Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico

San Juan potters at work, 1937. Pottery making was historically important in the economy of San Juan, and continues today at Ohkay Owingeh

Ohkay Owingeh (pronounced [ˈokɛ oˈwiŋɛ]) is a pueblo in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. Its elevation is 5,663 feet (1,726 m) and it is located at 36°03′12″N 106°04′08″W / 36.05333°N 106.06889°W / 36.05333; -106.06889Coordinates: 36°03′12″N 106°04′08″W / 36.05333°N 106.06889°W / 36.05333; -106.06889.^[2] It is 25 miles (40 km) north of Santa Fe.

Ohkay Owingeh was previously known as San Juan Pueblo until returning to its pre-Spanish name in November 2005.^[3] The Tewa name of the pueblo means "place of the strong people."^[4]

Ohkay Owingeh has the ZIP code 87566 and the United States Postal Service prefers that name for addressing mail, but accepts the alternative name San Juan Pueblo. This ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) had a population of 3,357 at the 2000 Census.^[5]

History

The pueblo was founded around 1200 AD. By tradition, the Tewa people moved here from the north, perhaps from the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado.^[6]

After taking control of the pueblo in 1598, the Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate renamed the pueblo San Juan de los Caballeros after his patron saint, John the Baptist. He then established the first Spanish capital of New Mexico nearby.^[7]

Present day

Ohkay Owingeh is the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, and the pueblo people are from the Tewa ethnic group of Native Americans. The annual Pueblo Feast Day is June 24.^[4]

Many of the members of the Ohkay Owingeh pueblo live in San Juan, New Mexico, a few miles north.

Notable natives

• Esther Martinez, linguist and storyteller
• Popé (Po-pay), the Tewa leader of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680

Dancers at Ohkay Owingeh, May 2005

Buffalo Dance

Statue of Popé, Ohkay Owingeh, May 2005

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2006-03-15. http://www.nr.nps.gov/. 
2. ^ "Ohkay Owingeh". Geographic Names Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:2408978. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
3. ^ "Pueblo’s name predates arrival of Oñate". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 2005-11-15. http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/35039.html. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ ^{a b} "Ohkay Owingeh (formerly San Juan Pueblo)". Website for "Dancing from the Heart" movie. Mother Earth Productions, LLC. http://www.dancingfromtheheart-movie.com/ohkay.shtml. 
5. ^ "Ohkay Owingeh, NM 87566". NM HomeTownLocator. http://newmexico.hometownlocator.com/zip-codes/data,zipcode,87566.cfm. 
6. ^ Wroth, William H.. "Ohkay Owingeh". New Mexico Office of the State Historian. http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails.php?fileID=510. 
7. ^ "San Juan Pueblo". New Mexico Magazine. http://www.nmmagazine.com/native_american/san_juan.php. 

External links

• Ohkay Owingeh Dept. of Education
• History of Ohkay Owingeh
• San Juan Pueblo at NPS
• San Juan pottery, photo gallery

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico County seat: Tierra Amarilla City Española‡ Village Chama CDPs Alcalde | Chimayo‡ | Dulce | San Juan | Santa Clara Pueblo Unincorporated communities Abiquiú | Dixon | Embudo | Hernandez | Navajo City | Ohkay Owingeh | Tierra Amarilla | Truchas Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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