Patricia Trujillo-oviedo

Chimayo' (Images of America) Patricia Trujillo-oviedo

The name "Chimayó" is derived from the Tewa Indian term Tsi

Mayoh and was given to a sacred place of the Pueblo Indians

located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between

Santa Fe and Taos. Many of the Spanish colonists who settled

in Chimayó after peaceful reentry to New Mexico in 1692 were

descendants of those who left Castile and Extremadura. Nurtured by

their faith and strengthened by the traditions and skills they brought

from Spain, settlers converted a harsh environment into a fertile,

green valley that provided them a livelihood for several generations.

In 1810, Don Bernardo Abeyta, a prominent citizen of Chimayó,

discovered a crucifix buried near a sacred well of healing earth, where

he built a church. This is the site of present-day Santuario de Chimayó,

also known as the "Lourdes of America." Over the centuries, the

descendants of Chimayó colonists developed a unique weaving tradition

that is also known throughout the world. Present-day Chimayó offers a

unique glimpse into a culture that has endured for centuries.