Red Paint Powwow, Part 6: North and South and drum and Drum

Drum, Red Paint Powwow, Silver City, New Mexico

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.


Part 6?! Who knew powwows were so complex? (And there's more to come!) 

I was surprised to hear the emcee refer to "northern" and "southern song" at the Red Paint Powwow. 

I thought I'd be doing one post on the northern/southern "song" and a separate post on "drumming," but it appears the two aren't really separable. I guess since the drummers are also the singers, it makes sense.

There were six Drums at the Red Paint Powwow. Until I researched this, I would have said there were six drumming groups, but apparently the group is the Drum in powwow parlance.

(I'll capitalize the word to denote the instrument and the accompanying group, and use small "d" to denote just the instrument.)

At the Red Paint Powwow, there was a host northern Drum ("Star Feather") and a host southern Drum ("Southern Outlawz").

Below is a video from Southern Outlawz:

And Star Feather:

I have my favorite - which is yours? 

The Drum immediately in front of me was called either "Cache Creek" or "Cash Creek." Since there was U.S. currency tucked into the group's instrument, maybe it was Cash Creek. I got kind of a smart-ass response from the Drum leader when I asked about the bills interspersed around the instrument.

The southern and northern songs have a different tonality and style as explained here: "Singing differs by region in that a high falsetto produced deep in one's throat is used in the north while in the south a lower range is used."

In the drumming, there is often a "faster beat in the north and a slower beat in the south." (From Encyclopedia of the Great Plains)

I invite you to listen again to the southern and northern Drums above and see if you can hear the higher v. lower and the faster v. slower.

I am happy to be learning more about powwows now so I'll be able to appreciate what I see and hear all the better when I go to the Gathering of Nations in April.

Red Paint Powwow, Part 5: Gaan Dancers

Gaan dancers from Mescalero. Alamogordo, New Mexico. Credit: John Bear

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.

It's probably irreverent to say this, but I'll say it anyway - the Apache Gaan dancers are the coolest-looking.

Also known as Ga'an dancers, Crown dancers, or Mountain Spirit dancers, all of their dances are considered sacred.

Gaan dancers. Credit: SFMOMA

Amendment: I get the impression that in some venues, they modify their song and movements so as not to compromise the dancers'  responsibility to protect the sanctity of the Gaan rite.


The story

An excerpt from Native Peoples of the Southwest, Trudy Griffin Pierce, University of New Mexico Press, 2000, ISBN: 0-8263-1907-6:

"One of the most important holy beings for Apaches is White-Painted Woman, also known as Changing Woman or White Shell Woman. Her sons, Killer of Enemies and Child Born of Water, triumphed over the evils of the world personified as monsters, making the world safe for humans. The Mountain Spirits ensure the well-being of the people by protecting them from epidemic diseases and enemies. The Mountain Spirit Dancers or Crown Dancers "become" these sacred beings in the same way that the Hopi who dance specific katsinam become those katsina spirits. ... Their heads crowned with wooden slat headdresses, four Mountain Spirit Dancers and a clown wield their wooden swords as they dance around the fire. The bull-roarer, which is whirled on a length of string to produce a distinctive, resonating sound, drums, and singing accompany their dancing among the Western Apache. The bull-roarer is not used among the Eastern Apache."

Not mentioned above is the vocal sound made by some of the dancers at different intervals - to me, it sounds similar to, but not exactly, like a western screech owl. 

In the video below, from an Arizona event, you can hear both the bird (?) call and the so-called "bull-roarer." You'll hear the bird vocalization while the dancers first come out. You'll hear the start of the bull-roarer at :51.

The dancer with the bull-roarer is The Clown. From Native American Culture: About Apache Dances, an excerpt:

"There are five Crown Dancers, including four masked dancers representing the directions of north, south, east, and west. The fifth dancer is the clown, who protects the others by driving away evil spirits with the sound of his humming bull-roarer, a thin piece of wood suspended from a string and swung in a circle."

To fully address the role of the Clown in Navajo, Apache, and indeed, many cultures (though perhaps not specifically referred to as a clown), I'd need to just hand over a book. Or books. Tony Hillerman centers one of his books around clowns in Sacred Clowns.

As to Apache tradition, in this excerpt from The Clown's Way, by Barbara Tedlock:

"The Jicarilla Apache, however, did not see this sunlight world purely good, but as containing disease; the clown that led them out of the dark earth (thought of as perfectly spiritual and holy) was equipped with a “horrible non-human laugh” which scared way the sickness on the earth’s surface. In this origin story we learn a basic curing technique which is still practiced today by clowns in many tribes. Just as these Apache clowns kept smallpox and other epidemics away from the people with their sudden terrifying laugh, the Assiniboine, Plains Cree, and Plains Ojibwa clowns scare disease out of the people. Navajo clowns during their Mud Dance all of a sudden stop dancing and rush up to a sick person and lift him high above their heads, sometimes tossing him into the air.”

