The Berkeley-Abiquiú Collaborative Archaeology project is a joint venture between the Merced del Pueblo Abiquiú, el Pueblo de Abiquiú Library and Cultural Center, and UC Berkeley Archaeologists led by Dr. Jun Sunseri. The project was initiated to develop community and visitor engagement with the history of the Pueblo as a Genízaro place. Genízaro is a Spanish Colonial term describing indigenous people who were captured or sold into indentured servitude (often for all intents and purposes slavery) and their descendants who were relocated and organized as part of Spanish Colonial communities. Together with the project’s community partners, I developed research investigating historic irrigation technology known as acequias on the communally held lands of the Pueblo. These features have significance for understanding past Genízaro lifeways, contributing to contemporary Genízaro heritage revitalization, and future water rights cases. Fieldwork included survey and test excavations with 9 Abiquiú high school interns. Fieldwork in 2017 was concurrent with a residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute themed around water rights.
See Making My Way Down the Acequia for a description of creative “zine making” that was a part of this project.
