We all sat down on the creaking wooden benches in the designated left front seats and looked around the small narrow church with the white adobe walls, wooden ceiling beams and the tan, white and black large stylized designs lining the walls. The St. Joseph Mission church was completed by the Franciscan Fathers in 1699. It is a preserved and active Catholic church, in a small historic village on the Laguna Pueblo, one of the
19 Pueblo tribes.
The areas designated for each of the Pueblo tribes are called Pueblos rather than reservations and the Laguna Pueblo with an enrolled membership of 7,700 people is the largest. About half of the membership lives in the six villages on the 777 square mile reservation .
The Spanish came in the 1500s up from Mexico and brought to the area of New Mexico a religion and style of art which has been incorporated into the spiritual beliefs, songs and dances of the Native American people. The paintings on the altar of St. Joseph remain as originally painted in 1699 and they have a Spanish flavor with bold colors and stylized and floral designs. The central painting is of St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus, both wearing crowns. Above that is a painting of the Trinity as three young men. Surrounding columns are painted red and black spirals.
The Native American Cultural Tour group arranged for all eighteen of us to attend the mass. As many of us were not catholic, we were told we could remain seated when the congregation was kneeling. We were interested in the architecture and art work and noticed the three men to the right side of the altar, two of whom were holding skin covered drums and one with a guitar. After the mostly Native American congregation filed into the church, the service started with the drums: THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump and the singer started singing in the Keresan language of the pueblo in a high nasal voice.
All the responses made by the Native American congregation during the mass were in English but done in the chanting style set by the drums with the melody played by the guitar. During the priest’s message, he welcomed our group and explained the paintings on the altar and other items
in the historic church.
When the congregation stood the wood benches shifted somewhat on the packed earth floor. We were told later that twice a year they pound straw into the floor to keep the floor solid.
After the main part of the service was over the dancers came out to the accompaniment of the drummers and singer. There were two young men and two young girls. All their regalia is traditional and hand done. The
The girls were butterfly dancers with wings on their backs and antenna on their heads. The men were eagle dancers with large rigid wings adorned with feathers and with a white wool headdress with eyes and a beak. The butterflies follow the eagle dancers who perform ceremonial movements which dramatize the relationships among the spiritual powers, the eagle and man. The eagles soared, swooped, folded their wings and soared again. Chants with drum word prayers are delivered to the spirits who dwell in the spirit world and the heavens, asking for wellness, for rain and long life. All their steps are to the same rigid beat with their feet landing at the same time as the heavier beat. Bells around the knees and ankles of the dancers sound with each step. The song continued for an extended period of time.
Dancing for the Native American people is a type of prayer and this day they were especially praying for rain for their drought stricken state of New Mexico. During the dancing the congregation also keeps the beat and prays. We noticed Sister Rosita, one of the tour guides and a 76 year old nun who was a Pueblo Indian, stomping her feet to the beat. She had danced for our group the night before. Part of her regalia was a dark fringe put over
prayer.
The atmosphere in the church was extremely spiritual and expressive of a deep faith. We all felt very blessed that they had shared their service with us.
Lee Forse
6/11
19 Pueblo tribes.
The areas designated for each of the Pueblo tribes are called Pueblos rather than reservations and the Laguna Pueblo with an enrolled membership of 7,700 people is the largest. About half of the membership lives in the six villages on the 777 square mile reservation .
The Spanish came in the 1500s up from Mexico and brought to the area of New Mexico a religion and style of art which has been incorporated into the spiritual beliefs, songs and dances of the Native American people. The paintings on the altar of St. Joseph remain as originally painted in 1699 and they have a Spanish flavor with bold colors and stylized and floral designs. The central painting is of St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus, both wearing crowns. Above that is a painting of the Trinity as three young men. Surrounding columns are painted red and black spirals.
The Native American Cultural Tour group arranged for all eighteen of us to attend the mass. As many of us were not catholic, we were told we could remain seated when the congregation was kneeling. We were interested in the architecture and art work and noticed the three men to the right side of the altar, two of whom were holding skin covered drums and one with a guitar. After the mostly Native American congregation filed into the church, the service started with the drums: THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump, THUMP, thump and the singer started singing in the Keresan language of the pueblo in a high nasal voice.
All the responses made by the Native American congregation during the mass were in English but done in the chanting style set by the drums with the melody played by the guitar. During the priest’s message, he welcomed our group and explained the paintings on the altar and other items
in the historic church.
When the congregation stood the wood benches shifted somewhat on the packed earth floor. We were told later that twice a year they pound straw into the floor to keep the floor solid.
After the main part of the service was over the dancers came out to the accompaniment of the drummers and singer. There were two young men and two young girls. All their regalia is traditional and hand done. The
The girls were butterfly dancers with wings on their backs and antenna on their heads. The men were eagle dancers with large rigid wings adorned with feathers and with a white wool headdress with eyes and a beak. The butterflies follow the eagle dancers who perform ceremonial movements which dramatize the relationships among the spiritual powers, the eagle and man. The eagles soared, swooped, folded their wings and soared again. Chants with drum word prayers are delivered to the spirits who dwell in the spirit world and the heavens, asking for wellness, for rain and long life. All their steps are to the same rigid beat with their feet landing at the same time as the heavier beat. Bells around the knees and ankles of the dancers sound with each step. The song continued for an extended period of time.
Dancing for the Native American people is a type of prayer and this day they were especially praying for rain for their drought stricken state of New Mexico. During the dancing the congregation also keeps the beat and prays. We noticed Sister Rosita, one of the tour guides and a 76 year old nun who was a Pueblo Indian, stomping her feet to the beat. She had danced for our group the night before. Part of her regalia was a dark fringe put over
prayer.
The atmosphere in the church was extremely spiritual and expressive of a deep faith. We all felt very blessed that they had shared their service with us.
Lee Forse
6/11
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