Kewa Pueblo, Sandoval County
Current Population: 2,300
Language: Keres
Early Societal Structure: Agrarian, Exogamous, Matrilineal Clans with Ritual Moieties & dual Kivas
Location: 1,280 acres located just north of Algodones, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe in Sandoval County
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The Many Names of Kewa
Oñate built the monastery at Kewa. Another Spaniard - Castaño de Sosa - named the village Santo Domingo in 1591. Acoma records say the village was named Díiwʾi. The people of that land say that their name has always been Kewa. Without announcement, they officially changed their name back to Kewa in 2009.
The earliest recorded name for Kewa Pueblo was Gipuy. There have been two villages of that name on that site, located about 2 miles from where Kewa is currently located. The second Gipuy village was lost due to the Galisteo River flooding in 1591.
International Trade
The Kewa people are historically great traders and they are well-known for their pottery, beadwork, and stone jewelry. They created heishi - small disc-shaped beads made from shell or polished stone. They also used turquoise from nearby Cerrillos. Though it is rare to find turquoise in Cerrillos anymore, these were the oldest and most prolific prehistoric mines in North America. This turquoise is arguably some of the most beautiful in the world. It has been found at sites throughout the Americas. Sacred Aztec and Mayan ceremonial pieces are adorned with this precious stone.
Pueblo Revolt
When the Spanish fled south after the Pueblo Revolt, they stopped at Kewa. The church they built there was the Catholic religious center for the province. The doors were locked. When they broke in, they found a mound where the missionaries had been buried. The Kewa did not disturb the religious artifacts, though, which allowed the Spanish to take them back to Spain.
