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FEBRUARY 26, 2001

More than 300 years after he led the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the San Juan Pueblo man named Popé is still causing controversy in New Mexico.

A statue of Popé's likeness has been selected to represent the state in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. But critics say Popé isn't a good choice because they say the revolt, which forced the Spanish out of the state for 16 years, didn't benefit Indians.

Popé's defenders, including Jemez Pueblo historian Joe Sando, say he was successful because Pueblo culture still survives today.

State Rep. Patsy Trujillo Knauer has introduced a bill that would create a brand new commission to select a different person to represent the state. The Legislature had already created a commission four years ago to select the state's representative. Co-chairs Governor Gary Johnson and Herman Agoyo, former Governor of San Juan Pueblo, completed the final step and selected Jemez Pueblo artist Cliff Fragua to make the sculpture last year.

Get the Story:
Movement Pushes Dialogue on Popé (The Albuquerque Journal 2/26)