Anita Bold Boots: two visits to the Tewa

Once a year, the 30h of September, the Feast of San Geronimo is celebrated by the Native Americans Tewa in the sacred village of Taos Pueblo, which exists, unchanged, since over a thousand of years, situated at 2.170 meters (7.120 feet) above sea level and it's recognized as World Heritage Site and Historical Landmark.
This event is open to the public, but pictures and videos are strictly forbidden.
I had planned my journey to New Mexioo in advance and arranged it exactly to go there for that unique occasion. And so I did: I went to Taos Pueblo the day of San Geronimo and spent almost the entire day among the Tewa and ... thousands visitors from all over the world.
During the celebration no cell phones nor cameras are permitted: you just must be there and surrender to the joyous overwhelming contagious atmosphere of the Fiesta... And that's how the magic happens: even if you came as a visitorr, you then become part of the celebration and somehow part of the history. You end up immersing yourself in the dusty sandy earthly landscape, captured by the tradition whose heart's rentlessly beating because is still alive, and you let yourself be surrounded and enveloped by a full powerful fascination
It was such an unexpected experience!
Anyway, Taos Pueblo is such a spectacular place, characterized by an extraordinary beauty, energy and spirituality, that two days later, on October the 2nd, I went again, and this time as a photographer, in order to spend another full day there and take many images as possible of the village, the people and the territory,

So, my first visit to Taos Pueblo, on Tuesday 30th of September 2025, is documented visually only by a handful of pictures (the few I took before entering the village) but it remains imprinted in my Being as a full sensorial experience of sounds, voices, colours, smiles, smells, surprises, tastes, emotions and feelings that I've gathered and collected in my profound private personal album of memories, a forever lasting treasure precious and unique.

The few pictures I took, before hiding my cell phone at the bottom of my pocket, are these three:

THE MONUMENT DEDICATED TO THE TEWA VETERANS
OUTSIDE THE "WALLS" OF THE VILLAGE
MORE ABOUT TAOS PUEBLO VETERANS

THE ART GALLERY OF THE PAINTER DAVID GARY SUAZO
IS LOCATED BESIDE THE ENTRANCE TO THE VILLAGE:
I WAS SNEAKING AROUND AND HE INVITED ME TO ENTER.
I ADMIRED HIS ARTCRAFT AND EXCHANGED A LITTLE CONVERSATION
WITH HIM... DELICIOUS SMELLS CAME FROM HIS KITCHEN AND
A LONG LONG TABLE WAS PREPARED TO HOST MANY GUESTS...
HE EXPLAINED ME HOW THE "SCHEDULE" OF THE FIESTA
WOULD GO (APPROXIMATELY) AND HE TOLD ME:
IF YOU'RE COMING AFTER THE SUNSET, I'LL FEED YOU!

DAVID GARY SUAZO'S VISIT CARD

And then, I accessed to the corridor entrance leading to the center of the village... and a new magical mysterious dimension opened up for me! I had so much fun!!! had so much fun!!!

There were plenty of stands, where the locals were selling their stuff, all sorts of visitors had come... Unexpectedly, around 1:30 pm 12 Heyokas came out of the blue on the top roof of the casitas of the village, while the people have gathered in the main plaza since the morning hours... The main attraction was apparently a big pole at the top of which a sheep had been hung... We were told that until 5 pm nothing would happen... So the Heyokas totally surprised us... they then jumped down, yelling and screaming, and went through the stands demanding goods and among the people making fun of everybody and everything... I really got into their spirit and sense of humor, and laughed out loud