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Pueblo peoples

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The Pueblo peoples are Native Americans living in the Southwestern United States.

Pueblo01
Pueblo01

They are known for sharing many agricultural and religious practices. Most Pueblo communities live in New Mexico today. You can also find them in Arizona and Texas. They live in many different villages. Some well-known villages include Taos, Zuni, and Hopi.

Taos Pueblo 091
Taos Pueblo 091

These people have lived in this region for thousands of years. They are descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples. This history makes their culture very deep and rich.

Pueblo life often centers around farming and community. Most Pueblo groups grow corn, which is also called maize. They also grow beans and squash as staple foods.

Mortar and pestle, AD 900-1300
Mortar and pestle, AD 900-1300

Different groups use different ways to farm. Some are called River Pueblos because they use irrigation. Irrigation is a way to move water to crops. Others are called Desert Pueblos because they use dry farming. This means they grow food with very little water. These methods help them live in the dry Southwest.

The history of these people goes back a very long time. Long ago, the Ancestral Puebloans built amazing homes. Some of these homes were carved into canyon walls.

Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon
Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon

Others were large apartment-like buildings made of stone and adobe. Adobe is a material made of earth and straw. One huge village was called Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. It had about 700 rooms and five stories. It may have held as many as 1,000 people. These ancient towns were very organized and busy.

Pueblo culture is not just one single thing. It is made of many different groups. These groups speak languages from four different families.

The Kiva at Nambe Pueblo NM
The Kiva at Nambe Pueblo NM

Because the languages are so different, people cannot always understand each other. For example, the Hopi speak an Uto-Aztecan language. The Zuni people speak a language called Zuni. There are also Keresan and Tanoan language groups. Even though they speak differently, they share many traditions. They also have different ways of organizing their families.

Today, Pueblo nations work hard to keep their traditions alive. They have many important religious beliefs and ceremonies.

Tribal Council Building, Isleta Pueblo NM
Tribal Council Building, Isleta Pueblo NM

Some groups follow the mother's family line. This is called a matrilineal system. Other groups follow the father's family line. In the 21st century, about 75,000 Pueblo people live in the region. They have been very good at preserving their core beliefs. They continue to live in the same lands as their ancestors. Their story is one of strength and staying true to their roots.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:Pueblo01.png
Pueblo01.png
File:1505R Hopi Reservation Locator Map.svg
1505R Hopi Reservation Locator Map.svg
File:Tribal Council Building, Isleta Pueblo NM.jpg
Tribal Council Building, Isleta Pueblo NM.jpg
Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon.tif
File:Jemez Pueblo shield, circa 1840.JPG
Jemez Pueblo shield, circa 1840.JPG
File:Secretary Deb Haaland, official headshot.jpg
Secretary Deb Haaland, official headshot.jpg
File:Zuni exhibit 1915b.jpg
Zuni exhibit 1915b.jpg
File:Mortar and pestle, AD 900-1300.jpg
Mortar and pestle, AD 900-1300.jpg
File:The Kiva at Nambe Pueblo NM.jpg
The Kiva at Nambe Pueblo NM.jpg
File:Ohkay Owingeh0.jpg
Ohkay Owingeh0.jpg
File:Taos Pueblo 091.JPG
Taos Pueblo 091.JPG
File:Old Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, c. 1876.jpg
Old Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, c. 1876.jpg
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