EXPLORING ACOMA PUEBLO … ATOP A MESA AT SKY CITY

The Pueblo of Acoma can be seen atop a mesa as you approach, and is a short shuttle bus ride from the visitors' center. Tours run about 90 minutes, with a shuttle taking you to the
top of the 367-foot mesa where you'll see the pottery being made and given a walking tour of the village buildings. Sky City is the oldest continually
 occupied pueblo city in the country. Visitors cannot drive to the summit alone. Having arrived at 9:00 am JR and I were the only ones catching the first tour to the village atop the mesa.

The pueblo was built in the 16th century and there are parts that date to the 12th century. The Pueblo of Acoma is still inhabited by ancestors, and without running water and electricity. Ladders lead to several buildings serving as kivas. Three water holes atop the mesa collect water. Our tour guide Dakota was a young native Acoma Indian college student and he was great – informative and yet a bit on the serious side. 15 families still live there full-time and about 35 more families (like Dakota’s) use their homes occasionally. 

The residents have agreed to keep the village as it has always been -- no electricity or plumbing. There is a beautiful church known as San Esteban del Rey Church. It is one of the few missions to have survived the Pueblo  Revolt against the Spaniards in 1680, and still houses original artifacts.

The Spanish Franciscan priests and soldiers from the early time period according to the Acoma puebloans were harsh and cruel to the natives. The history was palpable that Dakota covered for fifteen minutes inside the church. Birds sang high in the rafters as he spoke to us. I felt like a sponge, soaking up information and drinking in the scenery inside the mission church.                                                   
 


While walking among the village homes, there were vendors selling Acoma pottery and jewelry.  I purchased a beautiful designed hand painted Acoma bowl. 

One of three water cistern holes atop the mesa used to wash clothes

This was one of the most enjoyable excursions on our trip to the Southwest primarily because we were lucky enough to have a private tour alone with Dakota. Sometimes it pays to arrive early jolly on the spot. By 11:00 am we saw another tour guide with twenty people walking around the pueblo. 

A narrow staircase leads those less faint at heart off the mesa top

Although not as charming as the Taos Pueblo, Acoma is stunning just by its location on top of a 'butte' with breath-taking views.