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123 c h a p t e r 4 Sandia Pueblo I n 1983 Sandia and its history became front-page news when the pueblo requested a resurvey of its 1748 grant, especially the eastern boundary, which was the crest of Sandia Peak. This soon became a high-stakes confrontation involving the U.S. Forest Service, Sandia, private landholders on the slope of the mountain, and other pueblos supporting Sandia’s claim. The ensuing court battle raised questions regarding improper alterations of the grant documents, an incompetent survey, and the special characteristics of the Sandia grant, which consisted of a hybrid of the Pueblo league and natural boundaries. Uncovering the complete story required journeys to the official archives of Spain and Mexico and pitted expert historians and anthropologists against one another. Pueblo leaders had to travel to Washington, D.C., to explain the spiritual importance of Sandia Mountain. Out of this litigation came a new appreciation of Sandia’s history. This chapter tells the story of the land of Sandia Pueblo. Potsherds from present-day Sandia indicate that the site was occupied from at least 1300 CE, but the precise location of the pueblo was not known to Coronado at the time of his expedition in 1540. Oñate’s “Napeya” of 1598 was probably a corruption of the Southern Tiwa “Na-fiat,” meaning “at the dusty place,” the native name of the pueblo. Another traditional name for the place is “T’uf Shurn Tia” or “Green Reed Place.” It is easy to see how “Shurn Tia” could have become “sandía,” Spanish for “watermelon.” As was often the case with Spanish corruptions of Indian place names, there is no relationship between the CHAPTER 4 124 two meanings, nor is it true, as is often mentioned, that the Spanish named the mountain Sandia because it looked like a watermelon.1 Little is known of pre-Revolt Sandia. In an early mention, fray Isidro Ordóñez, newly returned to New Mexico in 1612, announced at Sandia that he had been named father commissary.2 A 1641 report on the missions of New Mexico noted that the church at Sandia was “excellent.”3 The pueblo became the center of the so-called Sandia District during the administration of Governor López de Mendizábal, with Juan Domínguez de Mendoza serving as alcalde mayor of the district.4 Lieutenant Governor Alonso García owned a large ranch in the Sandia-Isleta area and served as alcalde mayor of the district on at least two occasions, once before 1661 and then again in 1680 at the time of the Pueblo Revolt.5 The encomenderos entitled to receive tribute of a fanega of corn and a cotton blanket from each household in the pueblo were Francisco Gómez Robledo I and Francisco Gómez Robledo II, the latter inheriting the encomienda when his father died in 1656 or 1657. The Gómez Robledos were supporters of Governor López de Mendizábal. The Inquisition later charged the son with “Judaizing,” but he was acquitted. None of the Gómez Robledos returned to New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt. During this time, with López de Mendizábal’s encouragement, the Indians of Sandia and Isleta resumed public performances of their kachina dances, much to the consternation of the Franciscans. The Audiencia of Mexico City later charged López de Mendizábal with numerous offenses, and he was sentenced in May 1662. He was cleared of permitting the kachina dances at Sandia but was convicted of the charge that he sold the office of alcalde of Sandia to Juan Domínguez de Mendoza in 1659 after removing his brother Tomé Domínguez de Mendoza from the office, for which López de Mendizábal was fined three thousand pesos. Sandia was one of the most aggressively anti-Spanish pueblos during the events of 1680, for which its people paid dearly. During his retreat from Santa Fe following the Pueblo Revolt, Governor Otermín passed through the area, arriving at Sandia on 26 August 1680. He found the pueblo abandoned and the church door, which had arrow slits in it, closed. The porter’s lodge was open, as were the doors providing access to the convento (priest’s quarters), which was ruined. The doors to the cells were missing. The sacred images had been taken from the church, and a carved figure of St. Francis had been placed on the main altar, its arms hacked off...

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