Pueblo Boy

[Music] I thought of my never been away Tony white cloud from Sandia poblo he has pictures and danced The Hoop dance and big cities he laughed when he saw Moses trying to dance the hoop dance [Music] Tony has much affection for his nephew so I Moses hopes to be a graceful dancer like his uncle but more important things come first my son is now 8 years old and it is time to tell him the story of our people and the meaning of our [Music] ways I tell mes that the Pueblo people have always been peaceful in their hearts we have Built Homes first in the high Cliffs then in the valley we have plowed the Earth and planted the seed for centuries we have defended our Villages against the war makers but never have we gone out to make war on others for the glory [Music] of we live together in our Pueblo and settle our troubles in our own way we work hard all our lives [Music] fields in the Rio Grande Valley I must prepare him for that work I tell him that the burning Sun Will Steal moisture from the land and the river must give it back if there is to be life for growing things long before the white men discovered America our forefathers irrigated this land and turned the Rio Grande the Rio Chama and the pus River into their fields I tell Moses that water is his greatest treasure and that water comes down from the high mountains when the sun of early spring touches the snow [Music] so are born the rivers our joy when they run full our hunger and sorrow when they are dry it has always been that way this year the river ran full and the Harvest was good the first years of corn gave promise of fatness and plenty later [Music] on in all the Summers of my life our wheat Fields were never so good to us not a single grain of the Great Harvest was wasted because our people know that waste is the brother of [Music] famine Moses was proud when I asked him to work at my side in the Pueblo all must work because part of each man's Harvest belongs to all of us if one man Idols all suffer this I tell to Moses many [Music] times there was contentment now people as the heavy bags of wheat grew high on the wagon the work went on for many days until cha from the grain was a Golden Hill on the [Music] field when the school bus came from Santa Fe to get the young men Moses was sad he will read what wise men have written and what he learns will make him [Music] strong he will be clumsy at first but he will discover the skill in his hands this is born with him and can never die in name [Music] he will learn to show others what he sees when he looks at the world about him the world he can see and touch it is I who must tell my son of another world that will shape his life and command his devotion it is the spirit world of our ancestors the old people who worshiped in their own way 900 years after Christ was born in this religion the great mountains that guard us are sacred the sun is a splendid man in white do skin striding across the heavens lightning is a jagged serpent with a tongue of fire in this spirit world there is a Giver of Light gift is brought to Earth by the eagle to cleanse the heart of our Villages the old people danced to imitate the Eagle's visit and as they danced so we dance the movements of the dance have never changed and never shall [Music] [Music] [Music] h [Music] [Music] [Music] I tell my son what I learned from my father about the old people and their great skill as Hunters they roamed far from their villages to hunt the Buffalo and when they kill killed they feasted after the feast they gave thanks with the dance that told of strength that had come to them from the feast [Music] [Music] [Music] I tell my son that he must obey the spiritual laws of the old people until he joins them in their honored life after death someday he may be chosen to dance the bow and arrow dance so I explained to him that this is our way of imitating the Hunter and the hunted my son will never need to hunt with bow and arrow but the dance will go on for generations to come [Music] [Music] [Music] up [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] in one short summer I cannot teach my boy the lessons that our people have learned in a thousand years my father could not need to hurry I am giving Moses a good beginning for one so young our people believe that a wise teacher knows when it is time to stop teaching such a time was Festival time up and down the Rio Grande Valley our Pueblo families left their homes New Mexico where the festival was going to take place Indians from every reservation on the western plane were on the road to gallop some traveled in wagons some on horseback many in trucks and Automobiles we were all happy I told my son he would see a great Gathering of the tribes and make many new friends when my son and I reached Gallop we walked to the camping ground in the Hills near town there I told Moses that tomorrow would be a great occasion for all the Indian people a day of Brotherhood and good feeling that he would never [Music] forget hot were pounding when the celebration began navajos from the plains came riding on their strong ponies we were as one great people the Apaches panes arapahos kowas UTS hopes zunis and ourselves the Pueblo [Music] [Music] h my brother Tony LED our family dancing with his Hoops Moses followed Tony with a simple hop step that I taught him Moses did not know as I knew that he danced not only for the people in the street and on the Hills above the town he danced also for people he could not see old people far away from the streets of the Town beyond the hill of the camps above the high Mesa and through the great clouds others watched my boy the old people gone from life so long ago looked on [Music] they who know there is a special meaning as well as softness in a cloud they who know the wind is swept on whirling errands by an invisible Master they who know that rain is a blessing bestowed by a friendly God but my son dance and they were one with him leading him in the way of their faith to be always worthy of his as an American [Music]