I'm wondering if the rodeo clown derives from the Southwestern Indians' use of the clown in their spiritual tradition. After all, the purpose of the rodeo clown is to protect the riders from the bulls or horses, is it not? Huh, this resource implies not, but when I read the full description, it would seem the rodeo clowns share much in common with that of the Indian clown, although without the spiritual dimension.

Gaan dancers, 1887. Credit: First People

The crown

Another excerpt from Native American Culture: About Apache Dances:   

"The dancers decide what symbols to put on their crowns. Symbols often honor forms in nature, and many crowns include the Apache cross to signify the four sacred directions. Some crown headdresses are adorned with eagle feathers, because the eagle is sacred to the Apache. ..."

 

St. Joseph Apache Mission Church, Mescalero, New Mexico

My understanding is that the crown itself evokes antlers.



I liked how the St. Joseph Apache Mission Church in Mescalero incorporated traditional crown design.  















Noah Nez, the Native Skeptic, offers a thorough overview on Gaan dancers from both a personal and academic perspective. I found several of the sources for my post by visiting his essay.


My experience

The Gaan dancers are dramatic. With their bodies painted white or black, with contrasting color symbols, masked faces, the crown, swords, and the bird call .....whew. Very cool.

The emcee did not instruct the audience to forego photography during the Gaan dance, which he did for the gourd dance. I filmed the dancers as they came into the arena, and the gentleman next to me, a gourd dancer, asked that I not film them. I chose to honor his request, out of respect for him. I had watched as he'd very carefully placed his gourd-dance items into the specially-made wooden box, one at at time, each in a prescribed spot and placement. I saw memorial flyers on the inside of the box lid, honoring two deceased individuals he obviously held in esteem.

I'm looking forward to the summer, when the Mescalero Apaches allow non-Apaches to be guests at part of the girls' puberty rite in Mescalero, and when the Gaan dancers will perform.

Red Paint Powwow, Part 4: The Grand Entry

Red Paint Powwow, Silver City, New Mexico

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.

The Grand Entry is the most exhilarating event at a powwow, yes? All of the colors, the dance, the sounds, the sheer volume of the sensory feast make it so.

With a front-row seat, I had almost too good a view, as I found that my camera couldn't capture the entire person before me - his face and his regalia and his footwork. This turned out to be a benefit, actually, because in having to choose between a performer's face/regalia and his footwork, I often chose the footwork, something that might otherwise have been overlooked due to the competing beauty of the attire.

The Grand Entry video requires a bit of a time investment, so I'll highlight some points along the way.

First, notice that the audience stands during the Grand Entry.

At 1:18: Note that the Color Guard is among the first entrants. First flag? The American flag. Honored members of the Grand Entry? Veterans. Publicly-displayed respect for veterans seems to be a prominent feature in New Mexican communities with a large Indian population.

At 1:46: See the POW-MIA flag? I was startled at first, but then not, to learn that because Indians were prisoners of war at various times and places in the U.S., the significance of the POW-MIA flag goes beyond what most Americans think of when we see this flag. (I wonder if there are Americans of Japanese descent who feel the same.)

At 2:14: The White Eagle Gourd Dance Society members.

At 2:22: The "Chinese Hopi" and Miss Mescalero Apache.  

 
At 5:39: Appears a woman whose attire is dazzling in the color and intricacy of its beadwork and her footwork - it is such a cliche, but true: Her dance steps are so light, they are like that of a beautiful deer. What she makes appear so effortless in the airiness of her steps must be very tiring.

As  you might expect, the performers fall along a continuum between full body-mind focus into their dance on one end and bored, going (barely) through the motions on the other.

Red Paint Powwow, Silver City, New Mexico

Red Paint Powwow, New Mexico, Part 3: The Gourd Dance

Gourd dancer. Credit: Tyrone Wilson(pictured) and Kevin Anderson (photographer)

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.



The White Eagle Gourd Society performed the gourd dance on several occasions during the powwow.

Gourd dancers. Credit: Powwow.com

The story behind the gourd dance

The generally-accepted story is this, which I excerpted from The Daily Times (Farmington, NM):

"Legend has it that a Kiowa warrior was trying to find his way back to his village when he heard a melody from the other side of a hill. He went to the top of the hill and peered down, where he saw Red Wolf bouncing up and down on his haunches. The wolf had a fan in his left hand and a rattle in his right. He was singing melodies, and at the end of each song, he raised his rattle to the sky, shook it and let out a howl. At dawn, Red Wolf told the warrior the songs were a gift to the people so they could continue honoring their warriors...."

