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Sky City, New Mexico: A Photo Essay

23 May 2011 13 Comments

This week I visited Sky City, an ancient pueblo atop a 370-foot tall mesa in the high desert outside Albuquerque. The day was windy, overcast and cold, dust blowing everywhere. Yet, despite the weather, I was struck by the very special, even spiritual feelings this tiny village exudes. Built in the 12th century, archaeologists believe the community chose the mesa for defensive purposes. It’s sheer walls are pretty impressive, to be sure. Still, the tiny pueblo was decimated by the Spaniards, who killed 90% of the men, women and children in what is known as the Battle of Acoma. Years later, in a coordinated rebellion with other Pueblo people, the Acoma people drove the Spanish out of the region and regained their culture, albeit forever changed by the Spanish.

From the beautiful Sky City Cultural Center, a tourist bus crunches its way up the gravel road to the top, where 30 Acoma families rotate living for a year, to hold fast to their traditional ways and to ensure that Sky City remains the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States. I still have much to learn about the Acoma, but on this day, for the brief time I had atop the mesa, I’ll let my camera be your guide (please click on each image to enlarge).

The Cultural center, museum, cafe and gift shop

The views from atop the mesa are stunning, with vast expanses of high desert interspersed with nearby mesas.

View from atop Sky City

The Acoma people live in these homes today. Some are simple adobe construction, others have been renovated with stone or brick.

Sky City streetscape

The Acoma people still value their traditional ways. The kiva is a place for rituals and meetings. The ladder serves a ceremonial as well as a utilitarian purpose.

Traditional kiva ladder

The mission church still stands, although many Acoma people prefer traditional spiritual beliefs. The church is also used as a meeting place.

Mission Church

There is no plumbing in Sky City, so outhouses are clustered in various locations within the mesa.

Cluster of outhouses

Baking bread is an important tradition and every Acoma home has an outdoor cooking oven.

Bread oven

But, like with any culture, it is the people that hold it together. The Acoma people value storytelling, song and dance to impart their culture to future generations. Here are some child residents of Sky City (taken with permissions).

13 Comments »

  • Bill Cates said:

    Love the photos. Great job! You’re living your dream! Inspiring!

    # 24 May 2011 at 6:24 am
  • John Ellis said:

    I also love the black and whites. On those cloudy days the drama is amazing. Great job in the conversion unless some of these were done on your new/old medium frame camera.

    # 24 May 2011 at 3:43 pm
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Thanks for the kind comments, John. I, too, love B&W and my assistant has been bugging me for 2 years to do more of it. I have to “feel” B&W in the subject and in this case I did.

    # 24 May 2011 at 8:18 pm
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Bill:

    Thanks for the nice comments. I do feel blessed doing what I do. Coming from as accomplished a motivational speaker as you, who also obviously loves what he does, I appreciate your kind words.

    # 24 May 2011 at 8:31 pm
  • Roch said:

    Les, those are timeless. I believe this is what you were looking for and achieved it. I have been there several times and you captured the essence. The portraits are classics of the people.

    # 24 May 2011 at 9:54 pm
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Thanks, Roch. Having taken one of your stellar Albuquerque jeep tours, I can say for sure that you are as passionate about what you do as I am about what I do. Keep on truckin’ (or Jeepin’… or whatever you call it!!).

    # 24 May 2011 at 10:03 pm
  • Linda said:

    I so enjoyed the photos — thanks for sharing. Acoma Sky City is worthy of the adjective “awesome.” Love your black and white photos. And then there’s always color for the inside of the church and the amazing vistas – but perhaps not on a windy, dusty day!

    # 25 May 2011 at 4:39 pm
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Thanks, Linda. I agree about Acoma Sky City and look forward to going back again for vista shots on a nice day. Photos are not allowed inside the church, however.

    Les

    # 25 May 2011 at 4:56 pm
  • Randy Richie said:

    Black & White – creates an incredible depth – very soulful; very touching

    # 26 May 2011 at 9:38 pm
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Randy-

    Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated.

    Les

    # 26 May 2011 at 10:02 pm
  • sherif said:

    Wow! the black and white photos blew my mind! So good. I forgot how beautifully complex they can be without the detraction of color.

    # 27 May 2011 at 12:33 am
  • lpicker (author) said:

    Thank you, Sherif. I agree; we’re often dazzled by the color and forget how evocative B&W can be. I’m committed to using more B&W, as appropriate, moving forward.

    Les

    # 27 May 2011 at 8:36 am
  • Kyle Syner said:

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    # 1 March 2012 at 1:01 pm

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