Taos Pueblo

1000 years. That is the rough estimate for how long the Taos Pueblo has been continuously inhabited. Think back to the events many of us in the United States were taught in History or Social Studies classes. The Crusades hadn’t happened yet. The Holy Roman Empire still controlled about a million square kilometers of Europe. Genghis Khan was 100 years from even being born. Macbeth, some 600 years before Shakespeare wrote of his legend, ruled in parts of modern-day Scotland.

And yet what many of us weren’t taught was that stable communities of Indigenous peoples flourished all over the Americas. Including the Taos Pueblo, in this corner of New Mexico. Below, we explore the history, traditions, and current status of one of the most interesting and integral parts of the Taos area.

BRIEF TAOS PUEBLO HISTORY HOW LONG HAS TAOS PUEBLO BEEN SETTLED? As mentioned, Taos Pueblo—which community members will also call The Home of the Red Willow People—has been inhabited for the last 1000 years based on most scientific and Puebloan community estimations. This earns it the title of longest continuously inhabited place in the United States—and by a significant margin.

Now about a mile from what is considered Taos proper, the Pueblo sits on 95,000 acres of tribal land belonging to the Pueblo peoples. However, many people associate Taos Pueblo just with the multi-storied adobe structure that has been made famous by numerous photographers, including Ansel Adams, and less with its surroundings.

HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN TAOS PUEBLO? According to Charmaine Romero, the Taos Ski Valley Manager of Ticket Sales and a lifelong resident of the Pueblo, “only about 50 families” still reside at the main structure. Many of the families additionally have homes within walking distance of the main living area.

People choose to have another residence nearby because the Pueblo is very much engrained in upholding a traditional lifestyle. This includes no electricity or running water. By having homes literally just feet from the designated traditional lands, locals are able to inhabit both modern and traditional worlds.

TAOS PUEBLO LANGUAGE People from Taos Pueblo are fluent English speakers and some also have a grasp of Tiwa, the Indigenous language of this particular area. According to Romero, it is the elder generation who most use Tiwa. This is partially because they rely upon an oral history rather than writing down their language and traditions, meaning that over time more and more of the language fades as there are fewer and fewer people to teach it. Many in younger generations admit they can understand Tiwa when it is spoken to them but they themselves could not speak it fluently.

It is also common for people to speak Spanish, although this is not exclusive to the Pueblo as New Mexico has a significant number of Spanish speakers.

TAOS PUEBLO RELIGION Those from the Pueblo admit that one of the cultural elements outsiders are most curious about is their religion. This could be for a number of reasons but one of the easiest explanations is that while many on the Pueblo are practicing Catholics the Pueblo still keeps their ancestral religion as a staple of their community.

Most Puebloan religious traditions, especially those in Taos, are kept close internally and are not something that can be observed by the public. Similar to the Tiwa language these religious traditions are passed down orally, meaning, in conjunction with the closed-door nature of these traditions, very little is known about them.

As for the Catholic side of the Pueblo’s religious practices, there is a chapel in the community named St. Jerome’s chapel, which outside of the main adobe structure, is probably the most recognized place in Taos Pueblo.

WHEN WILL TAOS PUEBLO REOPEN? Like the rest of the world, Taos Pueblo has been heavily impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Early on in 2020, Taos Pueblo made the difficult decision to close its doors to the public. Nearly two years on and those who do not live on the Pueblo—except for some exceptions for those with family members living there—are still not allowed to enter.

For some, this represents a reprieve from the distraction of tourists standing with cameras out in front of their homes, however many people on the Pueblo rely upon tourism for their livelihood. Tourism for many years has allowed artisans, artists, and craft makers to make a living selling traditional and authentic Puebloan fare.

The decision to reopen the Pueblo lies with the Pueblo’s Tribal Governor. This is made trickier by the fact that a new Governor is elected at the beginning of each year. Each of the last two governors chose to either close the Pueblo or keep it closed.

Some predicted that after the 2022 election the Pueblo would be able to open either January 1st or during the third week of March. The January 1 date proved inaccurate due to the spread of the omicron variant.

The third week of March is another option as it marks the end of important religious practices in the Pueblo. Every year, in normal circumstances, Taos Pueblo will close its doors to tourists from the end of January to the third week of March for these ceremonies. These closure dates currently hold even more significance as during this time younger members of the community are unable to be exposed to “Western” medicine—amplifying the importance of limiting COVID on Pueblo land.

While a decision has yet to be made about an exact reopening date for Taos Pueblo, many are eager to welcome back visitors or to visit themselves. Keep your eyes on this page as we will be sure to announce when the gates are opened.

VISITING TAOS PUEBLO Visiting the Taos Pueblo is easily one of the most unique and interesting experiences that a traveler in New Mexico can have. From Taos Ski Valley it is a simple and easy 30-minute drive.

While the community is very welcoming—and we’d recommend everyone pay a visit—it is important to remember that this is, first and foremost, someone’s home and not a tourist attraction. So, visitors are reminded to be respectful and think of how you would want someone visiting your home to behave. Don’t peek into closed doors, ask to take photos before taking them, observe any posted signs for areas that are off-limits, and be gracious to your hosts.

This lends itself to our final point which was brought up by Charmaine, “People think we’re still in the 1800s. We’re regular people just like you.” So, don’t expect this to be the Indigenous version of Colonial Williamsburg; there are no costumes, no one is acting, this is simply a group of people granting you a glimpse at their everyday lives.