasons through prayer, song, and dance. These dances connect us to our ancestors, our community, and our traditions. They also honor the gifts from our Creator. They make sure that life continues. They strengthen our connections to the past and the future.
Why do Pueblo people dance outside?
Pueblo dance areas are called plazas. They are built as central spaces between housing structures. These plazas are left uncovered so that Pueblo dancers keep the connection with nature that Pueblo spirituality needs. Dances are held on feast days and during other celebrations.
What are the Three Sisters?
The Three Sisters are corn, beans, and squash. Traditional Pueblo farming and cooking are rooted in these three crops. Together, these three foods make a perfectly balanced diet. They are also an efficient farming system. Corn provides a stalk for the beans to grow on. Beans provide the nitrogen that a corn crop needs to succeed. They also provide protein in our diet. Squash creates ground cover that protects the corn and beans from pests. Corn and beans were dried to provide a healthy, balanced meal all year.
What is a clan system?
A clan system is a family system. It includes relatives from the mother’s and father’s bloodlines. It is also a structural system that divides people according to the season in which they are born.