Personal Picture, Abel Herrera, Sept. 27
Pueblo de Cochiti. “Front Page - Pueblo de Cochiti.” Pueblo De Cochiti, 12 Aug. 2025, cochiti.org.
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, October 2023
Personal Connection
Personal Picture "Yah Percy and Yah Frances'' 25 May 2025
Growing up in my family home in the plaza with my grandmother, I seen and heard the problems that we are facing in my family, but also seeing it in other families as well. My Pueblo is in need of more financial aid to help us to rebuild our traditional homes, so we can move back to the main central part of our community. I really want to give back to my village but also bring families together and fix the lost piece that is needed to make our community stronger.
Identity
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, November 2025
"Sharing Ones Skin"
Jeannette Armstrong
In this article Sharing Ones Skin really focuses on the relationships that the Indigenous people have with the earth. The relationship between the earth holds so much power and is a gift that helps the people understand their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Knowledge really plays a big part as it is shared in many stories that reflect a healthy way of life. Indigenous people are so close that without community, and family we are not truly human and this is very clear as it reflects on how communal we are to one another by the creator.
Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.
"And Then I went to School"
Joseph Suina
In this article I read And Then I Went to School it talks about how Joseph Suina grew up in Cochiti Pueblo with his grandmother in the traditional way of life. He talks about him going to school and the effects it had on him and other children in the community and the beginning of the split learning. So through this experience this really made the children have a mindset of not being allowed to be their true selves and its identity as Pueblo. They always were shamed for participating and practicing their culture by the school systems that intentionally came to help destroy the identity of the kids and create a new life that was not suited for the Pueblo way of life and its identity.
Suina, Joe. (1985). And then I went to school: Memories of a pueblo childhood. New Mexico Journal of Reading , 5(2)
Suina, Joe (1985). ¨And Then I Went To School: Memories of a Pueblo childhood.¨ New Mexico Journal of Reading 5(2)
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, November 2025
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, July 2025
"How Place Names Impact the way we See landscape"
In this article How Place names Impact why we see landscapes. In this article it talks about how the landscape and the Indigenous people belong to it and how it holds the identity of the landscape but explains why those sites are there and its beliefs. This is very important because those sacred places help us understand where we come from. If this is not met our cycle of life can be disrupted from its natural state. This helps us understand our traditional ancestral teachings which are very important and vital to a full traditional identity life.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape. Accessed 27 August 2022.
History
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, July 2025
William Gillespie
In this article I read Chaco Canyon Architecture the article was really elaborating on how important the architecture of Chaco Canyon is and spoke and informed us how they believed the Ancient Puebloans lived and what their living style is in terms of how they built and constructed the amazing homes but now are ruins. This really acknowledges how important the architecture is still being continued in most of the Pueblo communities today who still have the same formation and building techniques.
Gillespie,william,"Great Pueblo Architecture of Chaco Canyon New Mexico"1984.PP.324
In this article I read HUD Housing awarded 200 million for affordable housing to Native Americans. The article talks about how important it is that families are living in a safe and prominent housing environment for low income families. The grant will be making new changes that will benefit families in many different ways that will help them live in a safe and neutral space. This is important because this grant pushes for homes to be built which allows tribal members who live off the reservation to move back on to be more connected to their culture and families.
“HUD Housing Awarded 200 Million for Affordable Housing for Native Americans.” 2 Feb. 12AD.
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, November 2025
Personal Picture''Cochiti Wedding 1935" 19 July 2025
In this article I have read the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was a revolt that took place in New Mexico when the King of Spain and its Conquistadors were in search of gold. They have traveled to the Southwest area and stumbled upon the Pueblo People. The Pueblo people were not fond of their appearance as they saw them as intruders. The King of Spain sought that the Pueblo people did not reflect Catholicism but to their own beliefs so this led to the Spanish trying to convert the Pueblo people into Catholicism. This reflected a massive revolution to where the Pueblo people were able remove the Spanish temporarily. Twelve years later the Spanish appeared back to the Pueblo with more violence and later our people accepted the religion of Catholicism as well as their own Sacred beliefs. This Spanish also showed the Pueblo people a couple new living methods and of them was the building with Adobe. Adobe is a mud mixed with straw dried brick and has later become a part of the traditional building method.
