Zia
Encyclopedia
The Zia are an indigenous tribe centered at Zia Pueblo, an Indian reservation
in New Mexico
, U.S.
The Zia are known for their pottery and use of the Sun symbol. The people are a branch of the large Pueblo
community.
sometime in the thirteenth century. Spanish explorer, Antonio de Espejo
first encountered the Zia in 1583 when he noted that the biggest pueblos was the one the natives called, Tsiya, which the Spanish later altered to Zia.
Spanish settlers and their religious orders slowly took control of the region and outlawed traditional Zia religious ceremonies. The first missionary was assigned to the Zia in 1598 by Don Juan De Oñate, and by 1613 a church and convent had built by tribal members. Tensions between the Spanish and Zia continued to build until 1680 when a regional uprising
led by Pope, a Tewa religious leader, overthrew the Spanish regime. The uprising was successful and the Spanish were forced to flee south. The Pueblo Indians acquired horses from the Spanish, thus allowing the further spread of horses to the Plains tribes.
It was another nine years before the Spanish returned, laying siege to Zia Pueblo in 1689. Soldiers led by Governor Domingo Jironza Petriz de Cruzate sacked the pueblo, killing 600 people and taking 70 Zia Indians captive. Three years later the Spanish had crushed any Pueblo resistance and convinced the Zia people and their leader, Antonio Malacate, to return to their homes, but fighting and disease had taken their toll with only about 120 people left living in Zia in 1892.
climate of the land where they live, the Zia had to adapt to the way of life in a way best suited for the desert. Since they were home dwellers, as opposed to being nomad
ic, farming was essential to their supply of food. One of the biggest challenges they faced with farming was where to get their water supply from.
In New Mexico
rain was scarce during certain parts of the year so new techniques of farming were developed. The Zia would plant their seeds in a fertile piece of land close to a river or stream. Then they would dig paths to the fields from the stream and thus the water flowed from the stream to water the crops. By placing and removing rocks in the paths, they could control when water flowed to the crops and when not.
In the more elevated regions, the men planted seeds in a patch on a runny slope. When it rained, rainwater running down the slope would water the crops as well. Other times, huge trenches, like cisterns, were dug to collect the rain. Part of the woman's job was to go to these trenches with clay pottery, collect water, and use them to water the fields.
, beans, and squash which were nicknamed the three sisters. These crops were planted in shared or common ground which everyone contributed. They were the staple of Zia and Pueblo diets. Corn was the most important of all. While some was eaten fresh, most was stored away in pots and cellars for the winter and droughts. When some of the corn dried, it was turned into flour and bread by the women. They would sit outside at grinding stones, singing religious songs while rubbing stones against the corn producing flour. They sang because they considered the corn to be sacred.
Once the flour was done, it was mixed with water to make dough. The dough was widened to round flat sheets and placed on hot rocks over a fire. When done baking, a tortilla
was produced;it was the most important and basic staple available to them.
Other minor crops were grown in personal, individual gardens such as peppers, onions, chilies, and tobacco. New Mexico is well known for its spicy chilies that originated among tribes like this.
to hunt for bison
.
. These were built like an apartment complex with a huge box base, smaller box on top, and an even smaller one on top of that. That way, it had different floors for storing different items and for families. No doors were located on the bottom floor (until recently) so the only way to access the building was by ladders made from logs. One ladder would take you to the patio (second floor) and another led through an opening through a roof and onto the first floor. Other ladders led to higher floors. At night, ladders would be taken inside for protection so no outsider could come in without permission.
These houses are made from the natural resources of the nearby desert. Adobe
, the building-block, is made by mixing clay, sand, water and organic materials such as sticks, straw, and dung. These are mixed into blocks and left to dry. Meanwhile. a hole is dug where the new building is intended to be and supporting poles are planted firmly in the ground to make a frame. When the blocks of adobe are dry and hard, they are laid around the building and bounded by wet clay (used as cement). Every year, a new coat of adobe mixture/clay is added to the wall to keep them firm.
