Popé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Popé
Statue of Popé by Cliff Fragua (2005) representing New Mexico in the National Statuary Hall
Born	c. 1630 Ohkay Owingeh, New Spain
Died	c. 1692
Nationality	Tewa

Popé or Po'pay (born around 1630, died around 1692) was a Tewa religious leader. He came from Ohkay Owingeh, a place the Spanish later called San Juan Pueblo. Popé led the famous Pueblo Revolt in 1680. This revolt was a fight against the Spanish who ruled the area. It was the first time Native Americans successfully pushed the Spanish out of their land. The Pueblo people kept the Spanish away for twelve years.

Life Before the Revolt

Spanish rule over the Pueblo Indians started in 1598. This was in the Rio Grande valley of New Mexico. At first, there were many Pueblo people, perhaps 40,000 to 80,000. But they lived in many separate towns. They often spoke different languages and sometimes fought each other. This made it hard for them to unite against the Spanish.

The Spanish treated the Pueblo people harshly. They forced them to work and tried to stop their religious ceremonies. Many Pueblo people died from violence, forced labor, and European diseases. These diseases were new to them, and they had no way to fight them. By the late 1600s, the Pueblo population had dropped to about 15,000.

Popé first appears in history in 1675. He was one of 47 Pueblo religious leaders arrested by the Spanish government. They were accused of "witchcraft." Three of these leaders were killed, and one died in prison. The others, including Popé, were sent to prison in Santa Fe. They were sentenced to be sold into slavery.

However, seventy Pueblo warriors came to the governor's office. They politely but firmly demanded that Popé and the others be set free. The governor agreed to release them. This was likely because the colony was facing attacks from Apaches and Navajo. He did not want to risk a Pueblo revolt at that time. Popé was known as a strong and inspiring leader. People respected him, and some even feared him.

After his release, Popé went to the quiet Taos Pueblo. There, he began to plan a rebellion. Popé's message was clear: get rid of the Spanish and their influence. He wanted the Pueblo people to return to their old ways of life. These old ways had brought them peace, wealth, and freedom. Popé's plan brought together many Pueblo communities. He shared his message with more and more people.

Popé started talking secretly with leaders from all the other pueblos. They decided to begin the revolt on August 13, 1680. Runners were sent to each Pueblo town. They carried knotted cords. The number of knots showed how many days were left until the revolt began. The revolt actually started a bit earlier than planned. It was amazing that the Pueblo people kept the plan secret. This showed how much they disliked the Spanish. Only the Tiguex area, near Santa Fe, did not join. The Southern Piros were not asked to join.

The Pueblo Revolt

The years before the revolt had been fairly calm. The Spanish in Santa Fe were surprised when a report came on August 10. It said a Spanish priest had been killed at a Pueblo town close to Santa Fe. By August 15, about 1,000 Spanish people had gathered in the Governor's palace in Santa Fe. A Pueblo army led by Popé surrounded them. The Spanish thought this army had about 2,500 warriors. Other Spanish survivors had fled south to a friendly Pueblo town called Isleta. From there, they continued their escape.

On August 21, the Spanish broke out of the palace. They began a long journey south, leaving New Mexico behind. They did not stop until they reached El Paso. Nearly 2,000 Spanish people survived. The revolt cost 400 Spanish lives. This included 21 of the 33 priests in New Mexico.

After the Revolt

Popé had successfully forced the Spanish out of New Mexico. Later stories say he became the sole ruler of all the Pueblos. He tried to remove every sign of Spanish presence. He reportedly said, "The God of the Christians is dead. He was made of rotten wood."

In 1681, a Spanish force of 300 men tried to return to New Mexico. But Popé's army pushed them back. Another Spanish attempt in 1687 also failed. However, getting rid of the Spanish did not bring complete peace and wealth to the Pueblos. Returning to their old religion did not bring rain during a bad drought. This drought destroyed crops.

The Apaches and Navajo increased their raids on the Pueblos. The Pueblo people remembered that the Spanish had offered some protection from these raiders. Also, old rivalries divided the Pueblo villages. Many Pueblos did not like Popé's efforts to rule over all of them. They saw him as a harsh leader. Some Pueblos were also sincere Christians. They had family and friends among the Spanish. While fighting the Spanish united the Pueblos, they struggled to stay united once their common enemy was gone.

Popé likely died in 1688. The united Pueblo state he had hoped for was divided and weak. In 1692, Governor Diego de Vargas returned with an army. It included 150 Spanish soldiers and pro-Spanish Pueblo warriors. Vargas wisely offered forgiveness instead of punishment. Most of the Pueblos slowly accepted Spanish rule again. However, some violent resistance continued for several years. Only the distant Hopi people, living in what is now Arizona, kept their freedom. Many Pueblos also went to live among the Navajo and Apaches.

Popé's Legacy

Matthew Martinez from Popé's home Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh, said something important. He noted that it took a special person to plan a revolt across two dozen communities. These communities spoke six different languages. They were spread out over nearly 400 miles. Most of what we know about Popé comes from Spanish records. These records, and their Native American helpers, were often against Popé. So, the information might not be completely fair.

Both the Spanish and the Pueblos suffered greatly from the revolt. But one thing is clear: the relationship between the Spanish and the Pueblos changed a lot after the revolt. The feared encomienda system (forced labor) was banned in New Mexico. Franciscan priests no longer stopped Pueblo religious ceremonies. This was allowed as long as the Pueblos followed some basic Catholic practices. Pueblo warriors and Spanish soldiers even became allies. They fought together against common enemies like the Apaches, Navajo, Utes, and the Comanche. Because of this, New Mexico became a mix of Spanish and Pueblo cultures.

Honoring Popé

On September 22, 2005, a statue of Popé was revealed. It was placed in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Congress building. The artist, Cliff Fragua, was the first American Indian artist to have a statue there. The statue is a bit larger than life-size. It shows Popé holding a knotted cord in his left hand. This cord was the signal to start the revolt. In his right hand, he holds a bear charm. Behind him is a pot. Both of these items represent the Pueblo world and their religion.

Herman Agoyo of Ohkay Owingeh said, "To the Pueblo people here, Popé is our hero." He added that tribes were close to losing their culture. The Pueblo revolt helped bring everything back for their people. Popé's statue is one of two statues given by New Mexico to the National Statuary Hall Collection. It is now displayed in the Capitol Visitors' Center.

Popé is also mentioned in books. He appears in Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop. He is also the name of a character in Huxley's book Brave New World. In that story, the character Popé holds onto old traditions.

Images for kids

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  In Spanish: Popé para niños