Santa Fe was one of the focal points on Monday as New Mexico celebrated Indigenous People’s Day featuring the first pow wow to be held at the Santa Fe Plaza.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Plaza to watch as tribes from across New Mexico and throughout the nation gathered to dance, tell their stories and celebrate their native heritage. Executive Director of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council Gil Vigil opened the pow wow with a prayer and a history of the land when the Pueblo people revolted against the Spanish Conquistadors.
“In 1680 on August 10th that revolt took place where the Pueblo people revolted against the Spanish government. We know it as the first revolution on this continent for independence before the 1776 revolution,” he said. “More importantly, the revolt was planned and each day runners would go out from each of the Pueblos and they would carry a Yucca strap tied with knots on it. They would untie a knot signifying how many days were left for the revolt to happen.”
The event was organized by the Santa Fe Indigenous Center. Executive Director Caren Gala thanked the crowd for coming and all the native pueblos and tribes for participating.
The events included a parade of nations along with several dance demonstrations throughout the day.