Taos, New Mexico, United States
Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth. / Hold on to what you believe, even if it is a tree that stands by itself . . .
—Pueblo prayer
Taos Pueblo is the largest red-adobe pueblo (village) in North America—and one of the few continually occupied since its construction, one thousand years ago. Despite four centuries of European-American invasion and influence, the Tuah-Tah (Place of Red Willows) tribe of Pueblo people has held fast to this stunning structure and to their ancestral (and closely guarded) traditions.
To gain a new appreciation for the courageous spirit of the Tuah-Tah or to bolster your own spirit, visit the Taos Pueblo, one of the Eight Northern Pueblos. Drive or fly to Taos, an artistic mecca in northwestern New Mexico, which is only a few miles from the Pueblo, or take a day trip from Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Coach tours are available.
The site is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, except for Pueblo holidays. Honor the visitors guidelines: www.indianpueblo.org/19-pueblos/visiting-a-pueblo/.
Tour the ancient pueblo with respect while contemplating the resilience of the Taos people. Write a prayer to the Great Spirit asking for strength to hold fast to your spiritual truth. When you return home, bury the note beneath a flowering plum, king protea, or borage; all three plants symbolize courage.
Taos Pueblo is a National Historic Landmark and a World Heritage site. In 1970, the United States government returned 48,000 acres of sacred mountains and forests that included Blue Lake, a most sacred site to the Taos people.