Pueblo Nation
Diet and Agriculture
The Pueblo were mostly vegetarians, but they would eat meat when available. They hunted for small game such as rabbits, gophers, and squirrels. They also hunted large game such as deer, antelope, and mountain lions. The main crop the Pueblo raised was corn, which consisted of eighty percent of their diet. Each community had a sun watcher to let everyone in the village know when to plant seeds and harvest the crops. To get water for their crops, the Pueblo would sometimes go to the top of a snowy hill and roll a giant snowball to the village. They also used an irrigation system. The Pueblo shared fields in which they grew corn and squash and also grew individual family gardens. In the individual gardens, they raised other vegetables such as peppers, onions, chilies, and tobacco. Corn was dried and ground to be stored.
Cultural Practices
The Pueblo believed that Kachinas were ancestral spirits who returned with the clouds and rain to help their people. Over 300 different Kachinas were believed to exist. Pueblo people believed these spirits once lived among them, but they became offended when little attention was paid to them. Before leaving, the Kachinas taught their people to dance. The Pueblo held religious festivals and ceremonies, asking the Kachinas to bring rain and make their crops grow. They used drums and rattles in the dances during the ceremonies. They often danced in masks and chanted.
When a boy turned 13, he was invited to the kiva where the identity of the Kachinas was revealed to him. Girls were not brought to the kiva, but they were also told the secret of the Kachina.
Student Drawing of a Kachina
Photo of a Pueblo Village
Tools, Weapons, and Utensils
The men hunted rabbits by throwing boomerang-shaped sticks at them. They also made tools, utensils, and jewelry. The women made pottery and baskets. They used a grinding stone to grind the corn into a powder, which they used to make bread and mush.
Art and Craftsmanship
Common symbols used in Pueblo art were birds, butterflies, bear claws, snakes, lizards, spiders, clouds, whirlwinds, and rainbows. Symbols representing the four directions were also used. These designs were used to decorate coiled pottery, weaving, and baskets. Over 300 Kachina designs were used in Pueblo artwork. Each Kachina represented a spirit.
The Pueblo created beautiful pottery.
Kachinas
When children were young, they were given dolls that looked like Kachinas to play with. This was done so the children would not be frightened when they saw the men in the tribe dress like the Kachinas during ceremonies.