Season of Gratitude
Season of Gratitude
Greetings,
I love this time of year as it turns our focus on gratitude for all the gifts 2022 has unwrapped. There is no greater joy than honoring each of our guests for playing a vital role in Heritage Inspirations (H.I.) story, as well as recognizing the dedication and passion that our H.I. local guides and staff weave into the fabric of our mission. Lastly, our local partners bring the story, the offering and the warmth that nourish our guests and inspire our immersive tour experiences. H.I. continues to evolve learning from our supporters how to do our job with more intention, humility, and innovation. New Mexico is a state with limitless traditions, wild lands, and artistic creativity. The H.I. Tribe believes that travel can be a tool for transformation and preservation.
This edition we give thanks for our supporters as we raise awareness about their efforts to preserve our culture, sacred lands, and precious water. Please read along to discover more about the organizations and individuals who fortify New Mexico’s unique identity in this season of thanks and giving.
With deep gratitude,
Angelisa Murray
A Time of Thanks + Giving
The Four Sisters
Heritage Inspirations friend and partner Norma Naranjo, founder of The Feasting Place at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, reflects on the significance of the “four sisters” in her cookbook of the same name.
We are four sisters in our family which I relate to the three sisters, beans, squash, corn and lastly the fourth sister which is chile that is a staple in every Pueblo home during feast days. Also, there are the four seasons. As the four seasons of our lives change, so does our response to the spirit’s greatness, beauty, and hope for ourselves, our families, our communities. The four directions also show how our creator took care of his people through the North, West, South, and East which typically represent the colors of corn: red, blue, yellow, and white.
Fall is the season that lets you know you have mastered the art of producing the beautiful four sisters: corn, squash, beans, and all the other beautiful vegetables you have planted in the spring. Fall is the season that you celebrate with songs, dances, and prayers. It reminds us it is time to understand that we have a relationship with Mother Earth and water.
I also remember fall is the season when men from the village would go hunting for turkey, deer and elk. The women would stay home to preserve the bountiful foods from the garden by drying, canning, and freezing to sustain the family and community for another cycle of life.
Winter is my favorite time of year. It’s a time to be thankful for the abundance of a wonderful harvest. It’s a time to slow down and sit by a crackling fire after preserving our native crops and all the intense labor, which is still reflected in the labor and love poured into our cooking classes at The Feasting Place.
My legacy lies on the strength of my ancestors through traditional values and foods, and a woven blend of my Native and Hispanic Cultures. Growing up on the Pueblo, participating in the songs, dances and feasts, I was able to absorb the wisdom of my elders. I share the wisdom and our traditions of my grandmother and mother with my guests through my cooking and these recipes.
To find out more about Norma and The Feasting Place, and order her cookbook visit http://thefeastingplace.com/, or meet the family in person on our Hands On Horno Baking tour. To contribute to the Ohkay Owingeh restoration project please see links below.
Stewards of the Land + Culture
During this season of gratitude, Heritage Inspirations would like to raise awareness about a few organizations that have worked tirelessly to preserve the distinct culture and wildlands of New Mexico. We recognize their invaluable efforts to fortify a sustainable culture that is at the heart of our unique identity.
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Restoration of Owe’neh Bupingeh (o-WEH-neh Boo-peen-gay): Rejuvenation of the historic Pueblo
The 700-year-old historic Pueblo serves as the tribe’s spiritual center and is of vital importance to the preservation of the Ohkay Owingeh cultural heritage. Through the Owe’neh Bupingeh Rehabilitation Program, the Pueblo is once again a vibrant, thriving residential area. Ohkay Owingeh is proud of the Pueblo’s history and heritage, and is committed to revitalizing its sacred core through knowledge, conservation, rehabilitation and, as appropriate, new construction. The rebirth of the plazas honors traditional community values and identity while linking the past to the present. LEARN MORE »
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Amigos Bravos
Healthy watersheds are critical to the wellbeing of New Mexico’s people, plants, and animals. Working with volunteers, community organizations, wetland restoration contractors, environmental consultants, and public land and wildlife agencies, Amigos Bravos works to protect and restore the natural hydrology and resiliency of wetlands, forests, high mountain meadows, and aquatic ecosystems. Our goal is to ensure that the environmental and social/cultural health of our watersheds are connected and protected.
In addition to on-the-ground restoration projects to protect special places, Amigos Bravos also works to restore native aquatic species including the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout and river otters to their habitats. LEARN MORE »
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The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
The Spanish Colonial Art Society’s mission is to preserve, protect and present the great cultural heritage of Hispanic New Mexico and its living traditions. It is a unique multifaceted organization and haven for the arts and history of New Mexico with a vibrant collection and an unrivaled library and archive, all housed in a uniquely important expression of 20th-century New Mexican architecture–the only John Gaw Meem residence open to the public in Santa Fe.
Your gift helps to ensure that SCAS has the resources to continue this extraordinary legacy of preserving the important and proud heritage of Spanish Colonial art in New Mexico. LEARN MORE »
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The Couse-Sharp Historic Site
The Couse-Sharp Historic Site is a 2-1/2 acre campus that is the home, studios and gardens of E.I. Couse and J.H. Sharp, two of the founders of the Taos art colony. The site has the unique ability to viscerally tell the complex story of Taos, and the relationships that bound the Indigenous, Hispano and Anglo communities. The site is also home to the newly opened Lunder Research Center, a 5,000 square foot museum facility dedicated to the early artists of Taos, the community, and contemporary artists who continue to find inspiration in Taos. LEARN MORE »
To reserve your tour please visit the website: https://couse-sharp.
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Tewa Women United
Tewa Women United envisions movement(s) rooted in P’in Haa (Breath of Heart/Life) and P’in Nall (Touching Heart and Spirit) that nurture and celebrate the collective power of beloved families, communities, and Nung Ochuu :Quiyo (Earth Mother). Through Relational-tivity, we embody courageous spaces that center Indigenous women and girls to connect with ancestral knowingness, healing strengths, and lifeways for the wellbeing of ALL. LEARN MORE »
Looking Ahead to the Holidays
Heritage Inspirations prepares for the Winter Holidays with festive immersive experiences and unique gift ideas.
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Holiday Traditions in Old Town
Join us for an unforgettable holiday experience in the heart of Albuquerque. Steeped in culture and tradition you will experience the true spirit of Albuquerque on these enchanting evenings. December in Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town is the perfect season to open your senses to the magic of New Mexico.
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Tidings of Comfort + Joy
Take Home a Piece of Your Journey
Was your trip with Heritage Inspirations an adventure of a lifetime? Do you wish that you had a memento that you could use everyday to remind you of your trip? Now you can buy Heritage Inspiration merchandise that will bring you back to the land of enchantment by inspiring fond memories of your travel experience.
And keep an eye out for our new custom, beautifully designed Calendar!
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The Gift of Travel
And now for the most luxurious and inspiring gift of all, the gift of travel. Surprise your loved one with one of our signature tours that will anticipate your needs and feed your soul. Peruse our array of curated, authentic travel experiences and make this a holiday (a year) to remember!
