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Cochiti Indian Tribe History
Cochiti (Ko-chi-ti'). A
Keresan tribe and its pueblo on the west bank of the Rio Grande,
27 miles south west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Before moving to
their present location the inhabitants occupied the Tyuonyi, or
Rito de los Frijoles, the Potrero de las Vacas, the pueblo of
Haatze on Potrero San Miguel or Potrero del Capulin, and the
pueblo of Kuapa in the Cañada
de Cochiti. Up to this time, which was still before the earliest
Spanish explorations, the ancestors of the present San Felipe
inhabitants and those of Cochiti formed one tribe speaking a
single dialect, but on account of the persistent hostility of
their north neighbors, the Tewa (to whom is attributed this
gradual southerly movement and through whore they were compelled
to abandon Kuapa), the tribe was divided, one branch going
southward, where they built the pueblo of Katishtya (later
called San Felipe), while the other took refuge on the Potrero
Viejo, where they established at least a temporary pueblo known
as Hanut Cochiti. On the abandonment of this village they
retired 6 or 7 miles south east to the site of the present
Cochiti, on the Rio Grande, where they were found by Oñate
in 1598. The Cochiti took an active part in the Pueblo revolt of
1680, but remained in their pueblo for 15 months after the
outbreak, when, learning of the return of Gov. Otertnin to
reconquer New Mexico, they retreated with the Keresan tribes of
San Felipe and Santo Domingo, re-enforced by some Tewa from San
Marcos and by Tigua from Taos and Picuris, to the Potrero Viejo,
where they remained until about 1683, when it was reported that
all the villages from San Felipe northward were inhabited.
Between 1683 and 1692 the Cochiti, with their San Felipe and San
Marcos allies, again took refuge on the Potrero Viejo. In the
fall of the latter year they were visited in their fortified
abode (known to the Spaniards as Cieneguilla) by Vargas, the
reconqueror of New Mexico, who induced them to promise to return
to their permanent villages on the Rio Grande. But only San
Felipe proved sincere, for in 1692 the Cochiti returned to the
Potrero, where they remained until early in the following year,
when Vargas, with 70 soldiers, 20 colonists, and 100 warriors
from the friendly villagers of San Felipe, Santa Ana, and Sia,
assaulted the pueblo at midnight and forced the Cochiti to flee,
the Indian allies leaving for the protection of their own homes.
The force of Vargas being thus weakened, the Cochiti returned,
surprised the Spaniard, and succeeded in liberating most of the
Indian captives. Vargas remained a short time, then burned the
pueblo and evacuated the Potrero, taking with him to Santa Fe a
large quantity of corn and other booty and nearly 200 captive
women. Cochiti was the seat of the Spanish mission of San
Buenaventura, with 300 inhabitants in 1680, but it was reduced
to a visita of Santo Domingo after 1782. These villagers
recognize the following clans, those marked with an asterisk
being extinct: Oshach (Sun), Tsits (Water), Itra (Cottonwood),
Shuwhami (Turquoise), Mohkach (Mountain Lion), Kuhaia (Bear),
Tanyi (Calabash), Shrutsuna (Coyote), Hapanyi (Oak), Yaka (Corn,
Hakanyi (Fire), *Dyami (Eagle) *Tsin (Turkey), *Kuts (Antelope),
*Shruhwi (Rattlesnake), *Washpa (Dance-kilt), *Kishqra
(Reindeer?). In addition, Bandelier notes an Ivy and a Mexican
Sage clan.
Present population 300. The Cochiti people occupy
a grant of 24,256 acres, allotted to them by the Spanish
government and confirmed by United States patent in 1864.
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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