The Navajo and other groups have adopted the gourd dance from the Kiowa, who are based in Oklahoma.  Here is a lively discussion about the dance's origins and who "owns" the dance. There are a few jibes directed at the Navajo. 

Gourd dancers. Credit: Red Star Intertribal Gourd Dance Society.

Dance attire

The Golden State Gourd Society explains thoroughly about appropriate dress for the gourd dance: 

"... If the dancer does not have traditional clothing he should wear dress pants, a plain long sleeve colored dress shirt and moccasins. No cowboy hats, ball caps, boots or tennis shoes should be worn, but dress shoes are acceptable.  Other articles that should be worn are a bandolier made of two strands of mescal and silver beads draped over the left shoulder, crossing the heart and bound together at the right hip.  A sash, usually made of velvet with beaded trim on the ends, should be around the waist and tied at the right hip.  A red and blue blanket should be draped over the shoulders or worn over the right shoulder and held together over the arms at the left hip.  ... Gourds used today are natural gourds, German silver, milk cans, salt and pepper shakers or baking powder cans, which are painted for decoration.  The handles are usually decorated with beads and rolled fringe, with horse hair and assorted feathers adorning the tip.  A fan is carried in the opposite hand.  ...."

At the Red Paint Powwow, the emcee explained that veterans could wear veterans' caps or berets while they participated in the gourd dance, but otherwise dancers could not wear modern-day hats.

Choctaw gourd dancers, James family, Oklahoma. Credit: Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

From article, For Tribe and Country, three generations deep in tradition: "'It’s very spiritual,'” says Michael [James]. “'Like a prayer in movement, the positive vibration, the drumming. It’s like singing a hymn in church. I feel a connection to earth and sky, like it’s all interwoven during the gourd dancing.'”

What the dance is like

The gourd dance and the trance dance of the "whirling dervishes" share characteristics. There is a building-up of sound and beat and rhythm as the participants warm up to the mind-body prayer that is the trance dance or the gourd dance.  

First came drumming, with singing. The gourd dancers at this time remained in the audience. After a time of drumming, I noted that some men in the audience began to shake their hand-held gourd instruments. (A man seated next to me was a gourd dancer.)

Presently, the gourd dancers stood in place and shook their gourds to the drumming and the singers.

With changes to the drumming and singing, the gourd dancers moved into the dance arena, with small steps and gourd shakes. When the drums rose to a crescendo, the dancers froze in place, then moved again when the drumming calmed. 

After awhile, I noticed a few women who moved to the perimeter of the dance arena. They bent their knees in concert with the drum beats.

Again, the Golden State Gourd Society helps out with a fine description:

"The Gourd Dance is a dance of dignity and pride. As the dance begins, the dancers are seated around the arena.  As the starting song is sung, the seated dancers begin to shake their gourds to the beat of the drum, but do not dance to the first song.  As the song ends the dancers give a howl/yell at the end of the song.  As the tempo increases, during the second song, the dancers rise from their chairs.  The dancers step in place or walk in time with the music during the slow beat of the drum, moving freely around the arena. Once the tempo changes, they once again stand in place and dance to the beat of the drum, shaking their gourd. 

"When the song ends, the dancer raises his gourd and shakes it vigorously ending with a howl/yell (honoring the Red Wolf) and waits for the next song to begin.  Songs are usually sung in sets of four (this is left to the discretion of the head singer) and the dancers do not sit down again until the full set of gourd dance songs has ended or they are dismissed.

"Once the gourd dancers start to dance, the women take their places behind the men, dancing in place, in the outer arena.  The women never start dancing before the men and never walk in front of the dancers. ...."

As with similar dances, there are moments of intense interest, moments of boredom and distraction, and moments of flow as one merges into the sound and the movement.  Dances like these take time to sink into one's body and head. 

An idea I find so fascinating is how certain tonalities and rhythms affect our brain. I think of the man who wrote a book about his experiences as an expedition doctor. He began the book with the story of a Tibetan sherpa who had seriously injured his head on a climb. The man's injury was such that it was virtually certain to be fatal. But his companions had come to the medical tent (or they sent monks?) to chant non-stop, day and night, in the man's tent while he lay there, unresponsive. The author was amazed to realize that, over the course of many hours, the man began to recover. Evidently, the qualities of the sound caused healing changes in the man's brain.


 

On the Road: In For the Night

Silver City, New Mexico. In for the night.

Red Paint Powwow, New Mexico, Part 2: The Chinese Hopi

Miao girls, China. Credit: Cultural China

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.

