Pueblo Dispatches

Staying at home looks slightly different for everybody. As Northern New Mexico's pueblos and tribes close their borders and roads to outsiders —and even tribal members that live off reservation—in a bid to stop the wildfire that is COVID-19, life continues inside.

Journalism students who haven't seen classrooms at the Santa Fe Indian School since early March sent dispatches from their homes across the state about life during COVID-19 from the first days back with their families through recent days, when virus hot spots in San Felipe and Zia pueblos sparked.

Life goes on in some ways—caring for animals, spending time with family, homework, prayer. But other things are different, probably for a long time—canceled dances and religious ceremonies, empty streets and new worries over elders becoming ill with the virus.

Luciano Coriz

Santa Fe

March 30

When I go out to get groceries or just go out to my front yard to get some fresh air, people are still out and about as if this pandemic does not exist. I still see older people walking their dogs, going for jogs, and a lot of cars on the road.

Some signs of spring that I can see are: trees are becoming more green, birds are chirping at 7:00 in the morning, and the sun is shining without any clouds in sight. While we are quarantined we cannot enjoy these things we see outside, but once this pandemic goes away we will be able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful changes Mother Earth has made for us.

Since school has let out, the main thing I have been doing is spending as much time as possible with my grandma during this time of crisis. This pandemic has led us to be in quarantine and this has led to boredom. The main thing is I'm trying to keep up with my assignments and stay in touch with family and friends.

Owen Celestine

Acoma Pueblo

March 15

Today I went on a run and after that run I worked out. There is not much to do when you're stuck in a house all day. So I've been trying to do the huge amount of homework my teachers gave me. Later on today I'll go check on the horses and finish the night off with a movie…

In my community of Acoma Pueblo, people are still out and about. They are still going to the track and walking while others are still chopping wood to feed their fire stoves. Young boys are still going hunting for birds and rabbits that we use for traditional doings.

What's going on in my life is that I'm continuing my life like it's normal. I'm still doing my chores and taking care of my cattle. Lately I've been able to speak my language with my family. Most of the time I'm bored at home with no one to talk to.

March 16

Today I made breakfast for my dad's family. We had eggs, bacon, hash browns, and pancakes. After breakfast I immediately started my homework…The thing that happened today in Grants (a small town west of Acoma) is that there were little kids playing outside and people going for walks with their dogs. I typically don't stay here but I decided to visit. And the community is different from Acoma, there are people still driving around and it seems like they don't care about self quarantine.

And for me, I've just been doing my homework and I honestly feel stressed with all of it. Because I have other duties to do around the house as well. And it seems as every time I wake up in the morning there's a new assignment.

Autumn Tafoya

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo

March 16

In Ohkay Owingeh all teen centers and senior centers are closing. The Governor's Office is remaining open, however you need to call in advance and let them know of any questions or payments you may have. The local casino is staying open but the only things that are closed are the bars and the restaurants.

The employees are being told to work. Ditch cleaning is canceled since the "ditch has been made with concrete, no need to do ditch cleaning." Over the past couple days home I haven't seen any people anywhere, it's like the pueblo is vacant… However in town (Española) people are still going in and out of stores and driving around as if nothing is happening.

IHS is sending notices that only people with appointments are allowed inside the clinic. People having the COVID-19 symptoms are advised to not enter the clinic and to stay in their vehicles to be sent to the hospital.

The worry over elders is that they should stay home and meals are being sent out to the elders. The Community School tried giving out breakfast and lunch to the students and children, but I heard there isn't enough food to be distributed.

Church is still going on but the priest advises that "If you are sick stay home, don't take the effort to come to church risking other people's safety."

March 18

Being home since Thursday it's been nothing but cleaning while everyone is at work, sleeping till 12, just driving around to visit my grandma or dad, or watching Netflix all night. This time off from school is really giving me time to keep in touch with my family, since I only have two days to spend with them when I go back to the dorms. I am really grateful that I can spend time with her even though I just waste time playing cards, dominoes, and drinking tea or coffee all day.

Now, spending time with my dad is really different, all we do is stay home and binge watch our favorite Netflix show and eat all day. To me this break from school is really very relaxing even through chores and literally nothing important is what I call "relaxing."

Kelsey Rosetta

Kewa Pueblo

March 17

Here in Kewa, people are still out and about but not as much as usual. There's no signs of spring in my home community, except that ditch cleaning occurred last week. Things are pretty normal around Kewa. The library is still open but the Kewa school has closed. We don't have a casino but the church and Senior Center have stayed open.

There's worry about the elders. Tribal officials sent home a newsletter to all the homes in the pueblo regarding the safety of the community and encouraging everyone to continue to wash their hands and take other precautions.

People are keeping their spirits up by continuing on with their daily tasks, praying, having a curing, and hoping for the best. I go out to go do tasks at the field with my dad and feed the farm animals we have. Neither my pueblo nor my household has been quarantined.

I feel nervous for the elders and my parents especially. My mom is still traveling to Santa Fe to make money by selling jewelry at the downtown Plaza. My parents are around their late 40s and I want everyone to be safe and healthy. I'm glad to be away from school so I can spend more time with my family, pets, and work at home. I feel somewhat confident that my community will overcome this pandemic with no sickness spreading within.

Jasmine Valencia 

San Felipe Pueblo

April 6

After a week of the virus, things have been going a little crazy. Numbers of cases keep going up and up. My mom, dad, and I left Algondones to visit my brother in Rio Rancho, and as we were heading back home the roads were totally empty. It was like a ghost town in a scary movie. It was dark and only one or two cars passed us, as I was looking out the window I was very shocked only because never in my life have I been on the road with it being so dead. The only lights we came across were the street lights.

This was around the time that the governor stated we are all on some kind of lockdown and wanted all of us to stay home. I was looking out the window towards the Walmart store and it was completely empty. I've never seen the Walmart parking lot so dead, because it's Walmart and Walmart is never dead.

I never really believed that people have been going crazy over tissue, paper towels or any types of cleaning materials, especially hand sanitizers or the clorox wipes, until two days before I made the last trip to Walmart. Everything was completely gone. I still question why some people would be going crazy over the materials. I understand that, day by day, cases have been growing and the virus has been making its way through the entire world, but I personally feel that people should shop regularly and be mindful of others. I really think everything is crazy.

We have recently heard that we have been getting some cases around San Felipe Pueblo and it is getting more and more scary every day. I have never thought something invisible, from another place, far, far away would travel all the way here.

Now things have been getting very strict. They have canceled all Easter activities and traditional dances, they have cancelled all Easter egg events, family events and we have a curfew set from 8pm to 8am. People are not allowed to go to the soccer fields or baseball fields, they have blocked everything off until April 30.