Eyewitness Account of the Pueblo Revolt - Essay Example

Sur Eyewitness’ Account of the Pueblo Revolt The well-known Pueblo rebellion took place in 1680. It lasted for about 80 years. It may be hard for common people to absorb the main cause of this striking and unexpected breakdown of the relations between the Spaniards and us Pueblos. Like most other historic wars and revolts, the major causes of our revolt were based on differences in race, religion, and culture. Several sources can give accounts on the causes and effects of the Pueblo revolt. It was indeed the most successful revolt in America. We battled against the colonizers. The Pueblo revolt, also known as Pope’s rebellion, was successful because even after the war, we continued to keep our culture and lifestyle. The cruelties and harassments we endured from the Spaniards were one of the main reasons for our rebellion. We were forced to give in to the Spanish rule. I know that many historians are still debating about the causes of the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. Being there when it happened makes me more than credible in narrating this part of history. I can enumerate several factors that resulted in this revolt, at the bottom-line, it is still about oppression. We were more than oppressed. We were physically, spiritually, intellectually, and mentally slaughtered..slowly. Let me tell you more about it. We Pueblos harbored a latent hostility toward the Spanish mainly because of the denigration and prohibition of our traditional religion. I, along with other Pueblos, were forced to labor on the Spaniards’ encomiendas. I remember with sadness how these colonizers disrupted Surname 2 our traditional economy. I was also forced to work in the mines of Chihuahua. I think the Spaniards were able to introduce new farming implements and provided some security measures against Apache and Navajo raiding parties. We Pueblos lived in peace from sometime 1958 till the drought that swept out lands in 1670. I experienced famine along with my fellow Pueblos. Can you start imagining hungry groups of people being attacked religiously by our neighboring nomadic tribes? The Spaniards we slaved for were not able to defend us that time. At the same time, we were struck with unknown diseases that probably came from Europe. A lot of my kins died because of that. I lost some friends during those times too. So why should we even work for a group of colonizers who cannot protect us? Why should be believe in the Catholic religion they force on us when they cannot even prevent our people from dying and from being murdered? I was among the first who reverted to our old religion. At first, the church and the Spanish officials ignored the manifestations that we were reverting to our old religion so long as we still attend masses and make outward display of belief in Catholicism. But then, we were forbidden to do our traditional Kachina dances. Every mask, effigy, and prayer sticks were seized from us. I even watched how they burned them in public. I can still remember the smell of the smoke and the helpless look on my fellow Pueblos’ faces as we watch the colonists burn the proofs of our belief. It was unfair enough to work for foreign people in our own lands. It was unfair too to see them benefit from our tedious labor while they watch us die from attacks and diseases. But in matters regarding our religion, I can say that it is no different from what we have today. To us Pueblos then, totally giving up our religion felt like giving up life itself. It still does feel that way Surname 3 today. I remember some Spanish officials trying to side with us in some way regarding our religion. But then, I witnessed how they were charged with heresy and tried before the Inquisition. Personally, I really hated how the Spaniards prohibited us from practicing our own religion. They disrupted our traditional economies even more by forcing us to work in Chihuahua mines. Do you remember the battle in 1670 I mentioned? That really started our rebellion against the Spaniards. This battle wiped out our region and caused food shortage, resulting in increased attacks against us by the neighboring tribes. I remember how dangerous these attacks were that even the Spaniards could not fight against them. It was then that we began to realize that the Europeans’ plan of reducing our population was successful since they brought diseases that were dangerous to us. I remember how many of my fellow Pueblos died each and every day. Everyday, I wake up with the sound of agonized crying from women and children whose father or relative died. We did not even receive the sympathy that we expect from our Spanish “employers”. This step was the awakening call to our people to take action since the Spaniards had turned out to be our enemies. Because of all this disaster that came across our people, we no longer believed in the gods brought to us by the Spanish and so we turned back to our old gods for protection. I know that to the Spanish leaders, this was the most provoking action and so they decided to hit back by showing us unkindness and cruelty to stop us from rebellion. I cannot forget the shock I felt when one day, Governor Trevino ordered the arrest of some forty-seven Pueblo medicine men. They were accused of witchcraft. Four of them were Surname 4 sentenced to death by hanging. I can still hear the suppressed cries of the people as we witness the oppression that only makes us Pueblos more and more angry and spiteful of our colonizers. Three of these medicine men were hanged. The fourth one sentenced to death committed suicide. The others were whipped in public and were sent to prison. The anguished voices of these men as they were punished in public still ring in my ears today. I felt like wanting to grab the whips and attack the punishers that time. But all of us Pueblos were helpless. We were hungry and dying of diseases that we do not know about. I never knew that time that it would be the start of our revolution. The news of the arrests and death sentences and public whippings reached the ears of some Pueblo leaders. That time, a lot of Spanish soldiers were away fighting at Apache, so when some Pueblo forces reached Santa Fe where the prisoners were held, Governor Trevino was forced to release the prisoners. Among those released was an Indian named Pope. I remember calling him Po’pay when we were younger. He was a good friend. After Pope was released, he called upon several other leaders including me. We planned and orchestrated the revolt. Pope plotted the revolt from Taos, New Mexico. We dispatched several runners to distribute knotted cords to Pueblos. These knots signify the number of days remaining until the revolution day. Each morning, we would untie a knot from the cord, and when the last one was untied, we will start our rise against the Spaniards in unison. I was shocked when I heard that the Spaniards captured two youths who were dispatched as runners to carry messages to the Pueblos. I told Pope that we should execute the plot a day ahead, before the Spaniards even have the time to block it. The attack was started by the Tewa, Surname 5 Picuris, and Taos Indians in their respective Pueblos. We killed more than half of the colonizers in those areas. I did not care anymore whether they were women or children. I used my sword with a feeling of revenge for all those friends and families that died in their hands. My clothes were bloodstained, my muscles aching from the swinging of the sword. I received several wounds, but the seemed not to daunt me in fighting alongside my fellow Pueblos. Then I heard that some Spanish settlers fled to Sta. Fe and Isleta Pueblo. Then news reached me that those who went to Isleta Pueblo left for El Paso del Norte. I told pope that we can focus on Sta. Fe first. We surrounded the area of Sta. Fe and cut-off their water supply. It did not take long before the Spaniards called for a retreat. To this day, I still recall the relief and feeling of victory that swept over me when I heard that the Spaniards retreated. I once asked a fellow Pueblo on his view regarding our revolt. He told me that very few people could have predicted what the main reason was since the Spaniards began with establishing a good relationship with us. I do know that we started with exchange of food, goods and services, medicine and knowledge between the Spaniards. It only turned out bad when our tribes and families were forced to give food and other things to the Spanish missions, civil institutions, and military forces. And it turned for the worst when it came to the subject of religion. Fighting back was the greatest achievement to us since it led to our freedom that we still enjoy today. Everytime I look at the scars I got from that war, I feel satisfaction and contentment. The scars were enough to remind me that our fight was not for nothing. Reference Weber, David J. The Pueblo Revolution of 1680. S.l.: Bedford, 1999. Print. Read More