I saw many styles of attire at the Red Paint Powwow. But one woman's regalia drew my attention because she was dressed like no one else. I picked through my mental file cabinet:

North America\Indian\Southwest\woman\clothing

 "No file found." 

I was eager for this mystery to be solved as the day unfolded.

In the afternoon, the emcee, Otis Half Moon, called up various powwow dignitaries for recognition in front of the dais. Among them were the "royalty."

Two young women came forward. One was a teen from Tularosa, Miss Mescalero Apache, I believe. She gave a sweet talk about what she wants to accomplish during her reign. 

The other young woman was the person whose attire I didn't recognize. She explained that she was a member of a minority tribe in China, and that when she came to the U.S., she was homesick. Her husband somehow connected her to a Hopi community and she felt an immediate kinship: "I saw my brothers and sisters!" And she felt she'd found a home with the Hopi.

Obviously, her American Hopi brothers and sisters feel the same, as she was an honored guest at the powwow. 

It was very moving.

Miao woman, China. Credit: Bowers Museum.

 

By the way, the Hopi apparently have their own version of Revelations in which Elder Brother (as represented by China, India, Africa, and Islamic nations) will rejoin with Younger Brother (the Hopi) after the United States (except for Hopi lands) is destroyed by atomic bombs and radioactivity.

Red Paint Powwow, New Mexico, Part 1: Golden Eagle

Golden eagle, Red Paint Powwow, Silver City, New Mexico

The Red Paint Powwow is an annual event in Silver City, New Mexico, hosted by the Chiricahua Apache. I attended the powwow on Saturday, January 19, 2013.

There was a golden eagle at the powwow


The golden eagle plays a sacred role in the traditional Apache belief system (in addition to Hopi, Navajo, and other groups).

James Rodgers, a falconer, brought his golden eagle to the powwow at the invitation of the powwow organizers. Mr. Rodgers explained to me and a little group surrounding him that many Apache have never seen a golden eagle up close like this. A number of the Indians, he said, come to see the golden eagle with corn pollen in their hands, which they sprinkle on the eagle's feet and back as a blessing. I later saw one of the powwow leaders do exactly that.

Side bar on corn pollen

Corn pollen. Credit: Colorado College

Here is a nice explanation of the importance of corn pollen in Navajo spiritual life. Apache people also have a reverence for corn pollen. (Indeed, Apache and Navajo are related.) If I understand correctly, the "corn pollen way" is the same as "the beauty way."

Below is a song called Corn Pollen Road by Louie Gonnie (who was featured in the documentary, Sun Kissed, that I talked about a couple of weeks ago).

(However, note that although the song is called the Corn Pollen Road, there is a school of faith called the Corn Pollen Way that is different from the school of faith called the Native American Church, and Mr. Gonnie is a member of the latter. Be that as it may, corn pollen has a place in both the cultural/spiritual and religious denomination/spiritual realms. Note also that I only barely have a grasp on any of this.)

Who can own a living golden eagle?

A woman asked Mr. Rodgers if he had a license to own the eagle, and he assured her that not only did he have a license, it was in his pocket.  And he told the story of how he came to own this golden eagle.

Golden eagle ownership in the U.S. is governed by federal law. 

Per Mr. Rodgers, a falconer can obtain a license to own a golden eagle through the depredation program. As I understand it - and I am discouraged that I can't find a clearly laid-out explanation of same online - if a rancher, for example, makes, through repeated complaints, a successful claim to the feds that his/her livestock is being depredated by a golden eagle, then a falconer on a waiting list can gain access to the offending bird. But only if it is an adolescent - can't be a mature adult; can't be younger than a certain age. Also, the falconer must trap the bird him/herself, and only when accompanied by a federal agent.

Mr. Rodgers reported that it took a week for him to trap his golden eagle.


Who can own parts of a golden eagle?

"It is illegal for any individual to possess a bald or golden eagle, including its parts (feathers, feet, etc)." Source: National Eagle Repository.

But there is the National Eagle Repository, which distributes eagle parts (not kidding) of found-dead eagles to "qualified Native Americans for use in religious Indian ceremonies."

 "Qualified" is important. You cannot grant yourself legal identity as a "Native American" just because you say so. You need to prove it in accordance with federal or tribal regulations.

The powwow emcee was very careful to state that many of the feathers worn by the powwow participants had been handed down through the generations.



What about the Hopis? 

I see conflicting information on the web about Hopis being able to collect live golden eagles and sacrificing them as part of a religious act or using any of their parts (i.e. feathers).

But I'm not confused about the fact that one can't "take" a golden eagle just because one is Hopi. A Hopi must have a permit to do so.

