In Quest of Saint Anthony Cemetery, Questa, N.M.

 

As a seasoned “taphophile” I keep an eye out for burial sites when traveling to and through new places. 

One such find we spotted on our approach to Taos, N.M. where we would visit the old and historic Taos Pueblo village. 

We made a quick stop in another village, Questa. so I could check out this cemetery. It certainly looks different from most of the burial grounds in the Charleston area. 

I was struck by the rugged look of Saint Anthony Catholic Cemetery (also known as Questa Cemetery). There are many minimalist wooden grave markers amid the shrub grasslands. 

This site lists several dozens of people buried here.

Time for Taos and its Special Native People

 

Taos, New Mexico (elevation 6,969 feet) was the next stop on our Southwest journey. Alesia did her research and really wanted us to visit the Taos Pueblo UNESCO World Heritage Site- and I’m glad we did because this is a fascinating slice of American history. And it represents a people today holding on to traditions and a way of life. 

Upon arrival, I didn’t know what to expect. I guess I was thinking ancient dwellings in the side of mountains, a la the Aztecs and Incas. Not really the case at all. 

The adobe dwellings are old but they are also very much in use today as homes for today’s Tiwa or Tiwa Puebloans (or Taos Indians which is easier to remember). Other structures are shops where art, crafts, jewelry, and other items made by these native Americans are sold to tourists.