Red Willow People

Taos, New Mexico - Our trip began near the Isleta Indian Pueblo. We traveled north roughly paralleling the course of the Rio Grande River past Santa Ana, San Felipe, San Ildelfonso, Cochiti, Tesuque, Pojoaque, and Nambe Pueblos, finally arriving in Taos, location of the Taos Pueblo. I suppose you could call this corridor along the middle Rio Grande Valley the Pueblo Trail. When I lived here 15 years ago, casinos were just emerging. Now they are everywhere. Every pueblo has a garish new casino (or two) with neon signs calling you to stop and gamble. I guess the Casino Trail fits, too. Despite the "progress", the Red Willow People of the Taos Pueblo do their best to maintain their traditional ways. True, there is a casino on the reservation; however, within the original boundaries of the pueblo, 200 of its residents live without electricity or running water -- even though they can certainly afford both from the proceeds of their gaming and tourist businesses.