This morning while conducting a historical tour at the Cross of the Martyrs, overlooking the city of Santa Fe, this protest banner and graffiti appeared on the cross. I do this tour every day. This protest material must have been done during the night because it wasn’t at the cross yesterday. Sunday, August 8th, was the anniversary of the start of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. The original Cross of the Martyrs is located on La Cruz Road off the Old Taos Highway. It was erected in the early part of the 20th century to honor the twenty-one Franciscan priests who were martyred during the Pueblo Revolt. There are no memorials in northern New Mexico for the thousands of Native Americans who died under Spanish oppression. The Cross of the Martyrs is yet another reminder that it’s the victor who gets to tell the story. Forty-five minutes after my presentation workers from the city of Santa Fe had taken down the protest banner and painted over the graffiti. Part of the number eight and the zero were still visible on the bronze plaque.