Over 300 kachinas were present in the worship and the Zia held religious festivals and ceremonies in which they asked the Kachinas to bring rain and make their crops grow. They used drums and rattles in the dances during the ceremonies. Religious men dressed as the kachinas would come down from the mountains and dance among the people during the festival. After three days, they would go back up. To the people, the men dressed like this were thought to be possessed by the kachina spirits for that period of time.
Once they dry out, the pots are then painted with nature and religious art. They would then sit around for about a week after which they would be taken to the kiln
. This is a special place for baking the pottery where it is fired in the open air, usually using cow dung for fuel. After baking, most pots are used to store food and collect water.
The Zia Indians of New Mexico regard the Sun as a sacred symbol. Their symbol, a red circle with groups of rays pointing in four directions, is painted on ceremonial vases, drawn on the ground around campfires, and used to introduce newborns to the Sun. Four is the sacred number of the Zia and can be found repeated in the four points radiating from the circle. The number four is embodied in:
The symbol is featured on the Flag of New Mexico
and in the design of both the New Mexico State Capitol
and New Mexico's State Quarter entry as well as the state highway marker. But given its history, the pueblo would like people to first request permission before using it.
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in 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...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The Zia are known for their pottery and use of the Sun symbol. The people are a branch of the large 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...
community.
History
Archaeologists believe that the Keresan-speaking residents of Zia are descendants of the Ancestral Puebloan people of the Four Corners region who migrated to the Jemez River ValleyJemez Springs, New Mexico
Jemez Springs is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 375 at the 2000 census. Named for the nearby Pueblo of Jemez, the village is the site of Jemez State Monument and the headquarters of the Jemez Ranger District...
sometime in the thirteenth century. Spanish explorer, Antonio de Espejo
Antonio de Espejo
Antonio de Espejo was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition into New Mexico and Arizona in 1582-1583. The expedition created interest in establishing a Spanish colony among the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande valley.-Life:...
first encountered the Zia in 1583 when he noted that the biggest pueblos was the one the natives called, Tsiya, which the Spanish later altered to Zia.
Spanish settlers and their religious orders slowly took control of the region and outlawed traditional Zia religious ceremonies. The first missionary was assigned to the Zia in 1598 by Don Juan De Oñate, and by 1613 a church and convent had built by tribal members. Tensions between the Spanish and Zia continued to build until 1680 when a regional uprising
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:...
led by Pope, a Tewa religious leader, overthrew the Spanish regime. The uprising was successful and the Spanish were forced to flee south. The Pueblo Indians acquired horses from the Spanish, thus allowing the further spread of horses to the Plains tribes.
It was another nine years before the Spanish returned, laying siege to Zia Pueblo in 1689. Soldiers led by Governor Domingo Jironza Petriz de Cruzate sacked the pueblo, killing 600 people and taking 70 Zia Indians captive. Three years later the Spanish had crushed any Pueblo resistance and convinced the Zia people and their leader, Antonio Malacate, to return to their homes, but fighting and disease had taken their toll with only about 120 people left living in Zia in 1892.
Farming Techniques
Because of the aridArid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
climate of the land where they live, the Zia had to adapt to the way of life in a way best suited for the desert. Since they were home dwellers, as opposed to being nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic, farming was essential to their supply of food. One of the biggest challenges they faced with farming was where to get their water supply from.
In 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...
rain was scarce during certain parts of the year so new techniques of farming were developed. The Zia would plant their seeds in a fertile piece of land close to a river or stream. Then they would dig paths to the fields from the stream and thus the water flowed from the stream to water the crops. By placing and removing rocks in the paths, they could control when water flowed to the crops and when not.
In the more elevated regions, the men planted seeds in a patch on a runny slope. When it rained, rainwater running down the slope would water the crops as well. Other times, huge trenches, like cisterns, were dug to collect the rain. Part of the woman's job was to go to these trenches with clay pottery, collect water, and use them to water the fields.
Crops
Zia farming produced a wide array of crops. But the most important of these were cornMaize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, beans, and squash which were nicknamed the three sisters. These crops were planted in shared or common ground which everyone contributed. They were the staple of Zia and Pueblo diets. Corn was the most important of all. While some was eaten fresh, most was stored away in pots and cellars for the winter and droughts. When some of the corn dried, it was turned into flour and bread by the women. They would sit outside at grinding stones, singing religious songs while rubbing stones against the corn producing flour. They sang because they considered the corn to be sacred.
