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The Line: Fiesta Downplays Violence While Celebrating Española Valley

August 2, 2019 – A retelling of history by organizers of the 50th Española Valley Fiesta has drawn criticism from some who say it ignores historical violence. The Rio Grande Sun’s Nathanael King wrote in a July 19 article that organizers aimed to make the Fiesta more culturally inclusive while reenacting Spanish Conquistador Juan de Oñate’s arrival in the Valley. Yet speakers at the Fiesta and an accompanying conference downplayed the violence the Spaniards inflicted upon Pueblo inhabitants.  Gene Grant and The Line panelists discuss the event and cultural sensitivity.

Line Panelists:
Michael Bird, public health consultant
Dan Foley, former state representative
Christine Sierra, UNM political science professor emerita
Harry Van Buren, UNM Anderson School of Management

For Further Reading:

Fiesta Historians Downplay Acoma MassacreRio Grande Sun