Chapter 5
What did Po-pay wear on his hand? Why was that appropriate for him?
Po-pay wore a brown bear paw on his hand. It was appropriate for him because the bear was recognized as a very human-like, very strong animal. The bear was a symbol of nature, very appropriate for a holy man in a nature religion. For Po-pay, the brown bear paw was “an outward symbol of his inward beliefs.”
What special knowledge and ability did Po-pay draw on to choose the time for the revolt? What time did he choose?
Po-pay, a holy man in a nature religion,drew on his knowledge of nature and his environment, as well as his knowledge of the Spanish supply train schedule, to choose the time for the revolt–early August. He knew that because of the extremely heavy snowfall during the previous winter, and the very wet spring, that the thaw would come late and the heavy snowmelt would cause the river to run high and stop the supply caravan from crossing the river down South.
Give three examples to show that the Pueblo people had an organized strategy for carrying out the revolt once hostilities began.
The men were divided into separate parties, each with a separate mission. Patrols were assigned to stop all traffic on the trails. The attack time in different places was coordinated through the use of the knotted cords.
What rumor did people spread about the revolt in the North?
People spread the rumor that all people in the North including the governor and everyone in Bead Water were dead.
Why did Po-pay move to Red Willow?
Po-pay moved to Red Willow because it was farther from Bead Water so he would escape Spanish scrutiny. Also, because Red Willow was not his home community, he was more free there to carry on the business of planning the revolt without his home community and family to distract him.
Were all of the tuyos loyal to the Spanish? Explain.
No, all of the tuyos were not loyal to the Spanish. Tuyo Francisco Pacheco of Red Willow (Taos) was one who sided with Po-pay and the other leaders.
What two weapons used against the Spanish “cost the Indians no dead”?
Confusion and despair were the two weapons that “cost the Indians no dead.”
How was news of the plan spread? Who were the messengers and why were these people especially suited for that role?
News of the revolt was spread by multilingual traders and medicine men. They were especially suited for this role because they normally travelled from village to village, therefore, they could do so without arousing the suspicions of the Spanish.
What role did deliberate misinformation play in the revolt?
Deliberate misinformation, such as Pacheco’s lie that all of the Spanish in the North including the governor and his Secretary of War were dead, caused the Spanish to believe that they were indeed in serious trouble. This gave the Indians a psychological advantage.
What Pueblos were west of Kick Flint? Give both their name as given in the book and their modern names.
The three Pueblos west of Kick Flint (Isleta Pueblo) were White Rock (Acoma), Zuni, and Big Leggings (Hopi, in Arizona)
Why and how were the Apaches involved?
The Apaches were originally paid by the Spanish to capture Pueblo children for the Spanish, who paid them with horses and weapons. Later, the Spanish also began taking Apache children, which Po-pay knew the Apaches did not appreciate. Po-pay knew that they were fierce fighters who would be valuable allies, and that they had a good motivation to side with the Pueblo people against the Spanish, so he enlisted their support.
Why did the Pueblo people not show mercy even to Spanish children?
The Pueblo people did not show mercy even to Spanish children because they had to convince the Governor that they were serious about making the Spanish leave and reclaiming their land and original way of life.
What was the easternmost Pueblo town?
Stone Top (Pecos Pueblo)was the easternmost Pueblo town. It stood at the edge of the plains and had become an influential and prosperous trading center.
Many of the people in this town had become faithful Christians, but none of them were sent to Mexico City to study for the priesthood? Why not, in your opinion?
The Spanish claim that it was too far for the Pueblo people to walk does not ring true, because walking (and running) was the Pueblo people’s primary mode of traveling from one place to another. It’s more likely that there was racism involved. Priests were highly respected in Spanish culture, so it’s not likely that a people with such acute class consciousness as the Spanish would want indigenous people to rise to such a high status position in their society.