Piro Pueblo
Encyclopedia
Piro Pueblo: The Piros (not to be confused with the Piros of the Ucayali
basin in Peru
) were a Native American
Pueblo people
that lived in a number of pueblo
s in the Rio Grande
Valley around modern Socorro
, New Mexico
, USA
. The now extinct Piro language was in the family of Tiwa languages
. Whether voluntarily or not, some Piros were hospitable to the first Spanish colonists
who arrived in 1598. As a result, the Spanish gave first one, then another, Piro pueblo the name Socorro, which means aid or help (in case of problems or difficulties).
In later years, however, the Piros like most other Pueblo groups suffered increasingly from the strains of colonial rule. Local rebellions broke out on several occasions in the 1660s and 70s, but the Spaniards always retained the upper hand. By the time of the Pueblo Revolt
of 1680, the Piro communities had declined to such an extent that the famous rebellion took place without them. Several hundred Piros accompanied (again voluntarily or not) the fleeing Spaniards south to El Paso del Norte (present-day Ciudad Juárez
, Mexico
); others scattered and joined other Pueblo groups. None of the Piro pueblos was ever resettled by the original inhabitants.
Very little is known about the Piros. Currently there is an archaeological excavation which is actively pursued annually in June and July, in a location near Luis Lopez
, five miles south of present-day Socorro.
Ucayali Region
Ucayali is an inland region in Peru. Located in the Amazon rainforest, its name is derived from the Ucayali River. The regional capital is the city of Pucallpa.-Boundaries:...
basin in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) were a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Pueblo people
Pueblo people
The Pueblo people are a Native American people in the Southwestern United States. Their traditional economy is based on agriculture and trade. When first encountered by the Spanish in the 16th century, they were living in villages that the Spanish called pueblos, meaning "towns". Of the 21...
that lived in a number of pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
s in the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
Valley around modern Socorro
Socorro, New Mexico
Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It stands in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of . The population was 9,051 at the 2010 census...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The now extinct Piro language was in the family of Tiwa languages
Tiwa languages
Tiwa is a group of two, possibly three, related Tanoan languages spoken by the Tiwa Pueblo, and possibly Piro Pueblo, groups in the U.S...
. Whether voluntarily or not, some Piros were hospitable to the first Spanish colonists
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
who arrived in 1598. As a result, the Spanish gave first one, then another, Piro pueblo the name Socorro, which means aid or help (in case of problems or difficulties).
In later years, however, the Piros like most other Pueblo groups suffered increasingly from the strains of colonial rule. Local rebellions broke out on several occasions in the 1660s and 70s, but the Spaniards always retained the upper hand. By the time of the Pueblo Revolt
Pueblo Revolt
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, or Popé's Rebellion, was an uprising of several pueblos of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonization of the Americas in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.-Background:...
of 1680, the Piro communities had declined to such an extent that the famous rebellion took place without them. Several hundred Piros accompanied (again voluntarily or not) the fleeing Spaniards south to El Paso del Norte (present-day Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
); others scattered and joined other Pueblo groups. None of the Piro pueblos was ever resettled by the original inhabitants.
Very little is known about the Piros. Currently there is an archaeological excavation which is actively pursued annually in June and July, in a location near Luis Lopez
Luis Lopez, New Mexico
Luis Lopez is an unincorporated community in Socorro County, New Mexico, United States. It lies between Socorro and San Antonio along the Rio Grande.-History:...
, five miles south of present-day Socorro.