New Mexico Do List

Before I move to my next place in fall 2013, I want to have checked out these New Mexico locations:

All of the state parks

Bluewater Lake State Park
Bottomless Lakes State Park  Done (20 April 2013)
Brantley Lake State Park  Done (3 August 2013) Post here.
Caballo Lake State Park  Done
Cerrillos Hills State Park  Done (6 September 2013)
Cimarron Canyon State Park   Done (16 August 2013)
City of Rocks State Park   Done   Post here.
Clayton Lake State Park
Conchas Lake State Park  Done (18 August 2013)
Coyote Creek State Park   Done (16 August 2013)
Eagle Nest Lake State Park   Done  (16 August 2013)
Elephant Butte Lake State Park   Done (5 May 2013)  
El Vado Lake State Park
Fenton Lake State Park  Done (11 August 2013) Post here.
Heron Lake State Park
Hyde Memorial State Park
Leasburg Dam State Park  Done (3 May 2013)
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park  Done (March 2010 on a Travels with Carol road trip). Post here)
Manzano Mountains State Park  Park closed
Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park  Done
Morphy Lake State Park   Done (16 August 2013)
Navajo Lake State Park  Done  (6 April 2013) Posts begin here.
Oasis State Park   Done (28 September 2013)
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park  Done
Pancho Villa State Park  Done  (13 April 2013)
Percha Dam State Park  Done
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park  Done (28 April 2013)
Rockhound State Park  Done
Santa Rosa Lake State Park   Done (18 August 2013)
Storrie Lake State Park   Done (17 August 2013)
Sugarite Canyon State Park  Done (13 July 2013) Post here.
Sumner Lake State Park   Done (28 September 2013)
Ute Lake State Park   Done (29 September 2013)
Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park   Done (16 August 2013)
Villanueva State Park   Done (18 August 2013)


The federal public lands

Aztec Ruins  Done  (6 April 2013) Post here.
Bandelier National Monument Done (7 September 2013)
Capulin Volcano National Monument  Done (14 July 2013) Post here.
Carlsbad Caverns  Done  (March 2010 on a Travels with Carol road trip) Post here. 
Chaco Canyon
El Malpais  Done
El Morro   Done
Gila Cliff Dwellings Done  Post here.
Pecos National Historical Park
White Sands National Monument   Done
Carson National Forest
Cibola National Forest
Gila National Forest
Kiowa National Grassland
Black Kettle & McClellan Creek National Grasslands
Lincoln National Forest  Done. Posts here and ....
Rita Blanca National Grassland
Santa Fe National Forest
Aguirre Spring Campground  Done
Angel Peak Scenic Area   Done  (7 April 2013) Post here.
Bisti-De-Na-Zin Wilderness  Done  Post here. 
Black River Recreation Area
Cabezon Peak Wilderness Study Area
Casamero Chacoan Outlier Community
Cebolla Wilderness
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Datil Well Recreation Area Campground
Dripping Springs Natural Area   Done (19 April 2013) Post here.
Ignacio Chavez Special Management Area
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Lake Valley Townsite
Ojito Wilderness
San Lorenzo Canyon Recreation Area
Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site   Done
Valley of Fires Recreation Area   Done  Post here.
Wild Rivers Recreation Area




All of the border crossings between Old and New Mexicos

• Antelope Wells  Done  (March 2013) Post here.
  
• Columbus  Done (April 12 and April 13, 2013)
• Santa Teresa  Done (April 14, 2013)

I also want to see the crazy fence between the U.S. and Mexico.


Festivals

• Red Paint Powwow in Silver City (January) Done. Post here.
• Poppies Festival in El Paso (March)  Missed
• Winston Spring Fiesta (March) Don't think this happened in 2013
• Truth or Consequences Fiesta (May) Done. (3-5 May 2013)
• Gathering of Nations (April)  Done (27 April 2013) Posts begin here.
• Cactus Carnival (May) Went to Columbus, NM, in April instead.
• Bluegrass Festival in Deming (May)
• Blues Festival in Silver City (May)
• Bad Ass Mountain Music Festival (June) Done. Post here.
• Gallup InterTribal Indian Ceremonial (August) Didn't go.
• Hatch Chile Festival (September) Whoops! Got my weekends mixed up, so missed this.

Other stuff

• Very Large Array  Done. Post here.
• National Solar Observatory (Sunspot) Done. Post here and here.

I better get crack-a-lackin'!  I've barely got 9 months left!

Rootless Relocation, Part 1c: Where?

Tres Piedras, New Mexico. Old Pink Schoolhouse Gallery.

In Part 1a, I considered where in the world I'll live next. I narrowed the options down to New Mexico or Mexico..
In Part 1b, I looked at the pros and cons of the two, and decided on New Mexico.


