DANCES OF WINTER.

Byline: ZELIE POLLON

At area pueblos, a time for celebration

By Zelie Pollon

Imagine this: the beat of a drum coming out of the ground like the sound of your heartbeat. A melodic call, deep at first, then rising to a higher pitch, a dancer wearing a huge buffalo head, or wings made of eagle feathers turning in front of you, dancing. For hours.

One after another they dance in a circle with the never-ending drumbeat and the fantastic New Mexico scenery as their backdrop.

Deep-blue mountains and crisp air surround you, as does the smell of cooking traveling from nearby homes. Bells ring with the beat as the dancers pound their legs into the ground, their feet adorned with bells. And the drumbeat continues. But this is not entertainment.

This is their prayer, for you and for me. For everyone. For peace and for health.

"We pray not just for a good hunt (with the Buffalo Dance) but for happiness and health in the community, that there is enough food on the table. And not just for our community, but for everyone," said Lt. Gov. Tony Dorame of Tesuque Pueblo.

The most common dances of the winter season are the Buffalo, Deer, Turtle and Los Matachines. The last of these symbolizes the conflict between the Spaniards and the Moors and came to the Pueblos in the late 1500s as a way of Christianizing the Indians. It was quickly adapted into the tradition of some pueblos. During the dance, which usually occurs at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo on Christmas Eve, men dressed in headdresses with brightly colored ribbons and capes move to the sound of a single guitar and fiddle (at other locations there may be a drum or other additions). Another, wearing a buffalo head, represents a bull, and a young girl will represent purity and goodness. The melodrama ends with the death of the "bull," a kind of triumph of good over evil.

The Turtle Dance, one of the pueblos' most sacred, marks the winter solstice and often takes place at Taos. It can consist of more than 100 male dancers in a solemn shoulder-to-shoulder procession, moving to a quieter beat. They are shirtless and wear a turtle shell behind the right knee that makes a sound like rain, soft and constant.

The dances vary from pueblo to pueblo, and a specific dance is often chosen at the last minute. It depends on what the men of the pueblo decide once they enter the kiva, and that date is unknown as well.

New Mexico's eight northern pueblos include Taos, Ohkay Owingeh, Pojoaque, Picuris, Nambe, Santa Clara, San Ildelfonso and Tesuque.

Religions vary among Pueblo members with a heavy Christian presence, which reflects in their celebrations, such as the Matachines dance.

Other dances, such as the animal dances, reflect more of the pueblo's sacred beliefs.

There was a time, at some pueblos, when the dances were not held, and it took a concerted effort to bring some back as a way of reviving -- and saving -- Pueblo culture. Pojoaque Pueblo's dances were revived in 1973 after nearly a century of dormancy. The Butterfly Dance, a summer dance, was not held at Ohkay Owingeh or Santa Clara for decades before it was reintroduced in the late 1990s.

So consider a visit to one or more of these Pueblo celebrations. What better way to teach children about Native cultures and to learn about them yourselves? The visual impact will stay with you long after the dance has finished, and perhaps the spiritual component will touch your soul as well.

Be mindful, however, that like any prayer meeting or church or temple service, the dances are part of a religious ceremony and require respect and adherence to some general rules: photography is not allowed without permission (the Turtle Dance is considered too sacred to be photographed). As in church, refrain from talking to others, including the dancers.

If invited into someone's home for a meal, consider it an honor but stay only a short time so others may have a seat at the table.

Never remove objects from the pueblo grounds such as pottery or other artifacts, and do not bring a pet under any circumstances. Please stay in designated areas and do not attempt to enter any area that is meant only for tribal members. Look for any notices or rules that may be specific to the tribe you are visiting. Most of all, enjoy the holiday spirit and the uniqueness of the culture you are visiting.

Remember that this is American history, some of the oldest traditions that are still celebrated yearly, open for your education and enjoyment.

Contacts

Jemez Pueblo, 575-834-7235

Nambe Pueblo, 455-2036

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, 505-852-4211

Picuris Pueblo, 575-587-2519

Pojoaque Pueblo, 455-3383

San Ildefonso Pueblo, 455-3549

Santa Clara Pueblo, 505-753-7326

Taos Pueblo, 575-758-1028

Tesuque Pueblo, 800-483-1040

Longtime visitors will notice that some of the area codes have changed. New Mexico is no longer only 505. Last year, using the new 575 area code was optional. The new code is mandatory now, so if you dial 505, you won't get through.

Calendar

Visitors are welcome at Pueblo feast days, but remember, attending a tribal ceremony is akin to going to church. That means no talking, no clapping and, almost always, no photography. Dances start when it's time for them to start, generally early in the morning unless it's a sundown dance.

For more information about New Mexico's northern pueblos, visit www.eightnorthern.org or find each pueblo's individual Web site by doing a Google search.

Nov. 12

Tesuque Pueblo: San Diego Feast Day, Jemez Pueblo: San Diego Feast Day

Dec. 11

Pojoaque Pueblo: Vespers and procession are usually at 6 p.m.

Dec. 12

Jemez Pueblo, Los Matachines dances, for Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast Day

Pojoaque Pueblo: Our Lady of Guadalupe Annual Feast Day, Mass at 10 a.m., dances after Mass.

Dec. 24

Taos Pueblo: Sundown procession with bonfires, Children's Dance.

San Felipe, Santa Ana and Tesuque Pueblos: dances after midnight Mass.

Nambe Pueblo: Buffalo Dances after Mass.

Ohkay Owingeh and Picuris Pueblos: vespers, sundown torchlit procession of the Virgin, Los Matachines Dance.

Dec. 25

Tesuque Pueblo: various dances.

Taos, Ohkay Owingeh and Picuris Pueblos: dances to be announced (Deer or Los Matachines).

San Ildefonso Pueblo: Christmas celebration and Los Matachines dances.

Dec. 26

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo: Turtle Dance.

Dec. 28

Santa Clara Pueblo: Holy Innocents Day Dance.

Picuris Pueblo: Holy Innocents Day Children's Dance.

Jan. 1

Jemez Pueblo: Los Matachines Dance.

Taos Pueblo: Turtle Dance.

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo: Cloud or Basket Dance.

Jan. 6

Kings' Day Celebration.

Picuris Pueblo: various dances.

Nambe Pueblo: Buffalo, Deer and Antelope Dances.

Taos Pueblo: Deer or Buffalo Dances.

Jan. 22

San Ildefonso Pueblo: Vespers with firelight procession 6 p.m. Call to confirm.

Jan. 23

San Ildefonso Pueblo: annual feast day, Buffalo, Comanche and Deer Dances.

Jan. 25

Picuris Pueblo: St. Paul's Feast Day, various dances.

Feb. 2

San Felipe and Picuris Pueblos: Candelaria Day Celebration.

Dances of winter

CAPTION(S):

See pdf's for exact rendition, caption, graphics and photographer info.