Once the flour was done, it was mixed with water to make dough. The dough was widened to round flat sheets and placed on hot rocks over a fire. When done baking, a tortilla
Tortilla
In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize...
was produced;it was the most important and basic staple available to them.
Other minor crops were grown in personal, individual gardens such as peppers, onions, chilies, and tobacco. New Mexico is well known for its spicy chilies that originated among tribes like this.
Meat Sources
While the Zia were primarily vegetarians, they often ate meat when it was available. Small hunting parties of men and teenage boys would be sent to hunt for small game such as rabbit, gopher, and squirrel. They also hunted large game such as deer, antelope, and mountain lions. When the spring season came, special groups would go close to the Great PlainsGreat Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
to hunt for bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
.
Housing
The Natives of the U.S. Southwest, including the Zia, were known for their "pueblo homes" made of adobeAdobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
. These were built like an apartment complex with a huge box base, smaller box on top, and an even smaller one on top of that. That way, it had different floors for storing different items and for families. No doors were located on the bottom floor (until recently) so the only way to access the building was by ladders made from logs. One ladder would take you to the patio (second floor) and another led through an opening through a roof and onto the first floor. Other ladders led to higher floors. At night, ladders would be taken inside for protection so no outsider could come in without permission.
These houses are made from the natural resources of the nearby desert. Adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
, the building-block, is made by mixing clay, sand, water and organic materials such as sticks, straw, and dung. These are mixed into blocks and left to dry. Meanwhile. a hole is dug where the new building is intended to be and supporting poles are planted firmly in the ground to make a frame. When the blocks of adobe are dry and hard, they are laid around the building and bounded by wet clay (used as cement). Every year, a new coat of adobe mixture/clay is added to the wall to keep them firm.
Kachinas
The Zia, like the other Pueblos, believed in different spirits called kachinas These were thought to be ancestral spirits that used to live among their people. The spirits got offended when people didn't pay them attention so they fled to live in the sky. They were said to come occasionally and bring rain and clouds.Over 300 kachinas were present in the worship and the Zia held religious festivals and ceremonies in which they asked the Kachinas to bring rain and make their crops grow. They used drums and rattles in the dances during the ceremonies. Religious men dressed as the kachinas would come down from the mountains and dance among the people during the festival. After three days, they would go back up. To the people, the men dressed like this were thought to be possessed by the kachina spirits for that period of time.
Pottery
Because of the abundance of clay and sand in the southwest, pottery was a specialized art among this tribe. Pottery of Zia Pueblo consists of geometric designs with plant and animal motifs with a white background. When the time for making pottery comes, clay and sand are mixed with water and long ropes of the mixture are produced. The next task involves winding the ropes into the shape of a pot.Once they dry out, the pots are then painted with nature and religious art. They would then sit around for about a week after which they would be taken to the kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
. This is a special place for baking the pottery where it is fired in the open air, usually using cow dung for fuel. After baking, most pots are used to store food and collect water.
The Zia Sun Symbol
- the four points of the compass (north, south, east, and west);
- the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter);
- the four periods of each day (morning, noon, evening and night);
- the four seasons of life (childhood, youth, middle years and old age); and
- the four sacred obligations one must develop (a strong body, a clear mind, a pure spirit, and a devotion to the welfare of others), according to the Zia's belief.
The symbol is featured on the Flag of New Mexico
Flag of New Mexico
The flag of the state of New Mexico consists of a red sun symbol of the Zia on a field of yellow. The colors honor Isabella I of Castile, her Habsburg heirs and the conquistadors who explored in her name....
and in the design of both the New Mexico State Capitol
New Mexico State Capitol
The New Mexico State Capitol, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the house of government of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the only round state capitol in the United States, and is known informally as "the Roundhouse"....
and New Mexico's State Quarter entry as well as the state highway marker. But given its history, the pueblo would like people to first request permission before using it.