Visitors Sneak a Peak into the Restoration of Taos Pueblo

 

Settled at the foothills of the largest peaks in New Mexico, the legendary Taos Pueblo is a massive complex inhabited by over 1,000 tribal members who live in structures dating from many hundreds of years ago to the present. Not all members live in the stacked Pueblo - many live away from the main structures on the tribal lands. This expansion beyond the traditional boundaries of inhabited space has made the restoration of the ancient structures particularly important, as buildings respond to lack of use by decomposing back to the earth from which they came. Thus, an immediate need emerged – restoring the structures that were not going to be allowed to decompose, which would also respond to another need – putting tribal members to work.   

 

What would you do when you can’t defer maintenance any longer on a massive complex of hundreds of connected structures that are up to 1,000 years old and recognized by UNESCO as one of America’s 20 World Heritage Sites - and of all these monuments to the past, yours also happens to be the only one  currently occupied? If you are the elders of Taos Pueblo, you first listen to your peoples’ concerns, collectively work to develop a plan to address the subtle as well as tangible needs expressed, then successfully attain funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make it possible.

 

At their groundbreaking ceremony in April 2010, Taos Pueblo’s Tribal Preservation Program moved from vision to reality, as the first phase of a multi-year preservation project began to take shape, with the construction of a preservation trades training facility at the Pueblo’s Red Willow Center and the selection of an on-site demonstration facility just next to the Church of San Jerome. With these spaces as home base, a group of 8 tribal members will be the first to apprentice in the restoration of the youngest 500 year old sections of the Pueblo. With demonstration facilities just off the main path of visitor access, the public can witness the process of restoration unfold and enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to learn about tribal culture as well as preservation techniques.

 

The successful preservation project contains many different elements: opportunities for education before, during, & after the process; job creation & training; documentation of both the process & determinations made within the process (which may include a formalized design guideline); and finally - a stabilized structure that will support its people for another generation. When approached in this way - the project expands beyond the “now” and reaches both forward and backwards into time - restoring that which was damaged and also creating anew.

This forward-thinking restoration project at Taos Pueblo seems to be a successful marriage of tribal wisdom and the ideals of historic preservation… and one in which all can benefit. 

Taos Pueblo has been recognized by UNESCO as one of America’s 20 World Heritage Sites and is also a Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Taos Pueblo is open Monday - Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm and Sunday 8:30am-4:00pm, except during ceremonial periods. Contact the Taos Pueblo Tourism Department  at  tourism@taospueblo.com  or  575-758-1028 to confirm that the Pueblo will be open when you want to visit.