Our intense journey to Santo Domingo Pueblo was very spiritual and full of affection with the Lovato family. They accepted to us to go visit their reservation where there are respected and united as a family. The moment we came in, I just suddenly felt ‘family’ already with them. They just appreciate us to experience their culture and lives. I was then speechless when Anthony gave an inspiring message:  “When you understand the feeling, that’s love”.

Wheels running as Barbra followed Anthony gave directions to his home, we see a cute and shabby pueblo outside with a well spaced patio, the family members seated waiting for our arrival. There, Anthony’s mother glance on each of us and gave a welcoming greeting. She smiled satisfactorily along with us as we introduced ourselves. Afterward, he decided to take us to his workshop where he makes jewelry. He explained how to make his jewelry and his generations of jewelry making. It was very appealing to learn every detail from the start to finished jewelry.

Finally, after listening to his explanation of jewelry, we were escorted to his family’s house where there’s packed full with people from neighbors to friends to family members. The head of the house invited us to join their family’s dinner to eat. I felt that I am part of the family when they passed the food to us and talked about many things together also shared some laughter with us. It was a great supper with them. Actually, today is Saint Peter’s Day, a special feast day for them to celebrate their religion. So it meant a lot to us to be honored along with them during their special annual celebration. This made me realize how they treat others in their village. They are very welcoming and give everything they need.

After we finished feeding our bellies full, all was arranged to go to see their festival. His family brought chairs and a mini cooler filled with beverages and food for us. Also he even set up a wagon with tent cover, so that we can sit under the shade while we watched their festival.

The first thing we noticed at the far end of the dusty ‘plaza’ near the church is men on horses lined up straight, waiting for a chicken to be hung up on the rope between two tall poles. The horses hooves flew and the men galloped one by one to try to reach the chicken above through two poles. Once one of the men got the chicken, he had to hold the chicken tightly and gallop away in a hurry before other men try to steal the chicken. However, the men had to wrestle to get the chicken from the rider. Even though it may be a bit broken, the live chicken will be granted to give their families for their dinner. That kind of tradition is kind of brutal but that’s how they do in Pueblo’s tradition.  This tradition was brought by the Spaniards 500 years ago, but they still practice it today.

This routine repeats itself until other events take their place. We also saw children separated by ages run a swift foot race to get prizes. If they go first, they get bigger prizes of course! The Lovato family and few others encourage me to participate, which I declined, BUT Jacob and Caesar joined the children. I didn’t really want to run with them because outside is sizzling hot and exhausting. So I prefer to sit and watch them as they run to get the prizes. The boys got small towels as prizes. Actually, it is a great prize for them because they both are sweating hard, so towels might be the best present to ease their sweats!

At last, we left with good byes from the Lovato family and went to home to work on our journals! The big lesson I ever learned is love your neighbors and love your enemies, and I want to pass this along to you; Go ahead to love your neighbors and love your enemies.