¡Colores!; 1801; Villa de Alburquerque; Interview with Roberto Valdez, 1

I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. I suppose when it comes to the history in New Mexico, most people don't know about the time period between Coronado and Billy the Kid, but there was a lot going on here. One of the things that is very significant is that the Spanish weren't here because of Gold or Silver. There was some, but not very much. What lured the Spanish up here to this far northern colony or the Pueblo Indians, a people they were told of who live in towns and farm the land. The Spanish said those are people like us. That's what brought the Spanish here. In 1573 it was illegal to engage in colonizations of conquest. The conquistador was a part of history that wasn't going to be repeated. So

these new laws said that it was only settlement, a colonization of settlement that would be allowed for missionary purpose. And that's what brought the Spanish here. They didn't call themselves conquistadores. They were by this time pobladores or settlers. They came here to the far north. They settled the land. They lived among the Pueblo Indians. They formed towns among them. It's a legacy that lives with us to this day. They say that of... This is a legacy that lives with us this day. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Now it's a tiger shot, so you really have to look at the camera. Here we go. These people were not conquistadores. They were settlers or pobladores. And this is a very profound thought. They were here to farm the land. They were here to live on the land, to become a part of the land. You want to

take it from the top? You've got a close shot, right? No, no, no. I was good with what I had. The Spanish here to live on the land and become a part of the land, established towns among the Pueblo Indians and farms up and down the Rio Grande Valley. This is what they were here for. This is what kept them here. They say about 30 families, 30 men and 30 women stayed out of 200 that came to colonize. And the blood of those 30 men and those 30 women run in the veins of what they say might be 1 .3 million level Mexicanos, spread throughout northern New Mexico, central New Mexico, southern Colorado, into Arizona, into Texas even. This is significant. This is a distinct people that came out here into the far north. Perhaps I could use myself as an example. Once upon a time I took a genetic

test. And found out that my origins are from North Africa, Tunisia, the Carthaginians, a people that settled Spain and stayed in the north. Also another set of people who came from the Balkans, Visigoths who plundered to the very gates of Rome and ultimately ended their journey in Spain. They came to the New World looking for new opportunities and they met another people. A people whose origin came from Siberia, likely the Indians of central Mexico, perhaps the Aztec. I have that in my genetic background and many other New Mexicans do. New Mexicans are a nation, a distinct nation of people. And this nation of people has survived as a distinct people. So why?

Because I want you to vote up. Now I heard you feel what you're saying. And I have to flake it down. And maybe it's actually a specific question to you now. But you kind of summarized everything that we've talked about. So firstly, maybe or like please do speak what you've found. So I'll think let's stop in the beginning again. So your question is where do you start rolling with question? I'm not the collaborator, I'm the student. And I'm... I'm the collaborator. The settler. The collaborator. The collaborator is okay. They

settled in towns along the branches along the Rio Grande. And one of them was like, Alva, for example. And what... We found it in 17 years ago. What was the work ahead of them to do that to start with that? So when you're ready and we're rolling... It was the year 1706 when Albuquerque was founded. We call it Albuquerque. And these pobladores or settlers that came to found it knew what they were getting into. A new opportunity to settle until the land. Many associate a traditional lifestyle connection... with connections to the land, to the Indians. But this was the same also for the Hispanic New Mexicans or Nuevo Mejicanos. It ties to the land, the tilling of the soil, the herding of animals... all were a way of life. It is how they sustained themselves for all this time. And it wasn't until recently, now in the 20th century... that lifestyles began to change and we couldn't conform to a

more urbanistic lifestyle... brought in from the east. Well, to us... Nuevo Mejicanos... this is part of our identity. The traditions of culture, of heritage, of our origins, of our ties to the land... are very important to some of us. All the mountains, aroyals, hills, rivers... have distinct names, names that are in Spanish... names that are preserved to this day... and hopefully what we preserved into the future. This is the legacy of Albuquerque, the founding of Albuquerque... or, as I said, Albuquerque. Love it, I love it. No, why did I leave you like a month ago... because of you? Okay, check it out. Okay, here we go. What defines a Nuevo Mejicano? A Nuevo Mejicano, I say...

