Acoma Pueblo - a place I fell in love with - Warning: many pictures

Discovered by the Spanish in 1540 - a city in the sky, on top of a mesa.

The youngest daughter in the family inherits because she is most likely to survive to handle affairs. Houses are about 200 -300 sq feet, and the only way to go to Acoma is in a van and a guided tour, photo permits are required, people may not be photographed without their permission.
Houses are now accessed by doors, but it used to be only possible through openings in the roof and a ladder.

Looking up to the city in the sky


I learned quickly about my guide: NO photos


A few street scenes, hard to pick, but chosen to give you a "feel"







Acoma Indians make very famous (I learned too late) black and white geometric pottery, I bought a small piece there for $ 20, it's the egg shaped one on the left of the photo- and then saw the same size and type of signed Acoma pottery in stores for $ 150 - 200. She did not mind the photo.



The old Mission, and the cemetery, are off limits to photos. There was NO way I could have sneaked a shot inside the church, but surely I would have wanted to.
A few of the surroundings and the one I was able to get of the cemetery.













Time to go down to the road, three of the group climbed down, I was one of them, but I'm of course taking the picture







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I really love all the street scenes. Oh, now you need to go back to get some more of that pottery!!

Thank you so much for the tour. It makes me want to go there to see the things that you were not allowed to phograph, as well as the real life version of the things that you did photograph.

Except for tourists and modern conveniences, it doesn't look like much has changed since the Spanish found it. I can see the Spanish on their horses arriving seeing the adobe village at the top of the mesa.

When I was in college I did a summer internship of sorts at a Indian Children's home in Washington state. We were right on the reservation and I felt very "white" but soon fell in love with the people and they accepted me well. Their cemetaries were fascinating as they piled personal possessions of top of the person's grave. I was given a quick lesson in Indian culture and beliefs though when I tried to take a picture. Apparently they believe the camera steals the dead person's soul. Eating or drinking is also not allowed in the cemetary, even chewing gum as it will also have a negative effect on the soul. Absolutely fascinating . . .

Wonderful!

I am jealous that you had the chance to see this pueblo. That is a destination I would love to visit.

Thank you for all those wonderful pictures. I wouldn't mind seeing more :) I love the street picture. And the one you took looking down on the street (second last pic).

Thank you!!!

Thanks for having the energy to even climb up that far, much less to take such gorgeous pics.

The cemetery is at the front entrance of the Church. It goes to the edge of the mesa and then the mesa drops off, and the graves are NOT on pueblos. The bodies have been buried on top of each other in layers through the centuries. It looks a bit paltry, but, knowing the reality of the layers of the dead, the weight of such a history is huge. With the forbidden photography, and the belief that their spirit is damaged through it, you walk very carefully and with reverence.
And then you sneak a photo.

Some of the best I've ever seen. You've really caught the essence of what living at a pueblo would actualy be like, and some of the choices of content and composition - remarkable! Actually makes me want to go learn more about the Acoma and not every set of photographs does that.

more secure. I was concerned, that to such an august group of photographers my efforts might be dismissed as a snapshot travelogue. Not what the group is for, of course. My intent is to show off the West as I saw it, in the best way possible, and take it up a notch or two from such a thing.
You made me feel so good now, that I'll do another one as soon as I can pull it together timewise.
There!
Thanks.

and have a tough time coming up with even acceptable snapshots. I still think your pics are really good and a lot more interesting than a run-of-the-mill travelogue.

Travelogues accompanied by outstanding pictures like yours are a real plus. Of course, it is an outstanding place, obviously, as well.