Taos Pueblo The Taos Pueblo, home of the Taos, or Red Willow people, sits at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico. There are two buildings at the pueblo (pueblo means village in Spanish). They were built in the 1300s, and the Red Willow people have lived in them ever since. These homes have been continuously occupied for over 700 years.

About 150 people live in the centuries-old, multi-storied buildings made of adobe brick (dried mud and straw). These structures look like apartment houses. The rooms are built one on top of another. They are staggered, so the roofs of some lower rooms can be used as patios for those above. Only a few changes have been made to the buildings since they were built. They now have fireplaces and external doors. But the Red Willow people have not brought electricity or running water to the pueblo.

The Red Willow people are fiercely independent. In 1680, they rose against the Spanish, who ruled the area at the time. Later, in 1847, they also rebelled against the Americans. They have cherished and guarded their traditional ways through years of contact with other cultures. They still speak the Tiwa language, as well as English. They farm, hunt and raise cattle and horses on their ancestral lands, as their forefathers did. Today, the Red Willow people welcome visitors to the pueblo. Tourists can see two of the oldest buildings in the United States and see people living there in much the same way they did 700 years ago.

Select the correct answer.
Today, the Red Willow people could live away from the pueblo in modern houses with electricity and running water. Why do they choose to stay at the pueblo?

A.
They want to avoid contact with outside influences.
B.
They want to maintain the pueblo as a tourist attraction.
C.
They want to stay away from the harmful effects of electricity.
D.
They want to maintain their customs and cultural identity.