San Felipe (people)

Location of the San Felipe pueblos, neighboring pueblos, and reservations in New Mexico

The San Felipe Pueblo or Katishtya Pueblo belong to the Pueblo peoples and speak Eastern Keres , which is now considered an Isolated Language . The name is derived from the Spanish name for the apostle Philip , as the Spaniards named their missions after saints of the Catholic Church . Many missions in turn were set up as the nucleus of new pueblo communities or next to existing pueblos for proselytizing the Indians. In 1598, Katishtya Pueblo is first mentioned in the Spanish archives as Castixes , the Spanish adaptation of the proper name. The pueblo is located in the southwest of the USA , on the Rio Grande in New Mexico , about 50 km southwest of Santa Fe .

history

Today's pueblo dates from the early 16th century and is the fourth village with the Indian name Katishtya . The first, a little further south, pueblo was abandoned before the arrival of the Spaniards. The second was called San Felipe by Castano de Sosa and was located on the east bank of the Rio Grande at the foot of Tamita Mesa in 1591. A mission was established here in the early 17th century and operated until the pueblo uprising of 1680, when residents destroyed the church and left their pueblo. Fearing Spanish repression, the San Felipe and other refugees gathered in Cieneguilla , a fortified town north of Cochiti .

In 1693, General Diego de Vargas persuaded the residents of San Felipe to leave their fortress. Then the third village called Katishtya was built in a sheltered location at the height of a mesa west of the Rio Grande. San Felipe remained loyal to the Spaniards and sent warriors to their aid to subdue other Pueblo tribes. This village was abandoned around 1700 and today's pueblo was built at the foot of the mesa. The church dates from 1706.

Way of life and culture

San Felipe shares a reputation with Santo Domingo for being a very conservative pueblo. A cacike is the religious leader of the village and appoints all secular officials and all councilors. This form of government prevents elections and excludes young members from participating in internal affairs. The number of young people leaving the pueblo to look for work has increased steadily in recent years. Farming has lost both importance and economic interest, but could pick up again if the present land and irrigation plans are carried out.

San Felipe has always been known among the Rio Grande Pueblos for its beautiful ceremonial dances and in recent years a number of ancient rituals have been reintroduced. Except for a recent unsuccessful attempt to revive pottery, no handicrafts are produced in this village. In 2000 there were 2,606, 1,350 of them permanent residents, in the 198 km² reserve.

literature

• William C. Sturtevant (Ed.): Handbook of North American Indians , Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC
  • Alfonso Ortiz (Ed.): Southwest Vol. 9, 1979 ISBN 0-16004-577-0
  • Alfonso Ortiz (Ed.): Southwest Vol. 10, 1983 ISBN 0-16004-579-7
• Tom Bathi: Southwestern Indian Tribes , KC Publications, Las Vegas 1997

See also

• List of North American Indian tribes

Individual evidence

1. ^ Indian Pueblo Cultural Center - San Felipe Pueblo
2. ↑ lt. Other sources, however, after the Mexican missionary Philip vu Jesus de las Casas (span .: 'San Felipe de Jesús', Eng. 'Saint Philip of Jesus'), one of the 26 martyrs of Nagasaki named
3. ↑ Tom Bathi: Southwestern Indian Tribes. Page 18. KC Publications, Las Vegas, 1997 ISBN 0-916122-01-8