Part of the joy and magic of the 'Land of Enchantment' is the rich cultural heritage of Native Americans. Pueblos in the Santa Fe area offer a diversity of cultures to discover, explore and enjoy. All pueblos invite you to visit on feast days as well as other days of the year to observe the dances, ancient traditions of song, dance and feasting, and to share the beauty of all their traditions.

Each pueblo has different rules, so check and observe all posted rules regarding visiting hours, photography, video and filming and sketching. Do not bring your laptops or cell phones. If photography is allowed, maintain a respectful distance from dancers and drummers. If the dance ends and you want to follow them to the next location; follow behind, as walking ahead of the group is considered disrespectful.

Dances are prayers in motion and require a great amount of concentration on the part of the dancers, so quiet is appreciated during the dances. Applause is inappropriate. Dancing along with the dancers is distracting and should not be done. Refrain from loud speech or offensive language. Do not let children wander unattended, climb on walls or look into windows, walk into graveyards, pick up rocks or remove anything.

Pueblo life is filled with daily activity: children out playing, elders strolling, and pets are about so consider these points when driving in a pueblo. These considerations show respect for the activity and the people who are sharing their tradition with you. The public is always welcome and encouraged to share the festivals and way of life, in a respectful way.

For a map of New Mexico Pueblos, see:

http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/nm/nmmap.html

Indian Pueblos