Tiwa people
Encyclopedia
The Tiwa are group of related Tanoan pueblo people
s in New Mexico
and Texas
. They traditionally spoke a Tiwa language
(although some speakers have switched to Spanish and/or English), and are divided into the two Northern Tiwa groups, in Taos
and Picuris, and the Southern Tiwa in Isleta
and Sandia
, around what is now Albuquerque, and near El Paso
.
. The Spanish term has also been used in English writings although the term Tiwa now is dominant.
In Spanish Tigua only was applied to the Southern Tiwa groups (in Tiguex territory). Spanish variants of Tigua include Cheguas, Chiguas, Téoas, Tiguas, Tigües, Tiguesh, Tigüex, Tiguex, Tigüez, Tihuex, Tioas, Tziquis. The names Atzigues, Atziqui, Tihues, and Tziquis were originally applied to the Piro
but later writers confused these terms for the Piro with the terms for the Southern Tiwa. A further confusion is with some of the terms for the Tewa (Tegua, Tehuas, Teoas) being applied to both the Tewa and (Southern) Tiwa indiscrimately. The forms Tiguesh, Tigüex, and Tiguex are meant to represent a pronunciation of tiweʃ which the supposedly an Isletan term meaning "Isletan" according to Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier
. The term Tiguan is usually given instead Bandelier's Tigüex — this being a representation of the Isletan term for "Southern Tiwas" and recorded in modern times as Tíwan with the term Tiwáde for the singular "(a) Southern Tiwa" (J. P. Harrington recorded the singular as Tiwa and said that Tiwa/Tiwan could also be used to refer to Northern Tiwas).
in 1541, and a pueblo (town) referred to by him as both Tigua and Tiguex was most likely Kuaua, but possibly Puaray. Coronado fought the Tiguex War
against 12 of the southern Tiwa pueblos around what is now Albuquerque, which together with the diseases the Spanish brought, resulted in the abandonment of many of the villages.
In February 1583, the merchant Antonio de Espejo came up the Rio Grande
to Tiguex (Kuaua), and Puaray (Espejo's own statement).
The everyday life of Tiwas Indians of Isleta Pueblo
during the end of the 19th century is abundantly described in the book "The Padre of Isleta".
Pueblo people
The Pueblo people are a Native American people in the Southwestern United States. Their traditional economy is based on agriculture and trade. When first encountered by the Spanish in the 16th century, they were living in villages that the Spanish called pueblos, meaning "towns". Of the 21...
s in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They traditionally spoke a Tiwa language
Tiwa languages
Tiwa is a group of two, possibly three, related Tanoan languages spoken by the Tiwa Pueblo, and possibly Piro Pueblo, groups in the U.S...
(although some speakers have switched to Spanish and/or English), and are divided into the two Northern Tiwa groups, in Taos
Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Taos speaking Native American tribe of Pueblo people. It is approximately 1000 years old and lies about north of the modern city of Taos, New Mexico, USA...
and Picuris, and the Southern Tiwa in Isleta
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo is an unincorporated Tanoan pueblo in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, originally established around the 14th century.-Overview:...
and Sandia
Sandia Pueblo
Sandia Pueblo is a tribe of Native American Pueblo people inhabiting a 101.114 km² reservation of the same name in the eastern Rio Grande Valley of central New Mexico, located three miles south of Bernalillo off Highway 85 in southern Sandoval County and northern Bernalillo County, at...
, around what is now Albuquerque, and near El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
.
Name
Tiwa is the English name for these peoples, which is derived from the Spanish term Tigua and put into use by Frederick Webb HodgeFrederick Webb Hodge
Frederick W. Hodge was an editor, anthropologist, archaeologist, and historian born in Plymouth, England to Edwin and Emily Hodge. His parents moved to Washington, D.C. when Frederick was seven years old....
. The Spanish term has also been used in English writings although the term Tiwa now is dominant.
In Spanish Tigua only was applied to the Southern Tiwa groups (in Tiguex territory). Spanish variants of Tigua include Cheguas, Chiguas, Téoas, Tiguas, Tigües, Tiguesh, Tigüex, Tiguex, Tigüez, Tihuex, Tioas, Tziquis. The names Atzigues, Atziqui, Tihues, and Tziquis were originally applied to the Piro
Piro
Piro may refer to:*Piro Pueblo, one of many Native American peoples along the Rio Grande in North America*The Piro language of the Maipurean family in Brazil...
but later writers confused these terms for the Piro with the terms for the Southern Tiwa. A further confusion is with some of the terms for the Tewa (Tegua, Tehuas, Teoas) being applied to both the Tewa and (Southern) Tiwa indiscrimately. The forms Tiguesh, Tigüex, and Tiguex are meant to represent a pronunciation of tiweʃ which the supposedly an Isletan term meaning "Isletan" according to Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier
Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier
Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier was an American archaeologist after whom Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, United States, is named....
. The term Tiguan is usually given instead Bandelier's Tigüex — this being a representation of the Isletan term for "Southern Tiwas" and recorded in modern times as Tíwan with the term Tiwáde for the singular "(a) Southern Tiwa" (J. P. Harrington recorded the singular as Tiwa and said that Tiwa/Tiwan could also be used to refer to Northern Tiwas).
History
The Tiwa are first mentioned by CoronadoFrancisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
in 1541, and a pueblo (town) referred to by him as both Tigua and Tiguex was most likely Kuaua, but possibly Puaray. Coronado fought the Tiguex War
Tiguex War
The Tiguex War was the first war between Europeans and Native Americans in what is now the American West. It was fought in the winter of 1540-41 by the army of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado against the twelve to twenty now disappeared pueblos of Tiwa Indians along both sides of the Rio Grande,...
against 12 of the southern Tiwa pueblos around what is now Albuquerque, which together with the diseases the Spanish brought, resulted in the abandonment of many of the villages.
In February 1583, the merchant Antonio de Espejo came up the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
to Tiguex (Kuaua), and Puaray (Espejo's own statement).
The everyday life of Tiwas Indians of Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo is an unincorporated Tanoan pueblo in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, originally established around the 14th century.-Overview:...
during the end of the 19th century is abundantly described in the book "The Padre of Isleta".