Methods of Hunting/Gathering
Before the Pueblo learned about agriculture , they hunted and gathered plants for a living. The Pueblo men would hunt with spears and bows and arrows to catch big game. While men hunted, women gathered herbs and wild plants, such as berries and nuts. The Pueblo tribe never went fishing because rivers and lakes were not nearby. Since, the rivers and lakes were not nearby the Pueblo didn't invent any canoes or rafts to fish. A good place to store food for months was the huge pots that were created by women. Archeologists suggest that Pueblo people would hunt so many animals that they started becoming scarce in their area, especially in large villages as the population was much more. Soon, the Pueblo tribe learned about agriculture and became an excellent group of farmers and their main source of food came from farming.
Methods of Farming
In farming, Pueblos were hostile towards their neighbors, this is where the word Anasazi comes from, which means “ancestors of the enemy”. The Pueblo tribe started to hunt/gather less and expand into agriculture as their knowledge about the land and plants grew. The Pueblos grew maize, corn, squash, and beans; also raised turkeys. The Anasazi began farming in the dry, warm climate of the Four Corners Area. The Four Corners Area is comprised of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. The Pueblo tribe started to become dependent on agriculture for their food supplies. Farming locations were close to the mesa tops where afternoon thunderstorms occurred often and gave moisture to soil as water was found less in the dry climate. Steep canyon walls blocked sunlight which caused trouble in the farming process. Water was the most important ingredient for successful farming in the hot and dry climate of the Pueblo tribe. Since, water was less in the area, Pueblos learned techniques to conserve water. Pumice is a light, frothy rock that is full of gas. It is a component of the local volcanic tuff. Pumice acts like a sponge, it will consume water and release it slowly over time. The choice of plants to grow was excellent. Corn is sun-tolerant and grows tall. Beans and squash are less tolerant but grow shorter and can be shaded by corn plants which also provide support to keep it growing.
Gender Roles
WOMEN
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BOTH
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MEN
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Pueblo Ceremonies /Religion
For Pueblo people religion was incorporated with every aspect of their lives. Since, religion was so important to them their government was a theocracy, a government that is influenced by religion. The chief, also called the cacique, had to be knowledgeable in complex religious practices and participating in community events also played a big role. Pueblo beliefs are rooted with the cycles of nature as they had great respect for it and depended on it for survival. The climate in which they lived was arid, so, rain played a huge role in their food and health. The Pueblo community practiced rain making to produce rain. In the activity, men poured water over the bodies of women and then planted spiritual sticks in their crops in expectation of rainfall. The curing of illness was also attached to rainfall, Pueblos believed the rain‘s powers washed away illness including curses and economic mishap. Another belief connected with nature was that men were represented as the sky and women as the earth. Pueblos always wanted to satisfy the Kachinas, powerful spirits that control nature. Grand ceremonies took place in which dances happened to satisfy and honor a particular Kachina, in hope that they would bring them the perfect weather for the land so harvests would be plenty. Ceremonial dances, prayers and gatherings took place in the kiva, a sacred place in the center of the village. They had few gods to prey to some being, Father and Earth Mother and the Serpent Rain god. The Pueblos prayed for good weather so they made nature as their gods, and thanked nature for the good weather for a successful harvest.
Economy
Trading was an important part of the tribe because that is where they would exchange goods in return for goods they don’t have the resources to make. The Pueblo tribe traded with the Navajo and Comanche but fought with them a lot , too. The Pueblos would usually trade their handicraft, crops, tobacco, amazing pottery and delicate necklaces, blankets and cloths. In return, they would get shells, corals and turquoise that they could use in their crafts.The Pueblos wanted what they could not get, such as shells from the water. Economy played a huge role in their relationship with their neighbors.
Bibliography
PHOTOS
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RESEARCH
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