can be either a person who affiliates very strongly... with their origins of Spain. Others, with those who are... hang on, let's do another takeable... What defines a Nuevo Mejicano? For some, it is their strong affiliation or heritage... that derived from Spain. For others, it is their strong affiliation... with the various Indian nations... that lived in and around Nuevo Mejico. For me, it is the Spanish. But both have common ties. They're ties to the land. The unity, for example, of the foodstuffs. Corn came from the Indians. You had wheat that came from the Spanish. You had beans that came from the New World here. You had things like onions... that came from the Old World. These things unified themselves in New

Mexico. This is one of the definitions of a New Mexican. They're affiliation with this land. They're strong ties... and they're unity of cultures. Of that, that was native... and that came from far away. Okay. Perhaps what you see here perhaps... is how the colonists... are the pobladores... who settled Albuquerque were dressed like. When they first were hoeing the ground... and forming the fields... and plowing the fields around... the first in the New Town of Albuquerque. They did so because that was their way of living. This is the way they would support themselves. That and herding of animals. Sheep was a very important industry in New Mexico. There was some raising of cattle. There was also the horses. And there was also the need for the common defense...

both of the Pueblo Indians and of the Spanish settlers... against nomadic Indians... who constantly raided New Mexico. They're using us more than they thought about... like being a farmer. Let me think of Secchi as hang on. Why do you start this season right now? Why do you think about what you're dressed at... and what you did... one of the typical day of the day... in 1721. Monday 31st of May. One of the most important aspects... to the lifestyle of a farmer in New Mexico is... okay, okay. Ready? One of the more important aspects of... the lifestyle of a New Mexican... farming the land... is the Assequia. The Assequia system exists to this very day. Many people think of it as a... very important aspect of our culture... to maintain the Assequias. Assequias are ditches... water derived from the rivers and streams... and brought in to irrigate fields. A typical day... for a colonist...

was likely to... get up in the morning... and hoe his fields... weed them... and of course... talk about October... harvest time... full devotion to the harvest. Okay, now move on to the next thing. Great. What we talked about... I think this is bringing up some of the settlers... who are these people who came here... I'd love to bring you now to talk about... people from Bernalillo, let's see. You come from Bernalillo? No, that's where they came from. Yeah, I got that. But let's just move on to the next thing. What does it mean to be a Mexican today? You know, I'm talking your heart. Okay. Are we ready? You know, I suppose that... when you look in history

books... it's full of wars and battles. But you know, wars and battles... aren't only part of the history. What you never hear about... is the less dramatic... aspects of history. The ongoing trade, the friendship... between peoples... and that happened here in New Mexico. Unlike what many would say... happened in New Mexico... the constant warfare... it was us against them... the Europeans against the Indians... there was a unity there... of having trading partners... and exchanging ideas. This exchange of ideas manifests itself in everything... that defines a New Mexican... our culture... our sense of belonging to the land... our foodstuffs... our... even our language. And I think that... an identity... that manifests itself here in New Mexico... is something that typifies the kind of unity. The kind of unity that originated... with the people who... came from

far away. I typify that in one aspect... I took a genetic test... I'm a genealogist... wanted to study my origins... even further back than what I could find... as a paper trail. One line led me all the way to North Africa... Tunisia... the Carthaginians... a people who would later become known as the Moros... who invaded Spain... in the year 7 -11. They lived there for 700 years... before they were kicked out... and they left their genetic legacy. They also... another legacy that remained in Spain... was where the Visgos... whose origins come from the Balkans... they rose... and plundered to the very gates of Rome... before migrating and settling into Spain. These people unified... there are many different peoples... in Spain... and define what a Spanish is. They came to the New World... and found another people. My genetic origins also traced to Siberia... a people known as the Chukchi... people who live in

