Few northern new mexicans farm for a living anymore, but many still gather to clean the ditches each spring and irrigate fields and gardens with the water that runs through them. Jul 14, 2010 a book of essays about the history of new mexico has won a national award from the american association for state and local history. Recognizing that water is the lifeblood of the community, rivera delineates an acequia culture based on a reciprocal relationship between irrigation and community. New mexico digital collections is the central search portal for digital collections about new mexico. The albuquerque and bernalillo county library system consists of eighteen libraries to serve albuquerque, new mexico. The historic photos shine especially, from 1901 cyanotypes of chaco canyon to contemporary images of lowrider communities. Mar 14, 2018 with that part of the acequia kind of going away, its an erosion of the culture of the acequias. The acequia is a communal irrigation ditch, and its continued use is a testament to the cultural resiliency of the new mexican people.
Acequia madre, albuquerque, new mexico celebrating new. Cillis the history press, 2017 new mexico became a state just five years before americas entry into world war i, but new mexicans quickly responded to the call and were deeply engaged in the war effort. Sylvia rodriguez, professor emerita of anthropology at the university of new mexico. Acequias new mexico state engineer office, santa fe, nm. Lovely book about running herding cats the people of a small northern new mexico village to maintain the local acequia. Great for fans of that part of the state or anyone interested in local water use.
Clark university of new mexico press, albuquerque, 1978. The original library was donated to the state by joshua and sarah raynolds. Centuriesold tradition of cleaning acequias impacted by. Conflicts between hispanic farmers and developers made for compelling reading in the milagro beanfield war, the famous novel of life in a northern new mexico village in which tradition triumphs over modernity. Great for fans of that part of the state or anyone. Particularly in spain, the andes, northern mexico, and the modernday american southwest, acequias are usually historically engineered canals that carry snow runoff or river water to distant fields.
Regents professor of anthropology marta weigle, new mexico. Acequia aqui was prepared over the past 10 months and includes 12 pages of maps, history, visual guide to local laws, acequia vocabulario, and an essay by dr. New mexico had tough terrain, it was inexpensive to keep prisoners, and the camps were away from major population centers. Frances levine, director, palace of the governors, new mexico history museum supplemented the historical views with here presentation of the acequia. We do not formally endorse any of these books or materials. With that part of the acequia kind of going away, its an erosion of the culture of the acequias. New mexico acequia association 805 early st, suite 203b santa fe, nm 87505 5059959644. While acequias used to be found in many parts of texas, new mexico and colorado, only about 900 remain mostly in northern new mexico and the san luis valley of colorado. Crawford provides an insiders look at the culture and politics of acequia farming in northern new mexico. Centuriesold acequia cleaning tradition hurt by covid19. New paseo booklet educates the public about acequia history. Anthology booksellers is an independent, used bookstore specializing in used, out of print and rare books in most fields. This is the sort of book you will read, shelve, and take down to read parts or all of again. University of new mexico new mexico digital collections.
This companion book highlights 200 treasures that, along with essays by curators, provide a solid introduction to new mexico history. The acequia or irrigation ditch associations of taos, rio arriba, mora, and other northern new mexico counties offer an alternative. In new mexico, acequias date back hundreds of years. Enduring acequias a history of traditional agriculture. Las vegas was established by a mexican land grant in 1835. Las vegas, new mexico, 18351935 edwina portelle romero friends of the las vegas city. Oct 23, 2014 arellanos book is also a history of the acequia system of new mexico, primarily in northern new mexico. Jose rivera presents the contemporary case for the value of acequias and the communities they nurture in the river valleys of southern colorado and new mexico. Sylvia rodriguez history of acequias and the future of. Vigil masters thesis university of new mexico, albuquerque, new mexico, 2006. The old west in new mexico new mexico pbs duration.
This year in the life of account is informative, insightful and, buttressed by strong writing, a treat to read, though there were moments, late in the book, when the dryness of the subject matter led to brief stints of boredom. An erosion of the culture of the acequias local news. But as cities grow and industries expand, are acequias, or community irrigation ditches, a wise and efficient use of water in the arid southwest. This is the lifeblood of northern new mexico, bustos, 63, said of the centuriesold acequia and others like it as the sound of running water filled the early morning air in this sleepy. Particularly in spain, the andes, northern mexico, and the modernday american southwest, acequias are. This year in the life of account is informative, insightful and. Sadly, most new mexicans have a distorted understanding of acequia history, and credit its creation solely to moors and spaniards. A service of the university of new mexico libraries, we provide access to digitized photographs, manuscripts, posters, oral histories, videos, maps, and books from libraries, museums, and cultural centers across the state. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. The old main library was the first library of albuquerque and from 1901 until 1948 it was the only public library.
Our mission is to protect water and our acequias, grow healthy food for our. This is the sort of book you will read, shelve, and take down to read parts or all of. Caption on image reads p195 aerial view of new mexico a and m college campus near las cruces, new mexico. Acequias to discuss hemp production at annual meeting the. Ditches divert, divide, and deliver water to crops and. In northern new mexico, the acequia water use regime and attendant acequia related cultural values are at particular risk due to increasing urbanization pressures and the potential impacts on actual water use, water quality, and riparian vegetation along the rio grande and irrigation ditches rivera 1998. The new mexico state engineers office provided an overview of water law and acequia adjudication process. A book of essays about the history of new mexico has won a national award from the american association for state and local history. The new mexican government requested the internment camps because new mexico needed farm workers. Dennis chavez and the politics of water, 1931 1941 christopher j.
Photograph shows an aerial photograph of a large area of developed land. This awardwinning account of the authors experience as a mayordomo, or ditch boss, is the first record of the life of an acequia by a community participant. The people of new mexico petitioned for the camps to bring federal money onto the state. Sep 16, 2015 acequia agriculture extended riparian habitats, transformed regional ecology, and created the cultivated new mexican landscape we see today. May 7, 1935 the pueblo ruins of kuaua and puaray along the rio grande north of albuquerque are opened to the public as coronado state monument. Dec 05, 2009 acequia cleaning in taos, new mexico duration. New mexico state university library celebrating new mexico. A photographers landscape dream 3 delve into new mexicos rich history and archaeology on a tour that reveals the. The mission of the new mexico acequia association is to protect water and our acequias, to grow healthy food for our families and communities, and to honor our cultural heritage. After the mexicanamerican war, all of new mexicos inhabitants came under the governance of the englishspeaking united states, and for the next 100 years, the number of english speakers increased, especially because of trade routes. Las vegas, new mexico as wicked as dodge city legends of. The court also affirmed that water rights were valid because they had been included in the utilitys water development plan, even though the irrigated land was paved over and had been a street for more than 40 years. The acequia and agricultural tradition of new mexico.
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