Saturday, September 20, 2008

Who was the Indian princess?

La Historia del Rio Abajo by Matt Baca

La Historia del Rio Abajo is a monthly column about Valencia County history written by members of the Valencia County Historical Society.

Dr. Matt Baca, the author of this month's column, is a native of Adelino who spent many years as a teacher and administrator before retiring from the Belen Public Schools and as a university instructor. He has contributed many articles to La Historia del Rio Abajo, focusing on our community's traditions and cultural diversity.

Opinions expressed in this and all columns of La Historia del Rio Abajo are the author's alone and not necessarily those of the News-Bulletin, the Valencia County Historical Society or any other group or individual.

Before it is swept away by the river of oblivion, this writer wishes to share a little-known legend about a mysterious Native American woman who once lived in Belen.

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In the late 1700s or early 1800s, there lived a mysterious woman who claimed to be an Indian princess. We don't know her name, although many called her "La Indita." Others called her the "Aztec Princess," suggesting that she came from a rich, powerful Indian tribe and culture in Old Mexico.

Many facts have been lost through the cloudy lenses of time, and to tell her story, one must rely on the few facts that have filtered down by word of mouth from generation to generation.

For example, Manuel O'Neil, told his grandson, Rosendo Lovato, and his granddaughter, Roberta O'Neil, of an Indian woman who lived near Belen's original town plaza and Catholic Church, located by the intersection of Ross and Wisconsin today.

Virginia Torres, 95, confirms that an Indian did indeed live in Belen's Old Town, or Plaza Vieja, in the early 1800s. Mrs. Torres' father-in-law, Judge Melcor Torres, told her that the Indian lady lived in a room behind the Catholic Church. Judge Torres said the woman was regal in appearance, with copper-colored skin, piercing black eyes and wavy, waist-long hair that was as black as obsidian.

This noble-looking woman was the subject of speculation and curiosity among the people of Belen. She remained rather aloof, but was otherwise friendly, speaking Spanish haltingly. She sometimes attended church services and sometimes attended wedding dances held in the popular dance hall located across the road from the old church.

Where did this beautiful stranger come from? And why did she live in Belen?

Some say that La Indita came to the Rio Abajo on one of the many caravans that traveled to and from Mexico. According to these reports, she was brought here by a dashing young Spanish officer, undoubtedly her lover. Perhaps their romantic relationship had been frowned upon by the officer's Spanish family or in her Indian culture, forcing them to flee to New Mexico. Perhaps they chose Belen as a central location for the few moments when they could secretly meet as the officer performed his duties along the Camino Real, or royal highway, through New Mexico.

According to Mrs. Torres, after several years, La Indita suddenly disappeared, perhaps returning to her tribe in Mexico if her lover was killed or perhaps joining her young officer as his wife in some other location.

Others say that La Indita's lover deserted her, and she slowly pined away, finally dying of loneliness and a broken heart. Reportedly her funeral Mass was held at the church in Plaza Vieja.

Manuel O'Neil told his grandson, Rosendo Lovato, that those who attended the service were amazed by the fine jewelry and clothing La Indita wore. Her necklaces were made of ebony overlaid with gold and silver and encrusted with turquoise.

It is likely that the morning sun filtering through the high church window reflected off La Indita's jewelry so brightly that those in attendance had to shade their eyes. Few had ever seen such splendor.

La Indita was laid to rest somewhere within the church. According to Gordon Stuart, a well-traveled historian from Corrales, burials beneath church floors were common in Catholic churches throughout Europe and Latin America. Rich, influential or holy people were honored by such burials, an indication of the great respect that many had for La Indita.

After some time, people in the vicinity of the church began hearing the mournful cries of a woman in the night. Some felt it was La Indita's spirit yearning to be released and returned to her home in Mexico. Or perhaps she yearned for her Spanish officer.

If the story of La Indita is not a fable, one wonders if there was a higher purpose for her stay in Belen.

The Indians have a saying: No matter how high a bird flies, it has to eventually land somewhere. However briefly, La Indita landed in Belen, graced its citizens with her presence and quickly departed, forever adding to the beauty, romance and mystery of our historic Rio Abajo.

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