Tiwa Puebloans facts for kids
The Tiwa (also called Tigua) are a group of Puebloans who live in New Mexico. They are known for their traditional Tiwa language. Some Tiwa people also speak Spanish or English today.
The Tiwa are split into two main groups:
- The Northern Tiwa live in Taos and Picuris.
- The Southern Tiwa live in Isleta and Sandia, near what is now Albuquerque. There is also a Southern Tiwa group in Ysleta del Sur near El Paso, Texas.
What's in a Name?
The name Tiwa is the English way of saying Tigua. This name came from the Spanish term Tigua. Today, Tiwa is the most common name used.
The Spanish word Tigua was first used for the Southern Tiwa groups. There were many different spellings of this name over time, like Tiguesh or Tiguex. These names were thought to mean "Isletan," referring to the people from Isleta Pueblo.
Even though the Spanish spelling Tihua is sometimes used, the English spelling Tiwa is more common in schools and books.
A Look Back in Time
The Tiwa people were first written about in 1540 by a Spanish explorer named Coronado. He found a Tiwa town he called Coofor or Tiguex. This town was likely what is now known as Santiago Pueblo.
Coronado and his men fought a war against 12 Southern Tiwa towns near Albuquerque. This war is called the Tiguex War. Because of this war and new diseases brought by the Spanish, many Tiwa villages were left empty.
In 1583, another Spanish explorer, Antonio de Espejo, visited the Tiwa towns of Tiguex (Kuaua) and Puaray.
Life for the Tiwa people of Isleta Pueblo in the late 1800s is described in a book called "The Padre of Isleta."
See also
In Spanish: Tihua para niños
