The Gathering of Nations is the largest pow-wow in the United States and North America. It is held annually on the fourth weekend in April, on the Powwow Grounds at Expo NM, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Over 565 tribes from around the United States and 220 from Canada travel to Albuquerque to participate. April 25-27, 2024

A whopping FIFTEEN states have important voter registration deadlines on Tuesday, October 11. If you’re in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Texas it’s time to register to vote!

To register to vote head to weall.vote/tumblr. 

If you have any questions or concerns, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.  

Anthony Moquino of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo

Negative Number 161143

Notes from the Field

I've got a six-page "short take" article in the latest issue of Railroad History (no. 229). The subject is some of the remaining semaphore signals on the Santa Fe Railway in New Mexico; it's a follow-up to my much longer 2019 article in the same publication (no. 221).

Most of the aging semaphore signals of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway have come down in recent years, replaced by modern devices. But eleven of the 100-year old sentinels soldier on with no replacement signals positioned adjacently. My article provides the location of all, images of several, along with the appearance of Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which is the only train on the line currently tripping these ancient implements.

Three images by Richard Koenig; all taken April 2023.

Black Range Mountains, NM

This morning was magical. . . . #fog #newmexicophotographer #park #foggymorning #igersabq #misty #nature #outdoors #weather #newmexico #unm #earthcapture #foggy #nmoutdoors #earlymorning #mistymorning #aesthetic #moodygrams #botanical #empty #landscapephotography #mood #unmduckpond (at Duck Pond at UNM) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cly4kZ6vXn9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

According 2 Stephen Gardner, the # of Illegal Immigrants entering The Country in 2023 outnumbered the American Birth rate... Is it Safe 2 say We're witnessing an Invasion yet?

-Just Asking

Golden hour in a ditch. 

In search of holiday dinner reservations A scene from winters past at the Golden Dragon Restaurant. Gallup NM #roadsidepeek #goldendragon #restaurant #gallup #newmexico #landofenchantment #worldinmyeyes https://www.instagram.com/p/CmiLIjcLoXx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Santa Fe restaurant entrance. Summertime, of course.

Puye was one of the ancestral villages of Santa Clara, San Ildefonso and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblos, occupied from about 900 AD to 1580 AD. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966. There are extensive ruins at the base of the cliffs and on top of the mesa, with outstanding examples of early Pueblo architecture and stunning panoramas of the Rio Grande valley. The sheer number of cliff dwellings at Puye, and how far they extend, is overwhelming, indicative of a large community.

Gallup, New Mexico 2008 Dinner stop at sunset, road trip 2008. By Jeff Stanford, 2024 Buy prints at: https://jeff-stanford.pixels.com/

Garcia's Cafe Albuquerque, NM. 2014 - Tanja-Tiziana, The Buzzing Lights Project

Anticipation A westbound Amtrak Southwest Chief approaches the semaphores at the east end of Colmor, New Mexico. One image by Richard Koenig; taken April 29th 2023.

Macaws, LC Site, NM. Some zoomorphs that are generally thought to depict macaws. The Pueblo Culture likely traded for macaws with southern tribes, based on macaw skeletons that were found at Pueblo sites. There��s even speculation that live birds were transported over 1,000 miles from Mesoamerica to be bred in Pueblo cities. At Chaco Canyon, 14 macaw skeletons were found in a single room with a large deposit of guano on the floor, suggesting the room was an aviary. 

The hooked beak and prominent tail feathers on these glyphs look like macaws to me, especially Slide 1, which has a ceremonial feel to it with the pair of birds. The glyphs in this area are mostly attributed to the Pueblo Culture (primarily Pueblo IV 1350-1600 CE).