Jemez Historic Site

Just outside the high desert town of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, stand the ruins of an ancient village, once home to the Indigenous Jemez people that gave the town its name. They knew it as Gíusewa, the village by the sulfur, named after the many hot springs in the area. Though it was a small village, Gíusewa earned a reputation for its remarkable beauty. Over the centuries, the nature of that beauty has shifted, taking on new forms.

Founded around the 1300s, Gíusewa hosted a maximum population of about one thousand. Like the other pueblos of New Mexico, it was occupied by the Spanish during their colonization of the New World. Newly christened San Jose, the village came under the custodianship of Fray Geronimo Zarate Salmeron in 1621. His church, completed by Jemez laborers in 1622, featured colorful frescos and an unusual octagonal bell tower. Though its church was formidable for a village of its size, Gíusewa was abandoned by the Spanish just 18 years later, as they turned their focus on the larger Jemez village at Walatowa. After the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, the remaining Jemez residents left as well. However, their old village was not forgotten.

In winter, the site bursts to life in an event called the Lights of Gisewa. Hundreds of glowing paper lanterns, called farolitos, line the sidewalks and walls of the village. These lanterns (sometimes called luminarias) contain a votive candle insulated from the paper bag by a layer of sand. It is considered a distinctly New Mexican tradition, developed by Spanish settlers and the Puebloans. The Lights of Gisewa usually features traditional dances by the Jemez people, and stalls outside the complex selling local food and crafts.

The rest of the year, the ruins of Gíusewa are much more deserted. It is easy to have the site to yourself on a weekend, to wander between the ancient walls and learn the history of its people. It is even possible to visit the kiva, a sacred underground structure used for meetings and rituals. As you explore the remains of this village, do remember to be respectful. Gíusewa was a home for many people, and is an important part of the cultural heritage of the Jemez people and of New Mexico.