 |
 Known
as "Sky City," the Pueblo of Acoma is situated on a 367-foot-high
sandstone rock. It is considered to be the oldest inhabited village in
the United States. Acoma was nearly destroyed when Governor Don Juan de
Oņate y Salazar and 70 of his men retaliated for the killing of 13
Spanish soldiers by the Acomas when they tried to steal grain from the
pueblo storehouses in 1598. As a restitution of peace, the San Esteban
del Rey Mission was built in 1629 and completed in 1640 under the
guidance of Friar Juan Ramirez.
Many people consider the location of Sky City as an ideal site for defense against enemies. The oral heritage of Acoma tells of the origin and migration of Acoma people in search of HaK'u. Acoma (pronounced either eh-Ko-Ma or Ah-Ko-Ma) is derived from the Keresan word Hak'u. It was prophesized from the beginning that there existed a place ready for the people to occupy. HaK'u means in a sense to prepare or plan. Recently, archaeologists theorized the occupation of Acoma to AD. 1150. The Acomas are well known for their thin-walled pottery which can be seen on display at the Sky City Visitor Center. Both the mission and the pueblo have been designated as Registered National Historical Landmarks. Sky City is located 60 miles (96 kilometers west of Albuquerque on I-40 and 12 miles (19 kilometers) south on Indian Route 23, Exit 108. |
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