... but unfortunately a bit turbulent. Maybe another perspective (I know, that's more easily said than done) would have helped.

Udo

I was just browsing this site and saw this picture and just had to register. I was in that exact same location and took some similar shots with my C-5050Z. We spoke with the locals at the pueblo and they said that the Spaniards came every once in a while and would forcibly take some of their people. When they did this, they would ring that bell. Also, the graves actually have more than 1 person buried in each plot due to limited space. You may have noticed the stack of crosses in the area behind the bell. When one would fall or another person was buried in the same spot, they would place them back there.

Torrey Weaver wrote:
> I was just browsing this site and saw this picture and just had to register. I was in that
> exact same location and took some similar shots with my C-5050Z. We spoke with the locals
> at the pueblo and they said that the Spaniards came every once in a while and would forcibly
> take some of their people. When they did this, they would ring that bell. Also, the graves
> actually have more than 1 person buried in each plot due to limited space. You may have noticed
> the stack of crosses in the area behind the bell. When one would fall or another person was
> buried in the same spot, they would place them back there.
>
Hi Torrey,

Thank you for that historical info. I was wondering about that place, but when I visited, nobody was around to guide or explain the sites. It is a tragic story and further underscores the suffering of indiginous peoples at the hands of European conquerors.

My mother (being the talker that she is) was the one who spoke with them at length while I ran around trying to play photographer. I didn't catch much of the conversation, and I'm not sure my mother remembers it all too well, but I do remember them saying that the dead were buried in ceremonial garb...no caskets. I also recall that the Taos Pueblo indians are a sovereign nation separate from the U.S., and as such have their own judicial system. You may have noticed the signs saying don't take pictures in the church. If you're caught, they can confiscate your camera and whatever else they see fit, and don't necessarily have to give it back. As a matter of fact, they could legally keep you there until you're sentenced by the council.