Cochiti
The Cochiti Pueblo or officially Pueblo de Cochiti (the Spanish adaptation of the proper name Ko-tyit or Kotyete ) belong to the Pueblo peoples and speak Eastern Keres , which is now considered an Isolated Language .
The pueblo is located in the southwest of the USA in the valley of the Rio Grande , about 30 km southwest of Santa Fe in New Mexico .
history
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Cochiti Pueblo and San Felipe Pueblo formed a single people. Wars with their Tewa neighbors led to a split and both groups established separate villages in 1250 AD. Today's Pueblo Cochiti dates from this time.
Juan de Oñate visited Cochiti in 1598. The San Buenaventura Mission was established there in 1628. Although it was rebuilt and extensively rebuilt many times in the 18th century, the current church still contains parts of the original structure.
The Cochiti left their pueblo after the Pueblo uprising of 1680 and withdrew to the fortified village of Cieneguilla together with the Keres-speaking Kewa Pueblo (formerly Santo Domingo) , San Felipe Pueblo and the Tano-speaking Taos Pueblo and Picuris Pueblo .
In 1692 the united insurgents gave the Spanish commander Diego de Vargas the promise to return peacefully to their villages. Only the San Felipe kept their word; the others decided to continue the resistance. Under cover of darkness, the rebels were attacked by de Varga's troops and their Indian allies. They destroyed the village, took many prisoners and Cochiti remained uninhabited until 1694.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Cochiti served as a refuge for Spanish and American colonists from Navajo and Apache robberies .
Way of life and culture
A consequence of these early contacts are numerous marriages between the two groups. Even today, some Spanish-American families still live in the pueblo. Today there are conservative and progressive groups in Cochiti, with the conservatives in control of public affairs. But serious arguments have been avoided and progressive residents have been induced to take part in discussions in the council even though they are not involved in the ceremonies . Cochiti has a full ceremonial calendar with a number of non-public Kachina -Tänzen.
Until recently, agriculture was the main industry in Cochiti. Farm work today is limited to garden plots and alfalfa . The completion of the nearby Cochiti Dam in 1975 could open up new economic opportunities for the benefit of the Pueblo.
Drums and pottery are the most famous pieces of the Cochiti craft. Cochiti drums are famous for their superior quality and sound and are very popular with other Indians. The population of Cochiti was around 1,000 at the end of the 20th century, of which around 500 were permanent residents who lived in the approximately 107 km² reserve .
literature
- William C. Sturtevant (Ed.): Handbook of North American Indians , Smithsonian Institution , Washington DC
See also
Coordinates: 35 ° 36 ′ N , 106 ° 21 ′ W