The Branigan Cultural Center’s latest exhibit of their Land of the People series will highlight the Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe. It opens Saturday, July 18th and will run through October 10th. Scott Brocato spoke with Analisa Torres, Exhibits Curator with the Branigan Cultural Center, to learn more.
Scott Brocato:
Talk about the Piro-Mansa-Tiwa Tribe, which has a long history in the borderland region.
Analisa Torres:
So the Piro-Mansa-Tiwa, like you said, has a long history in the borderland region with ancestral homelands in central and southern New Mexico. This group is actually made-up of three groups, kind of what is in their name: the Piro, the Mansa, and the Tiwa. Some of the group arrived in El Paso or Ciudad Juarez in 1680 after the Spanish forced numerous indigenous groups down to the south, otherwise of the Pueblo Revolt. And so for nearly 200 years, the PMT lived in villages along the Rio Grande, but they eventually moved north into Mesilla and Las Cruces, ultimately settling around Cacique Felipe Royval's house in the early 1900s. This house is in the current Mesquite historical district, where they still hold tribal meetings and ceremonial dances. And still to this day, they're an active and involved tribe with strong ties in the Las Cruces community.
Scott Brocato:
What are some of the attributes about the tribe that make them unique from other tribes that you have featured, or will be featuring, in the Land of the People series?
Analisa Torres:
So like I mentioned, I think one of the most unique things is that this tribe is made up of three distinct cultural groups historically that kind of form a single community in Las Cruces. This is something Las Cruces doesn't have too much of, so it's very unique.
They also have a deep historical connection to this land where we live today, combined with their continued presence and contributions to the region today. That makes them an important part of our history and the culture of Las Cruces and southern New Mexico, as well as their own internal contributions.
They help, of course, us, the city, with exhibits. They do work out at White Sands National Park, and they contribute a lot to our natural spaces. Also, what's unique within this exhibit is they do have a good selection of artwork created by tribal members. offering a unique perspective on their culture, traditions, as well as their contemporary experiences.
Scott Brocato:
The exhibit will run from Saturday, July 18th, with an opening reception, and will run through October 10th. What will be some of the events and highlights on opening day, as well as throughout the entirety of the series itself?
Analisa Torres:
So on that day, members of the PMT tribe will be giving an opening talk, and also be in the gallery to discuss the exhibit. They'll have some tables set up so you can talk with them. Opening remarks will include the Cacique, Edward Ball, Sr.; the Lieutenant Governor, Richard Moreno; the War Captain, Luis Valenciano; and Frida Flores, the former Lieutenant Governor. We're also expecting some other people to give talks, so you'll get kind of a unique perspective into their lives and get to meet them.
Scott Brocato:
There will be two more Land of the People exhibits this year after this one. Can you give us a quick preview of each of those?
Analisa Torres:
The next one after this will be the Chiricahua Apache Nation from November 7th to January 30th, 2027. And then the last one will be the Gila Apache, February 20th to May 15th, 2027. They're both extremely unique Apache groups from the kind of western region. They'll be showcasing a wide variety of items on loan from other institutions. So you'll be able to kind of look, as with all exhibits, kind of their important items that they hold, but also some historical items that may have not been seen before outside of archives.
While both groups will be focusing on historical ties, one group will be focusing more on their contemporary growth and artists within their community. So you could expect a more artistic take that you've seen from the past couple exhibits. I think these both will be very unique exhibits for the last two months.
Scott Brocato:
Where can people learn more about the Land of the People series?
Analisa Torres:
So for more information on our exhibits, you could visit lascruces.gov/museums. We also have a Land of the People website. It's lascruces.gov/landofthepeople. You could also take a look at our social media platforms at the Las Cruces Museum, so @lcmuseums on our Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
