Hike to Waterfalls in Nambe Pueblo in New Mexico

We're traveling to the foothills of the Sangra de Cristo Mountains to Nambé Pueblo

Nambé Pueblo is one of eight northern pueblos, southwestern Native American communities with rich ties to the past

I'm heading out on a hike with Ranger Wayne V. Hill in the Nambay Falls Recreation Area

So we're going to head on up to the overlook. In the upper trail. On the upper trail

Settled in the early 14th century, The Pueblo today has around 20,000 acres of rangelands, waterfalls, a lake, and mountainous terrain

So the water is a different source for all the different communities between here and the Rio Grande

From here it goes down to our Pueblo here in Lombin, and it goes down into Pauauca and El Rancho, Haccona

all the way down to Sano de Fonzo down by the Rio Grande itself. So we're heading up into that little saddle right over there

It's not too bad, but always us. Climbing at these altitudes for someone from the east coast is a little more challenging

We hike by a variety of plants and wildflowers before we reach a spot with the best views of the falls

Sometimes you see the deer laying up in those grass fields up there, bedded down during the day

Nice place to unplug. Unplug, unwind, and clear your head. Being out here in nature is some of the best therapy you could ever ask for

Why pay for it when we can just go outdoors and separate yourself from technology

Better than being locked up in an office somewhere. That for sure Definitely We in this sheltered rounded bowl here Yeah surrounded by the cliffs and the trees and the water sound of the water falling

the beautiful place to be. Makes a kind of feeling at home

To learn more about the local culture, I'm meeting with Nambay Pueblo's governor, Philip Perez

To take a language lesson. Bipuave, which means welcome. Bipuave. Yes, Bipuave

Hanambio is, how are you doing? Hanambio. And the response to Hanambio is by people, meaning well

Okay, but people. The people of Nambé Pueblo speak Tewa, part of a family of languages spoken by indigenous peoples

in present-day New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Tewa is handed down orally from generation to generation

and spoken in six southwestern pueblos in New Mexico and Arizona. With only about 1,300 people speaking Tewa

it's a language that's considered to be endangered. One thing that we've always been taught as kids growing up

is one is to remember your tradition, speak your language, but to definitely go off to seek higher education

and see what the world has to offer. But always to come

back home. And what we learn on the outside is to bring that back with us and make our

community better with what we learned. How do you say thank you in Tewa

Guta Woha. Guatawha. Yes. Well, Gutuwaha for having me here at Nambay, Pawa

You're welcome