But now --> Where in New Mexico will I live?


What are my decision drivers? 

• Access to family
• Access to other parts of New Mexico for exploration
• Climate
• Demographics - I want ethnic, cultural, language, and age diversity
• Interesting geography
• Income opportunities
• Recreation opportunities
• Cost of living, especially housing
• City size
• "Romance" factor - for example, do I want the Tony Hillerman New Mexico (Navajo and Hopi territory) or do I want Red Sky at Morning New Mexico (Sangre de Cristo Mountains area)? Or the borderlands factor, close to Mexico?

And do I want to choose my new base first and then look for work? Or look for work and let that determine where I'll settle in New Mexico?

Originally, I thought to look for work from Missouri and let the job hunt lead me to my new rootless base. But I changed direction and decided to look for my most desired base and then look for work. 


Where do I not want to live? 

I don't want to live in:

• Albuquerque - larger than what I want
• The bedroom communities surrounding Albuquerque - I don't like looking at the smog that ABQ produces
• Santa Fe - hate that congested, Anytown USA, main drag going into town, and just not a fan of the overall vibe  
• Deming - based on research, seemed a little depressed
• Las Cruces - a sea of beige and bland bounded by highway
• Mountain communities that attract snow in winter, such as Cloudcroft and Ruidoso 
• Carlsbad - too far from most of New Mexico
• Portales or Clovis - might as well live in Oklahoma if I'm going to live in these cities

Silver City, New Mexico

On the fence about: 

• Silver City - great climate, nice town, but like Carlsbad, a little too remote from the rest of NM, and perhaps too gentrified for my taste
• Taos - I've been here twice and there are things I like about it, but I'm not in love; also, too much snow 
• Farmington - Tony Hillerman country, which is attractive, but I just can't get a feel for the geography or the vibe. It'd be cold in the winter. I was cold all last winter in Rustavi. No. Thank. You.

Taos, New Mexico

Possibles:

• Gallup - Out West, cowboy, cattle drive, rodeo, seductive tumbleweed-desolation vibe
• Grants - Ditto
• Truth or Consequences - Hot springs along the Rio Grande, a gritty attitude I find compelling, mild winters, good central location in NM
• Las Vegas - the Sangre de Cristo Mountains factor, one-day drive from mid-Missouri, good city size, university in town, hot springs nearby
• Alamogordo - In desert area, but really close to mountain communities, mild winters, good town size, university in town, military base nearby that supports economy, close to Mexico
• Roswell - Nice size at 48,000 population, university in town, somewhat mild winters

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Some resources to help me rule communities in or out:

The city-data.com forums are a place to ask questions about places of interest. There's a rich archive to search previous questions and answers about a locale.

City-data.com itself offers demographic, employment, crime, climate data about locales in the U.S.
There's also good info from the U.S. Census here, from whence you can drill down to small communities.

Craigslist gives researchers a ballpark idea of housing costs and job possibilities.

Meetup gives you an idea of social groups that are active in a potential new base. If there aren't any meetup groups, that's good information, too.

If I had never been to New Mexico before, I'd take a reconnaissance trip out there to personally eyeball the various possibilities. But I have been there - not to all of the cities on my in/out list - but a number of them, so I'm relying on my past visits and the online resources to make my decision.

My process of elimination


I know I don't want to deal with snow, so although I looked at my fence-sitting possibilities such as Farmington, considered Taos in a lukewarm way, and took quite a close look at Las Vegas because of its Sangre de Cristo Mountain proximity, I wasn't excited about any of them. In fact, I wasn't too enthusiastic about living anywhere in NM north of Interstate 40, which I perceive as the snow line.

Silver City may have the closest to the ideal climate in New Mexico with mild winters and summers. But as important as climate is to me, Silver City's remoteness, small size, and gentrified vibe ruled it out for me. Actually, my experience visiting Silver City a couple of years ago suggest to me that there's a lot of social goings-on and recreation activities despite its small size. But the job situation there, based on my research, is rather grim.

Eliminated: Taos, Farmington, and Silver City.


Gallup and Grants have some pull for me, primarily because of the Hillerman Effect. There's also a perception of being Out West in those two towns. Rodeos. Cowboys. Cattle drives. An edgy tumbleweed-desolation kind of vibe that is seductive.

But they're right on the snow belt (I-40 in my mind. And I just can't get enough information on them to tempt me to take a risk. Especially the surrounding scenery. How the town centers look. 

About 18 hours' drive from mid-Missouri, this isn't any longer drive time than competitors in southern NM, so I can't use access to family as an eliminating factor for Gallup or Grants. I also can't say they're too remote from other locations in NM I want to explore than more southern NM competitors. Being smack on Interstate 40, they're on a fast track to most places in NM.

