Bandelier Bunny and the Kiva
Kathleen Macoughtry
Copyright June 26, 2007 by Kathleen Macoughtry
Smashwords Edition
PROLOGUE
In the dry, rocky land northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico is a canyon called Frijoles Canyon with a creek flowing with cool, clear water.
There are volcanic cliffs made of soft rock called tuff. These rocks are so soft that early people who lived there could carve out little caves to be used for homes and storerooms. In the canyon bottom and on the flat land above the cliffs, the people grew corn, beans, and squash for food.
About five hundred years ago the people moved to Cochiti Pueblo along the Rio Grande River. Much later a scientist came to learn about their culture and traditions. The people from Cochiti took him to Frijoles Canyon to see where their homes had been. Later the canyon and the land around it became part of the National Park Service. It was named Bandelier National Monument in honor of the scientist.
Descendants of the ancient people still live in New Mexico today. Besides Cochiti, there are nineteen other pueblos. Some have kivas. There is no picture of a kiva in this book, out of respect for Pueblo people’s wishes. The kivas are used for religious ceremonies. Perhaps you will visit New Mexico someday and see a real one.
Today park rangers watch over the monument. They protect the land, plants, wildlife and the ancient homes of the Pueblo people. The rangers teach visitors about the park and the people who used to live there.
Bandelier Bunny And The Kiva
by Kathleen Macoughtry
The sun was rising in the turquoise blue sky over Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico. This was usual as it had been happening for millions of years. What was unusual, was the unhappy little rabbit near Frijoles Creek.
Bandelier Bunny and his family had come to this beautiful area in the early spring. It was now late September and he still had no friends. Oh, he had his two little sisters, but they were often helping their mother. They would play hide and seek with their brother, but most of the time they spent their moments telling secrets and giggling. Bandelier Bunny was not at all interested in this.
Father Bunny was often away from home. He helped other rabbits to settle problems and differences. He traveled from White Rock to Los Alamos, New Mexico for his work. Although a short car ride for a human, this was a good day or more journey for a rabbit. He often went through the monument. That was how he learned of the park’s beauty.
When the chance came, he moved his family from outside White Rock, to the monument area. Here there was good food, shelter, and water, but few other rabbits lived there. Father Bunny failed to think how the lack of kin and friends might affect his family.