Living Memory: Chimayó and Acequias

On April 15th, 2025, our Crow Canyon tour drove north to the "Census Designated Place," or CDP,  of Chimayó, population about 3,000. We were there to visit the Santuario de Chimayó, a Catholic pilgrimage site that attracts about 300,000 visitors annually. Needless to say, it sprawls over a large campus with extensive parking. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

We arrived on the Tuesday before Good Friday, and the signs of that holy day were evident on our drive up. The traditional pilgrimage was underway, when pilgrims walk to Chimayó from as far away as Albuquerque, and possibly beyond. The event is recognized and supported by New Mexico, including port-a-johns on the side of the highway, signs directing the pilgrims to exit and re-enter at each interchange, illuminated signs warning drivers, and more. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is heavily involved. Not everyone who seeks Chimayó walks, of course, so the narrow rural roads closer to the site are congested on Friday. This Tuesday was definitely the right day to arrive!

 

It's difficult to summarize a site with such a deep history. The site is an extended complex, with "something for everybody," including indigenous people and Vietnamese refugees.

Outdoor meeting places populate the grounds.

This statue honors all the pilgrims who have arrived.

A close-up of the plaque.

Statuary is everywhere.

Even the restroom building has exterior pilgrimage art.

But the inside of all buildings, including the surprisingly intriguing gift shop, is a no-photo zone.

Chimayó began to develop around 1810. The adobe chapel, the actual sanctuary, and its two towers still stand.

Inside the chapel is the "Holy Dirt." The actual substance in the "well" comes from elsewhere. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The relationship between the Spanish arrivals and the indigenous people was highlighted by priestly efforts; they pointed out similarities between indigenous practices and Catholic doctrine, such as the transmutation of wine into the blood of Jesus, which is then consumed by the priest.

Joan and I particularly enjoyed the Santo Niño Chapel, also known as the Chapel of the Children. Through the generosity of pilgrims, visitors, and benefactors, this chapel has been completely restored.

Filling shelves along the adobe walls are pairs of children's shoes left by pilgrims, which Joan and I found especially moving. They are intended for the Holy Infant of Atocha, whose origin is described thusly in Wikipedia, slightly edited for clarity and brevity: 

The caliph ordered that only children under the age of 12 were permitted to bring food to the Christian prisoners, and conditions became worse for men without small children. The women of Atocha (a neighborhood in Madrid) prayed before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to ask her son Jesus for help.

Reports soon began that a child under the age of twelve, dressed in pilgrim's clothing, had begun to bring food to childless prisoners at night. The women of the town returned to Our Lady of Atocha to thank the Virgin for her intercession and noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus were tattered and dusty. They replaced the shoes, but these became worn again. The people of Atocha took this as a sign that the Infant Jesus who went out every night to help those in need.

Another drive took us to an outdoor lunch (with permission) at a residence that includes part of the Estaca village archaeological site, located on the edge of the Rio Grande plain, which Dr. Ortman (Scott) had investigated before.

... Click on image to enlarge ...

He provided a handout with an overview of his findings.

This was an example of Scott's collaboration with the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, examining the blending of Indio/Hispano cultures.

 

We walked down towards the Rio Grande for a discussion of acequias, an irrigation system based on both Spanish and indigenous practices. Maintaining the irrigation canals, especially the "mother" canal that taps the Rio Grande, is a community effort with oversight on how much water each participant is allowed. For further details on how it operates in New Mexico, check here. In this photo, Scott is gesturing to make a point.

A stretch of the channel for the property we were visiting.

Without the acequia system, agriculture in much of New Mexico would be difficult indeed. As it is, it's "merely" backbreaking work.

 

As we departed this area for Santa Fe, we stopped briefly at the Estaca Chapel and graveyard, where a gentleman unlocked the door and answered questions.

Back in Santa Fe, we had an hour or so of free time to browse independently downtown before having dinner at La Fonda. What a full day! (Hint: they all will be.)