Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico are often called borderlands and some of the communities in the San Luis Valley are among the oldest in the state.
With Hispanic Heritage Month now underway, KRCC’s Shanna Lewis spoke with History Colorado’s Chief Community Museum Officer Eric Carpio about the area's rich Chicano, Latino and Hispano history and some of the newer exhibits presented by the historical society. He’s based at the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center in the San Luis Valley.
These highlights from the conversation have been edited for length and clarity.
On why the Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico region is often referred to as a borderland
Eric Carpio: Where the fort (in Fort Garland) exists was once Mexico prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 and prior even to Mexican independence in 1821. The San Luis Valley was at the very northern edge of the Spanish colonial empire.
So over the course of 27 or 28 years, the residents of this region really changed citizenship three times, from Spanish to Mexican to American. And while those geopolitical borders are changing, I think it's also important to remember that the San Luis Valley is significant homelands and sacred spaces to several different Indigenous communities from the region, including the Ute, Jicarilla Apache, Navajo or Dine, and many of the Pueblos in Northern New Mexico.
So it's an area really where people have come together. It's a space of convergence, it's a space of changing borders, and this convergence of people, I think lead to that borderlands culture.
“My whole family, starting from Vicente Velasquez, who moved here in the 1840s, they helped pave the way for where all of my family is today. Of course, we're not very rich. My grandpa, he taught me how to do everything I know how to do. He taught me how to do everything.”
- Antonio Juan Velasquez of Antonito recorded during History Colorado’s Museum of Memory Project
Traditions and knowledge are passed down through the families
Carpio: Given the history of the region, people in the valley for generations have had to be fairly resourceful and a lot of the knowledge connected to survival in this space has been passed down along generations — whether that's connected to the agricultural history, whether that's connected to the spiritual practices, the practice of traditions, some of the arts practices. It's a common occurrence, a common theme here in the valley.
On exhibit De La Tierra: Reflections of Place in the Upper Rio Grande
Carpio: You can't understand anything related to the history or even modern day practice in the valley without understanding the land and the significance of the land (in the San Luis Valley). That includes the mountains, it includes the water, it includes the night sky even. It's so integral because the people who've been here for generations have relied on the land for survival, so there's these deep connections here that continue until today.
On exhibit ¡Viva La Causa! Long Live the Cause! The Art of Change
Carpio: This exhibit explores the history of art and the influence of art as it connects to social justice movements and activism. And the two time periods that really are the focus of the exhibit. One is the 1960s and early 70s during the Chicano Rights Movement, in particular in Southern Colorado. The land rights movement [is covered], and looking at art in that context and also comparing [the earlier movement] to activism that's more contemporary.
Culture and history doesn't just end at the state line
Carpio: When the state line was drawn in 1861, when this part of Colorado became Colorado territory, there was a lot of controversy about that on both sides of the border. Because in essence when we drew that line, we separated long history and family ties across borders. Many of the earliest non-Native settlers into the San Luis Valley are families who moved into Colorado from Taos and Abiquiu and other communities across northern New Mexico. So there's really this shared history, this shared story, this kinship across borders.
Why highlight Hispanic heritage in Southern Colorado?
Carpio: It offers us a time to intentionally reflect on the history and the influence and the impact of people in this area. (We can) shine a light on many of these conversations and many of these histories, so that folks from outside of the area who maybe haven't thought about these issues or aren't as closely connected, can maybe think about our state's history, our region's history through a broader lens and a broader perspective.
Learn more about History Colorado's Hispanic Heritage Exhibits below
- De la Tierra | History Colorado
- ¡Viva La Causa! Long Live the Cause! The Art of Change
- Museum of Memory | Community Historical Initiative | History Colorado
- Borderlands of Southern Colorado Initiative
History Colorado is a financial supporter of Colorado Public Radio, which operates KRCC. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
