Indians of the Mesa Verde

by Don Watson

The people were faced with three terrors; the lack of food, the lack of water, and the wrath of the gods. The first two actually existed; the last existed only in their minds. Consequently, it was the worst of all. Added to their tragic need of food and water was the horrible fear that their gods had deserted them.

How the priests must have labored. Every ceremony, every trick they knew was repeated time after time as the drouth progressed. The cliff dwellings echoed with the chants and Sun Temple, the great ceremonial building, must have been the scene of countless super-ceremonials as the priests of the various villages threw their combined strength into the fight.

Still the drouth continued!

Throughout the Mesa Verde there was much death from starvation and disease. Food and water were practically exhausted. The tragic moment came when they were forced to eat the seed corn. This was the last resort: it could be fatal to farmers. Only when death faced them did they sacrifice the precious seed for there could never be another crop unless they were fortunate enough to find other people with surplus supplies. The result was inevitable. Since the drouth would not end the people could only drift away, hoping to find better conditions elsewhere. It was their only chance of survival.

The migration from the Mesa Verde must have taken place gradually. As a matter of fact, there are indications that the migrations began even before the drouth came. At an earlier date vast areas around the Mesa Verde were occupied by members of the same tribe. Some time before 1200 A.D., however, the population began to dwindle and by the time the drouth came almost all of the area, except the Mesa Verde, was deserted.

In all probability, these early migrations were caused by pressure from an enemy tribe for there is much to indicate that the people were in trouble. Certainly the population was dwindling long before the great drouth began. The identity of the enemy is not definitely known. It has been suggested that the Apaches may have entered the region at that time, or possibly the early Utes. No definite evidence of the enemy people has been found but their pressure is indicated by their effect upon the peaceful farming Indians.

The migration from the Mesa Verde probably took place gradually; certainly there was no mass movement. As the drouth continued small groups drifted off in search of better conditions. All of the people of a small village may have moved together but the larger towns must have broken up gradually. Cliff Palace and other large cliff dwellings probably were deserted a clan at a time. As conditions became more desperate the people quarreled over the dwindling supplies. There must have been many cases of actual violence as frenzied men sought to obtain food and water for their starving families. Dissatisfaction and discontent mounted rapidly and the once happy towns were abandoned by their people as clan after clan took to the trail in search of new homes.

Before the twenty-four year drouth was over, the Mesa Verde was entirely deserted and there is no evidence that any of the people ever returned. Since that tragic time the cliff dwellings have been empty and silent as they have fought against the heavy, leveling hand of time.

When the people left the Mesa Verde their troubles were not over. The drouth was felt all over the Southwest and life was possible only in the most favorable spots. Added to the misfortunes of the drifting people was the increased activity of the nomadic Indians for they, too, suffered from the drouth. It is possible that their increased activities hastened the flight from the Mesa Verde for they must have preyed upon the farming peoples during the troubled times.

Although large numbers perished before and during the migration, many of the Mesa Verde Indians did survive. The major migration seems to have been to the southeast and finally the people settled in the Rio Grande Valley. One group crossed the river and for a time lived in the Gallisteo Basin, a short distance southeast of the present city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. After a time this area was deserted and the people mingled with other Pueblo Indians along the Rio Grande. As they merged with the others they gradually lost their identity as Mesa Verde people.