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Pláticas are Back !!
Yes, friends, your favorite lecture series starts again on Tuesday, January 26 and continues on the last Tuesday of each month until the final one of the year in October. We’ve lined up a great roster of lecturers speaking on topics that will thrill and fascinate you. We’ll be publishing the season’s offerings on our website soon – so stay tuned!
First up is long-time MPPP survey and recording volunteer and avid rock art researcher, John Pitts, with his lecture When Lightning Strikes Twice.
Have you ever wondered what happens when a lightning bolt strikes ground? Most people presume bolts hit trees, splitting the trunks or even incinerating the entire tree. Indeed, many forest fires are blamed on lightning strikes, particularly during drought periods. Others see boulders shattered by strikes and believe that the magnetic force of the rock has been altered. In fact, based on extensive research, John has discovered that these powerful bolts of electricity leave permanent marks on rocks that appear as wavy white lines.
How does that strike you? Did the early inhabitants of the Southwest take note of that phenomenon? They were indeed keen observers of nature and had strong beliefs about the relationship of nature and human survival. How did they interpret those lines imprinted on rocks and cliffs where they lived? John will offer some possible answers to these questions.
John has studied the phenomenon of lightning bolt tracks on rock surfaces, so-called rock furgulites, for years. His research has raised a number of questions pertaining to the frequency of those strikes, the dating of them and the possible connection to the associated rock art. Since little has been established scientifically in relation to lightning bolt strikes to date, the field is wide open. Nevertheless, John will put forth certain theories that hopefully will lead to a lively discussion on the topic and help to expand the understanding of the relationship between one aspect of nature and the life patterns of Native Americans.
Join us at our usual spot – Historic Los Luceros – on Tuesday, January 26 at 6:30pm for refreshments and the first of our Pláticas Presentations.
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Board Profiles -
Candy Berry
Candy Berry has been a long time supporter of MPPP and a 25-year resident of Alcalde, a small village north of Espanola and across the Rio Grande from the petroglyphs in Rio Arriba County.
She says: “Katherine Wells, the founder of MPPP, introduced me to the petroglyphs on Mesa Prieta when we met and became friends about 20 years ago and I have been a rock art enthusiast ever since. I joined the MPPP Board of Directors in June 2014 and accepted the position of Treasurer of the organization. I have extensive financial management experience from working as a district financial manager with Shell Oil and as owner/partner of retail picture framing businesses in Palo Alto, CA and Santa Fe. I also have volunteered for many years and served on the Board of Directors for the Espanola Valley Humane Society, operator of the Espanola Animal Shelter. As Treasurer of MPPP I have endeavored to extend and refine our financial reporting so that it is more accessible to Board members and of more use in making decisions for the organization.
I believe that once someone has seen some of the thousands of petroglyphs that are on Mesa Prieta they will become a supporter too. If you have not visited, go on our web site, make a date for a tour and be transformed.”
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MPPP on Video
Always fancied being a producer? Want to see your name in a film’s credits? MPPP has received a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to make a video about Mesa Prieta and MPPP to use for promotional and educational purposes. We’ll be working with the outstanding film program at the Santa Fe Community College, under the direction of Gene Mederos. Many Native American and Hispano students will be involved in making the video. Under the terms of the grant, we are required to find matching funds to help get the job done. We hope that you or your business will want to help out! Contact Jill Battson for more details.
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Spring Teacher Training
Due to popular demand we are excited to announce our Spring Teacher Training Session at Historic Los Luceros on Friday, January 22, 8:30 – 3:30. Facilitated by our Education Coordinator, Esta Gutierrez, and Judith Chaddick, this professional development workshop for fourth to seventh grade teachers will give an overview of the entire 19-unit Discovering Mesa Prieta curriculum that they can use in their classrooms. Our special material trunks packed with photos, books, DVDs, artifacts, and other treasures to bring the curriculum to life will be available for loan. As well, informational tours of the Wells Petroglyph Preserve will be offered. Last October’s Teacher Training session was a huge hit – not only did teachers learn how to use the curriculum, but they learned a few things about Mesa Prieta themselves! There are still a few spots left, so If you are a teacher, or know a teacher who might be interested, please email Esta Gutierrez or call her at 505 852 4711.
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Our end-of-year fundraising initiative – the No Show Preservation Ball – ends on January 15. There’s still time to make a donation!
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Fiber Rocks!!
The exhibition that ‘rocked’ Española is coming to Santa Fe! This Friday, January 8 from 5 – 8pm Fiber Rocks! will open at El Museo de Cultural in the heart of Santa Fe’s Railyard. Given the larger space there will be a few more fiber works on display, plus the artists will be on hand to talk about their work. Founder, Katherine Wells, and MPPP Project Director, Janet MacKenzie, will give a primer on the Mesa Prieta’s Petroglyphs – the inspiration for these lovely works of art. The next day, Saturday, January 9 at 11:00am, EVFAC and MPPP’s education coordinators will team up to lead a family day experience where kids can learn about fiber of all sorts, as well as a little about the petroglyphs. All activities are free, so please join us!
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Native Americans are invited to participate in docent led tours on the Wells Petroglyph
Preserve at no charge. Indian Market Tours excepted.
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Designated Giving
In 2015 we were fortunate to receive a special, designated donation from long-time supporters of MPPP, Janet and John Mockovciak. They gave us funds to help hire our Education Coordinator, Esta Gutierrez, and the results of her work in the local education community have been remarkable! We are thrilled and grateful to announce that in the first few days of 2016 the Mockovciaks renewed their support, enabling Esta to continue her good work!
Janet and John, who hail from Dallas, are part time Taos residents. The Mockovciaks are no strangers to supporting education initiatives. Their major funding focus is narrowing the achievement gap for low-income students through afterschool programs. In Dallas, Janet created the Dallas AfterSchool Network, where she still serves on the board, and was a founding board member of the Texas Partnership for Out of School Time, and of the homeless teen drop in center, Incarnation House. In Taos the Mockovciaks support the Harwood Museum’s Art in the Schools program and the School Zone-Taos.
Translations of our curriculum, encouraging increased participation in our Summer Youth Intern Program, expanding our library, supporting archeological research - we have many initiatives that need your monetary contributions if you, like the Mockovciaks, have a special area of interest that you would like to support.
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Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project