40 degrees below weather... very hardy... and they heard reindeer. No doubt they followed the herds of animals... it was a woman... the ice age couldn't stop her... they migrated down into the New World... into Central Mexico... and adapted to a new life... in a land so mountainous and green... to Greek Cortez when he came. This is the origin of many New Mexicans. They came up here to establish a colony amongst the Indians... a people that lived like them... in towns and farmed the land. The Spanish are here because of the Pueblo Indians... because this land was already... civilized... according to them. The New Mexicans here... of yesterday... the New Mexicans of yesterday... New Mexicans today have to deal with many new things. There are many pressures and influences from the East... the ideals of materialistic culture... that force people out of the

traditions... and into a new life... many of our people think they have to sell out their culture... have to sell out their origins... and their sense of belonging to who they are... that they no longer can speak their own language... of Espanyol... but have to conform to a new language of English... or English. Many believe they have to abandon their... traditional way of life... their ties to the land... lose yourself in the cities... and become like a typical American. New Mexico is merely a nation... a nation administered by the United States... as far as I'm concerned... New Mexico is its own country... we are a distinct people... 200 families came with Oñate... 30 men and 30 women... husbands and wives... are said to have remained... and contributed blood... into the gene pool of what is now believed to be 1 .3 million people... New Mexicans that now inhabit central and northern New Mexico... southern

Colorado... Arizona... Texas... and Utah... and colonized places as far away as Los Angeles, California... Albuquerque, as I say it... Albuquerque... is a wonderful city... founded 300 years ago... in 1706... and this city represents our people... a people of pioneering spirit... a people of enduring culture... a people who will remain... and into the future... That was very wordy though... What do I do about that stuff in the back room? Yeah I did... but we... See the northern frontier... the northern frontier of New Spain poses some unique...

Okay... See I'm going to... I'm going to... Okay... We'll do... several, let's see... The northern frontier of New Spain... posed some unique problems for the settlers... there weren't very many of them for one... and there weren't many very many soldiers... to guard the frontier... The result was a unique look... a unique kind of soldier... that was on the northern frontier... Yes... Good... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten... Excitedly... Okay... I'm trying to think of what to grab first... as I go through the

exhibits... and I'm thinking... Alright... Unless I fire this thing first... one of the first things I do... but then that would create smoke... Let's try it... Let's try it from the top... Let's see how many shots I have... Well hold on, hold on, I'm not ready yet... Okay... Okay... Can you see this?

This... Yeah, I should do it sideways... Okay... Spain's northern frontier... There are many challenges... in military defense... There are many nations of Indians... many of them friendly... many not... and there were very few settlers... or pobladores... So therefore it gave rise to the look... and feel of a very unique breed of soldier... called the soldado de cuera... and one of the most unusual features... was this apron -like coat... sleeveless... called the cuera... It was made of nine layers thick... of hides of animals... processed by use of brain... Brain tanning resulted in what they call gamusa... a very soft material... that was good for clothing... and one of the major exports from New Mexico... as it was traded frequently from the plains Indians... They also sported... another unique feature... the short katalan

musket... This little cracker... was often fired from the hip... like this... The soldiers of the northern frontier... sported things like the sword... and for their own defense... a very unusual design for a shield... made of several layers... thick of... raw hide... sewn in the form of a swastika... and later into a flower... that formed and curved... this unique device... into a nice shield... This was used in defense against arrows... as most of the enemy that they were dealing with... in the northern frontier did not have guns... they were using this... and the lance... The lance was very important... as it was a useful tool... while you were in horseback... the Soldados Presuviales... or Presidio soldiers... as they were also known as... were half cowboy and half soldier... The Presidio

owned many horseherds... and cattle and sheep... to sustain themselves... often there are no more than one hundred of them... to defend New Mexico... and they were headquartered mostly in Santa Fe... one of the major exports... from New Mexico... was this... the Tehuas... a type of shoe that was developed by none other than... the tribe of Indians... by that very name... a nation known as the Tehuas... who live in Priblos in the north of New Mexico... these were exported off into the minds of Northern Mexico... also... any and all kinds of... let's see... also for export... were these... Medias... known as the Footless Stocking... a long hose -like... piece of clothing... that was often exported into the minds of Northern Sonora as well...