At the end of the day, Gallup and Grants just sort of fell off the possibles list because, I don't know, their voices were too quiet. I'll definitely go visit them, though.

Eliminated: Gallup and Grants


The eliminations left in the running: 

• Truth or Consequences
• Alamogordo
• Las Vegas
• Roswell

Las Vegas, New Mexico

Both Las Vegas and Roswell are weak candidates for different reasons, but they have these attributes going for them:


Access to family. Las Vegas is within one, long day's drive from mid-Missouri at around 15 hours. Roswell is pushing 16 hours.
"Romance" factor. Las Vegas is near Red Sky at Morning territory, being close to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It's Taos Lite and Santa Fe Ultra Lite, without the pretension you come across sometimes in the latter two communities. It has a nice plaza, and the art and jewelry scene. Hot springs nearby.
City size. Roswell has a population of about 48,000. A decent size; similar to my home town.

But:

I just couldn't get too excited about Roswell. My research only pulled up negative comments about the city or, just as damning, not many comments at all. Like Gallup and Grants, I'll go visit Roswell, but I'm not going to live there.

Las Vegas felt like a place I "should" go to. Cold, snowy winters maybe. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains notwithstanding, not in love.

It all boils down to:

Truth or Consequences or Alamogordo.

Truth or Consequences (TC) has a bit of an attitude that I like. The people there seem to have been around the block a few times, lived perhaps a little too hard at times, but now doing OK. Central location that makes it really convenient to explore other parts of NM. Close to larger cities such as Albuquerque, Las Cruces and El Paso, TX. If I want to see what the hell is going on down in the borderlands, I can do that, too. 

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Love that it's right on the Rio Grande. Hot springs. Close to some recreation areas. The Spaceport is close, which is kind of cool.

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

But the population is less than 7000 and the median age is 52.

Very hot summers.

Alamogordo also has hot summers, but it's within half an hour of mountain communities such as Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, with cooler air. It's right next to the immense Lincoln Forest. Close to White Sands Monument. Close to Las Cruces and El Paso.  About an hour closer than TC to mid-Missouri. A population of more than 30,000, with a median age of 37.

But it's more than three hours from Albuquerque and it's not as convenient to lots of NM destinations as TC is.   

Alamogordo, New Mexico

Alamogordo is more diverse than TC in regard to ethnicity, language, and age. The nearby Holloman Air Force Base presumably maintains some stability in the Alamogordo economy.

And I like Alamogordo. Though not edgy like TC, it is pleasant. I like its zoo and the small, picturesque villages nearby such as La Luz and Tularosa.

Not a linear process

As I looked at my options in New Mexico, I went back and forth on various cities. I went back and forth on how much I weighed my decision drivers, such as climate, diversity, community size, etc.

I looked at housing costs on craigslist. Read all of the threads on city-data about the possible relocation locales in New Mexico. Checked distances on google maps between this and that and the other.

I reviewed what I wanted to get out of New Mexico. Interculturally, there is so much that New Mexico has going on. I'm feeling drawn to look firsthand at the historic goings-on with how the U.S. is dealing with people crossing the border illegally from Mexico. In addition to climate preferences, this informs my decision to stick to southern New Mexico for my base.

I had to weigh a great central location for good access to most of NM (Truth or Consequences) against my desire for a larger community and proximity to mountains (Alamogordo). Demographically, Alamogordo also beat out TC for its diversity.  

Alamogordo. My future new home ... for awhile.

Pecan orchard, near Alamogordo, New Mexico

White Sands Monument, near Alamogordo, New Mexico

Next up: Rootless relocation, Part 2: What Will I Take With Me?

Truth or Consequences: True Grit

[2010 Out West Road Trip.  Travels with Carol.]

In March 2010, my mother, Carol, and I took a road trip from Missouri to New Mexico, in search of sun and warmth. Here is Day 14 of our road trip. 

Tuesday, 16 march 10 

MZURI'S REPORT

Another sunny day in the hot springs in T or C. As I write this, Carol and I just returned from a night-time soak under the stars in a private pool. We both feel tres relaxed. The two glasses of New Mexico wine I had at dinner probably helped in that regard, too. 

 

Speaking of dinner, we had same at Pacific Grill, an Asian and seafood restaurant. Carol had the shrimp scampi; I had a Thai peanut chicken dish. Didn't live up to the glowing reviews, but it was fine.

  

Earlier in the day, we drove out to Elephant Butte, home of a state park, a dam, and a big rock that looks like an elephant. We then, for the heck of it, turned a direction on a road to see where it would take us. A sign said Engle, so that's where we headed. The road ended at so-called Engle, which seemed to be a very small cluster of buildings. We could choose to go back the way we came, turn left onto a gravel road, or turn right onto a road that ran parallel to the RR tracks to ... somewhere.  

