To photograph anything on the Zuni reservation – including the stunning scenery – you need a photography permit. No problem, usually. But when I arrived on Saturday, no permits were being issued.
It was the day of a sacred ceremony. Unlike many of the pueblos in New Mexico, the Zuni allow outsiders to observe their religious ceremonies. But you have to attend an orientation first.
The orientation was, basically, a long list of things you (the outsider) may not do. And if you do, you will be in big trouble with the tribal police.
You may not:
- Take photographs or videos of the ceremony or any of the participants
- Make any sketches
- Go into the part of the homes where the holy people are
- Touch or speak to any of the participants
- Ask any questions or, for that matter, speak at all
- Post or publish anything about what you have seen
- And so on.
It was the sternest warning given in the most polite and welcoming way. And I thought it very, well… refreshing. That something so important to a culture is kept so private, yet shared with those willing to show the proper respect.
About 20 people attended the orientation. I mentioned to the gal next to me that I just happened to show up on this day. She exclaimed over my luck. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, she said.
But the ceremonies did not begin until midnight.
The reservation is in the the middle of a desert. The one motel was booked, and I had nowhere to wait or to safely stash my dog. The maps they gave us to the various sites were so obscure an outsider would really need a co-pilot for any hope of finding them in the dark. And, frankly, I tend to be pretty worn out by midnight.
So, reluctantly, I passed on this opportunity of a lifetime.
Instead, I enjoyed the gorgeous scenery, marveled over the beehive-looking ovens in so many of the yards, and feasted on tamales and oven bread pie before heading back out into the desert.
I had learned a lot. And actually had gotten a few scenery shots on the way into the pueblo – before I knew I was breaking the law. But no photos here for you today. I’m a big believer in giving proper respect. And I wouldn’t want to be in trouble with the tribal police…