these soldiers were a few in number... but they often were the only defense... and kept the colony in New Mexico and sustained it... for the centuries... and so on... okay... so that's the time... it's the self -doubt perfect time... and it was the same... and it was the same... and it was the same... and it was the same... no, we could do it inside that... we were sorry... but we had some people... we were doing that, so we had... a few of them... yeah, we had... some things... some things that were affidaviente... we could have a harder time selling outfits...

sorry, today you are still looking at cameras and movements around... and what have you ordered before you lose sight? Look at it as a person, it's going to do this or it's going to. It's going to move a little bit like this. Okay. When you turn down to the same position. Okay. Try to follow it again. If you're off the right side. If you see the other way, you can count on doing this. Go back down. Do you know where you're going to start? I should reload if we're doing a second take. Maybe like this. If I do this, it sounds like it's going to shake down. Yeah. And what you have to be doing is the same feet. It's right. I'm just going to do like a second take. So I'm going to follow you. Okay. Okay. Do this

real quick. We want to sure fire. Yeah. We can show you a bullet off the tree. Yeah. Bruce Lee's son.

Yeah. I heard about that. Bruce Lee's matching up nice. Okay. Okay. Let's see. Soldier. Supposedly very unique problems in the Spanish military. This gave rise to a unique kind. Okay. Oh. Oh. Very, very, very. Thank God about this. This, this, this, fold this

up. You look fast, one. Rahe. Yeah. Yeah. Wet it. Turn soft. Make it. Then let it dry. Turn rocker. No, that's good. You express the point of view from a viewer. That's good. What's that? Northern New Spain presented the very unique problem to the ruling Spanish. This gave rise to a new kind of soldier. Half soldier, half cowboy. He was known as the sondado presidian or the sondado de cuera. Often called sondado de cuera. It was because of the unique type of body armor that they were wearing. Looks like an apron, a sleeveless coat, made of nine layers.

What they call gamusa. A brain -tanned hide. You take the animal's brain. You mix it with the raw hide. And then you work it and soften it. And it becomes into a type of material useful for clothing. Very often, there were only 100 soldiers in the defense of New Mexico. They were mostly headquarters in Santa Fe, in a presidio there. What we now call the famous Santa Fe Plaza. They used weapons such as this, the Catalan Muscat, a short carbine useful for carrying on horseback, as that's mostly the type of transport that these soldiers used. Often fired from the hip. They also used this, a lance. As they transported themselves on horseback, you can use this as a

unique tool. Many New Mexicans use this also for buffalo hunting. Another piece of article was this. It's made of raw hide, the animal's skin, several layers thick, wedded, and then sewn together into the form of a shield, a shape, that was brought to the Spain by the North Africans, the Modos. It's heart -shaped and represents usually the thickest part of the animal, that close to the neck. It can deflect most arrows and sharp instruments. Here's another unique article, a shield. Another unique article that was still in use in the Northern Frontier, as late as the founding of Albuquerque in

17006, was this, the Adarga. It's a raw hide shield made of several layers of animal skin, wedded, stretched, and then sewn together. It was very useful, almost reminds you as an empire's bib. This was used to deflect or protect yourself from oncoming arrows. Much of what the uniform was made of is the result of what was available on the Northern Frontier and the kind of warfare that was fought here. Many of the opponents, the enemies, were not using guns, they were using arrows. And so persisted the use of armor on the Northern Frontier, although metal had long ago been converted into different articles or had rusted away. It persisted in the form of the Queda. Another major item for export was this, known in northern New Mexico as the Tehuah. The Pueblo Indians, a nation called the Tehuahs of that very same name,

representing the Pueblos of San Juan, Nambé, Tezuke, San Elifonso, and all of those, are known as the Tehuahs, and likely the inspiration for the name. These were manufactured in New Mexico and exported into the mining towns of Northern Mexico. Another major export was wool and wool products in all kinds of forms, not just as rugs, not just as set up as, not just as coverings, but also in the form of medias, such as what I'm wearing here. These are tollus, extending from the mid -tie to the heel, and were exported and found being used in Sonora as late as the 1770s. Thank you very

much. you you