Mother Earth, Father Sky

The Pueblos nearest to Santa Fe, to her north, still speak a local Amerindian language called Tewa. And while these villages were the most heavily influenced of all the Pueblos by Catholic doctrine imposed by Spanish Franciscan missionaries, they have never abandoned their deeply reverent connection with the spirit of the Earth, which brings forth their sustenance, and the spirit of the Sky, which brings forth the seasons and the life-giving rain.

Here is a Tewa song expressing this devotion:

SONG OF THE SKY LOOM

Oh our Mother the Earth, oh our Father the Sky,
Your children are we, and with tired backs,
We bring you the gifts that you love.
Then weave for us a garment of brightness:
May the warp be the white light of morning,
May the weft be the red light of evening,
May the fringes be the falling rain,
May the border be the standing rainbow.
Thus weave for us a garment of brightness
That we may walk fittingly where birds sing,
That we may walk fittingly where grass is green,
Oh our Mother the Earth, oh our Father the Sky!