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Gran Quivira Mission NM

Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell October 2014

Another great example of the handiwork of the American Indians. Gran Quivira was the largest of the Salinas Pueblos. The Spanish were not welcomed here at first. After a brief period the Indians finally reconciled and accepted them. As was the case at many of the missions the "authorities" were in conflict with the missionaries who were in conflict with the Indians who were in conflict with the Spanish and the Missionaries.

The Spanish authorities wanted the Indians to pay tribute to them. They thought the missionaries were keeping the Indians too busy building missions and studying Christianity. The missionaries wanted the Indians to convert to Christianity.  In fact the missionaries burned and filled the Kivas in the 1660s in an attempt to exterminate the old religion. The Indians wanted to hold on to their spiritual beliefs. That is why we see Kivas built inside these structures and next to the churches. I can only feel sorrow for the Indians as they we being pulled and pushed in ways that were new to them.