“Don Diego De Vargas Statue and the Pueblo Revolt - Clio”)
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, July 2025
In this article New Mexico tribal housing authorities awarded $2.2 million for affordable housing projects. The FHLB of Dallas has provided seven New Mexican tribal Pueblos with 250,000 to help their people with home repairs and new construction. The grant is here to support low-income families to live a sustainable and affordable life with help. Although the Trump administration has frozen all the grants and funding sources the tribes and families have been having a hard time, the grant will remain open and ready to serve the tribal communities and its people.
Garcia, K. (2025, October 14). New Mexico tribal housing authorities awarded $2.2 million for affordable housing projects | Business | abqjournal.com. Abqjournal. https://www.abqjournal.com/business/new-mexico-tribal-housing-authorities-awarded-22-million-for-affordable-housing-projects/2904627
In the article Pandemic relief helps Santo Domingo Pueblo fix storm-damage adobe homes the tribal leaders from the Pueblo of Santo Domingo visit with governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and discuss some aid for the Pueblo and its people for housing projects and get awarded 1.4 million for repairs and new construction. This money was used during the Covid-19 effect but when the pandemic was slowed down the money still came intact and useful and now still be used to help the Pueblo and will continue to aid the people and tribe. This is important now because there is hope for the traditional way of building and living is still intact.
Garcia, Kylie. “New Mexico Tribal Housing Authorities Awarded $2.2 Million for Affordable Housing Projects
Abel Herrera Personal Picture, April 2024
Research on Restoration of the traditional Residence "Wang's Old House" in the Vicinity of Cizhou Kiln Based on Oral History
In this article I have read Research on Restoration of the Traditional Residence of “Wang’s” Old House in the Vicinity of Cahou Klin" based on Oral History. It focuses on restoring a home that has been there for decades using traditional and modern architecture techniques to better accommodate the families. The current condition of the house is that it still has the traditional decorations which are considered part of the architecture and represent the beauty of the family. This plays a big role in the cultural aspects of tradition that are followed.
Ma, Yujie, and Ruihong Wen. “Research on the Restoration of the Traditional Residence ‘Wang’s Old House’ in the Vicinity of Cizhou Kiln Based on Oral History.” Buildings, vol. 15, no. 8, Apr. 2025, p. 1284. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081284.
Personal Picture (Hawaii) 12, April 2024
Personal Picture (Hawaii) 15, April 2024
Traditional Berber architecture in northern Morocco, A last Cry for Starvation
In the article I have read titled Traditional Berber Architecture in Northern Morocco: A Last Cry for Starvation focused on the The Tibetan People are restoring their traditional homes using oral history as the main foundation of this project. They are also encountering modernizations to the Tibetan way of life, they have used building techniques and materials that are very similar to how the Pueblo people build today.
La Arquitectura Tradicional Bereber En El Norte De Marruecos: Último Grito Por Su Salvación *. revistas.javeriana.edu.co/files-articulos/APUNTES/38(2025)/6782843003/index.html.
Traditional Architectural Heritage Conservation and Green Renovations with Eco Materials: Design Strategy and Field Practice in Cultural Tibetan Town
In this article Traditional Architectural Heritage Conservation and Green Renovations with Eco Materials: Design Strat,.gy and Field Practice in Cultural Tibetan Town the people of the Tibetan village have seen some decline in the traditional home building and dilapidation in other traditional homes. This was a success as they have begun the work using traditional methods which did not cost efficient and less material use. This allowed for a better, safer way of living that is both inclusive of modernization and traditional part of it. The Tibetan people are still continuing to build and restore the traditional homes using Eco friendly materials and cost efficiency.
