New Mexico: Santo Domingo

The Santo Domingo people came from the people who once lived at Chaco Canyon. These people moved to the great pueblo at Mesa Verde and then to nearby Bandelier. The current pueblo has been moved many times due to flooding along the Rio Grande River.

The Santo Domingo people have held onto their traditional values and have a very strong sense of unity, despite plenty of contact with the outside cultures. They have been able to integrate selected aspects of outside cultures without compromising their beliefs, values, and identities.

The Santo Domingo people have historically had a strong agricultural base and were at the center of many trade routes. The mission here was the chief Spanish Mission in this area of New Mexico, and the pueblo was the regional headquarters for Spanish activity.

About 4,000 people live at the pueblo today. Some reside in new housing and much of the older village resembles Mexican villages of today. Large numbers of people here move about the streets in the evenings to congregate and socialize.