We turned right. We passed many cattle ranches. We saw a number of big trucks go by us in the opposite direction. We kept on til the road ended. To our immediate left was .....  ah, the Spaceport. We turned left into the spaceport entrance, pulling up to the guard shack with a big STOP sign on its front. There was a color photo of a newborn on the window. A guy without any teeth slid open the window and allowed as how we couldn't go any further. It was all very X Files.

 

So we turned around and went back whence we came, and we were rewarded with cattle crossing the road. Carol was agog with excitement. At one point she wanted to get out of the car, but the three cows who'd stopped to stare at her looked like they were contemplating something vicious, so I said no way, Jose.  

 

We returned to T or C and drove around some neighborhoods. We took a nap upon arriving home.  

T or C has a different vibe than Silver City. Where SC has a large complement of boomers, all seemingly fit and youthful and either creating art or hiking something (did we mention we breakfasted with archaeologists from the Center for Desert Archeology in Silver City?), and concentrating on being laid-back, the T or C inhabitants appear more life-worn. While they, too, have a laid-back air, it seems to have been hard-won through difficult life paths. We see more families here than in Silver City. Here is a telling excerpt about T or C from "pantylion," a restaurant reviewer:

 Epicureans intent on shaved truffles over rennet-free eggs Florentine stay home; T or C is a place where locals go slit-eyed with hostility at the mere mention of calamari.

OK, this may be a little over the top, but you get the idea. T or C is a small town with a large potential for tourism and as a place to live. Maybe it's always been on the brink of its potential. Whatever, I feel attracted to its grittiness.  

CAROL'S REPORT

It feels as if we have been here a week and as the days go by I become more irritated by the name Truth or Consequences.  The story is that Ralph Edwards offered any town in the country willing to change their name to his show would qualify for some monetary gain or something.  Every year the people here voted on whether to continue the name or not and each of the fifty years thereafter they voted to do so.  They don't bother to vote any more and Mzuri said she heard some pilgrim ask a native why they kept it and something of a snub was elicited.  The high school has the original name cut in stone over the door - Hot Springs High School.

We are closing the door on this fine and friendly place, stopping first for breakfast at the Happy Belly Deli then off to Socorro. 

Silver City: Averting an Implosion

[2010 Out West Road Trip.  Travels with Carol.]

In March 2010, my mother, Carol, and I took a road trip from Missouri to New Mexico, in search of sun and warmth. Here is Day 11 of our road trip. 

Saturday, 13 march 10 

MZURI'S REPORT

Both of us really like Silver City. A lot of the locals we encounter are adventuresome relocators, emigrating here from New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, etc., usually by way of other relocation sites. The most common reasons cited are the excellent climate (not too cold or snowy in winter; not too hot in summer) and the laid-back, tolerant atmosphere. Though small, the town has frequent entertainment from the outside and seems to have a plethora of local cultural activities. The locals seem to have embraced their local cable TV access, so there's a great variety of home-grown television. 

 

There are about 2500 college students here, apparently a large number of them graduate students. The school is Western New Mexico State University. There is also a homeless population of rasta-haired young'ns with dogs. They sleep in the Big Ditch under bridges. A lot of boomers also here. Population is about 50/50 Anglo and Latino. However, I don't see much social or business mingling between the two. 

 

Santa Rita Copper Mine outside Silver City

Copper still mined near-abouts when prices good.

 

Yesterday was a very laid-back day ... eventually. At day 9 of our trip, I was in desperate need for cave time or I was going to implode. Thus, for several hours in the afternoon, I stretched out on the couch of our sitting room, watched brainless TV, took a nap beneath the fluffy comforter and enjoyed complete silence between me and my traveling companion. It was heaven. Afterward, I felt completely refreshed and ready for human interaction again.

 

We had dinner at Diane's. Afterward, Carol returned to the hotel and I lingered in the Javalina Coffeehouse with my mp3 player in my ear, reading magazines and drinking a gigantic cup of coffee. 

 

 

CAROL'S REPORT

We are getting ready to leave the Palace Hotel in Silver City now at about 9 AM and will be traveling to Truth & Consequences, NM.  I cringe when identifying that city by such an innocuous name which was influenced by Ralph Edwards and his show. The town decided to retire their original name which was a string of Spanish words ending in Paloma.  This report will be short as the altitude seems to be affecting me adversely.  This morning I discovered that while sitting in the little coffee room here that I had put my shoes on the wrong feet which I only realized when lifting my leg up onto a chair and noticing the toe of each shoe was slanted to the side.