Xie, Kai, et al. “Traditional Architectural Heritage Conservation and Green Renovation With Eco Materials: Design Strategy and Field Practice in Cultural Tibetan Town.” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 16, Aug. 2024, p. 6834. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166834.
“Tibetan Houses.” GreatTibetTour, www.greattibettour.com/tibet-travel-tips/tibetan-houses.html.
Action Plan One "Governors Meetup"
My first action plan was on Friday, the 14th of November. I spoke with the Governor Joseph Herrera and Lieutenant Governor Jeff Suina at the Cochiti Pueblo Governor’s office. I explain what I am trying to accomplish with and for the tribe. We had a good conversation and discussed what steps needed to be taken in order to advance this project in the right direction.
Abel Herrera Personal Picture,(Governor Text) November 2025
Abel Herrera, Personal Picture ( Family) 4, March 2026
Action Plan Two "Look Across the Mountain Conference "
My action plan took place on February 24, 2026 at the Look Across the Mountain Conference at Isleta Resort and Casino. My action plan took place at the request of the Conference organization, Kristine Becker. She encouraged SFIS to participate by presenting SHP projects to be presented to my peers and adults. I was selected to share what SHP is about including my topic.
Abel Herrera, Personal Picture May 12, 2022
“It's our job to take care of “Yah Hah’kite” (Grandma’s House) for it takes care of us. We need to do the same and take care of it for it has a life just like us and it's where family is brought together”.
My grandmother is from the Pueblos of Cochiti and Santo Domingo but stayed in Cochiti. My grandmother has been in education for 40 years and taught so many students about our way of life and the values that we have within our traditional way of life. I lived with my grandmother most of my whole life and with that I have been on so many different adventures that she taught me about but the main thing about getting to live with her is that you learn so much about our family, language, and history and how that has an impact on us as “Hahn” (The People). I always heard my grandmother tell stories about her childhood and how she lived and what she experienced growing up which always catches my attention. My grandmother is the main caretaker of our plaza house at Cochiti and been in our families for a long time, the house was built in the late 1800s and today is starting to show age, we aren't a rich family and rebuilding it has been a challenge but will be done but not just our house but others.
“It's our job to take care of “Yah Hah’kite” (Grandma’s House) for it takes care of us. We need to do the same and take care of it for it has a life just like us and it's where family is brought together”.
Admin. (2025, October 23). Berber Architecture in Morocco: A living Legacy of earth, spirit, and time - Art Travel Morocco. Art Travel Morocco. https://arttravelmorocco.com/berber-architecture-in-morocco-a-living-legacy-of-earth-spirit-and-time/
Armstrong, Jeanette. 1996 “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community” Pp. 460-470 in Jerry
Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds.) The Case Against the Global Economy, San
Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.
Chosa, Carnell. "New engagement programming with youth." Journal of American Indian Education,
vol. 55, no. 3, fall 2016, pp. 12+. Gale Academic OneFile,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A495428587/AONE?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=a2615915.
Accessed 22 April. 2026.
Gillespie, William, “Great Pueblo Architecture of Chaco Canyon New Mexico” 1984. Pp. 324.
“HUD awards nearly 200 million for affordable Housing in Native American Communities. “Indian life, vol. 40. No. 3 Nov- Dec. 2019. pp.it. Gale In context. Middle School. Link. gale-com/apps/doc/A616789052/MSIC!
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/16/6834
Suina, Joe. “And Then I Went to School” , the New Mexico Journal of Reading,
https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/and-then-i-went-to-school/ Vol. V, No.2. 1985.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know \
v=nm-s-santafeis$sid=ebesco&xid=5ea26133.Accessed 27 oct. 2025.
Go-gale-com.sfis.idm.oclc.org/ps/i.do?p=Aone&u=nm_s_SAntafeis&id=GALE%7CA19 263589&-v=21&sitr&2sid=ebsco