Acoma Sky City

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From Wikipedia:
Acoma Pueblo also known as "Sky City", is aNative American pueblo built on topof a 367-foot (112 m) sandstone mesa in the U.S. state of New Mexico.
The Pueblo, believed to have beenestablished in the twelfth century or even earlier, was chosen in part becauseof its defensive position against raiders. It is regarded as the oldest continuously inhabitedcommunity in the United States. Access to the pueblo is difficult as the faces of the mesa are sheer (atopographic map shows this best). Before modern times access was gained only bymeans of a hand-cut staircase carved into the sandstone.
There are several interpretations oforigin of the name "Acoma". Some believe that the name Acomacomes from the Keresan words for the People of the White Rock,with aa'ku meaning white rock, and meh meaning people.Others believe that the word aa'ku actually comes from the word haakumeaning to prepare; a description that would accurately reflect thedefensive position of the mesa's inhabitants.
Acoma Pueblo comprises severalvillages including Acomita, McCarty's, Anzac and the newer subdivision of SkyLine. Acoma people dry-farm in the valley below Aa'ku and use irrigation canalsin the villages closer to the Rio San Jose.
In 1598, Spanish conquistador DonJuan De Onate, under orders from the king of Spain, invaded New Mexico, andbegan staging raids on Native American pueblos in the area, taking anything ofvalue. Upon reaching San Juan Pueblo, Onate had all the Native Americans whowere living there, removed from their homes, and used it as a base to stagemore raids on other Native American pueblos in the area. In response, the Acomafought back, and several Spaniards were killed in the battle to re-take thepueblo from the Spaniards. During the battle, the Spaniards brought a smallcannon up the back of Acoma Mesa, and began fireing into the village. Althoughthe average Spaniard at the time weighed twice as much as the average Acoma atthat time, the Spaniards also brought with them attack dogs, which were fedhuman flesh, and trained to eat humans alive[dubious – discuss]. The Acoma people lost theBattle of Acoma, and the indigionous population of the pueblo, which had beenapproximataly 2,000 people before the Spanish attacked, was reduced toapproximately 250 survivors; as women, children, and elders were killed by theSpaniards in that battle as well.[citation needed] After thesurvivors were herded to Santo Domingo Pueblo, all the surviving children underthe age of 12 were taken from their parents, and givin to Spanish missionariesto raise;but most of them and the other survivors were sold into slavery. Ofthe few dozen Acoma men of fighting age still alive after the battle, Onateordered a foot chopped off of each one. Onate was later tried and convicted ofcruelty to Indians and colonists, and was banished from New Mexico. However, hewas cleared of all charges on appeal and lived out the rest of his life in Spain.
Tracing their lineage to theinhabitants of ruins to the west and north, the Acoma people continue thetraditions of their ancestors. Acoma people practice their traditional religionand some also practice the Catholic religion that came with Spanish settlers inthe 1500s. Acoma people have traded and interacted with their neighbors forcenturies, some of which extended beyond the local Pueblos. Trade between Aztecand Mayan people was common prior to European settlement. Only more recentlyhas trade and interaction with other tribes been hampered by internationalboundaries. Traditional alliances still exist between the Pueblos who oftenspeak different dialects or different languages. The Acoma Pueblo and LagunaPueblo have many ties, including location, language and a shared highschool. Throughout the year feasts are held in celebration of historic occasions.Visitors are allowed to attend these feasts but are encouraged to be respectfuland aware of local protocol.
The Spanish settlers had the missionchurch of San Esteban Rey built at thepueblo from 1629 to 1641, under the direction of Friar Juan Ramírez.[4]Its 30-foot beams were carried 30 miles from Kaweshtima or Mount TaylorMountain, and the dirt for its graveyard was carried up the mesa from thevalley below. Both the mission and the pueblo are registered National Historical Landmarks. In late2006 the Acoma Pueblo was also named as a National Trust Historic Site.
Like other pueblos, Acoma and thesurrounding area are considered federal trust land, administered by the federalgovernment for the pueblo. Several families still live on the mesa itselfyear-round, while others elect to live in nearby villages (Acomita Village, NewMexico, among them). The 2000 US Census lists 2,802 inhabitants of theAcoma Pueblo and off-reservation trust lands.
The pueblo is located 60 miles(100 km) west of Albuquerque on Interstate40 and 12 miles (20 km) south on Indian Route 23. The pueblo is opento the public only by guided tour. Photography of the pueblo and surroundinglands is restricted. Tours can be arranged and $10 camera permits obtained fromthe recently renovated Sky City visitor center at the base of the mesa.However, videotaping, drawing and sketching are prohibited, with big signswarning visitors not to do any of them (but especially not to videotape).