Olla Made by Juana Ortega Muñoz

Despite being removed from their mother pueblo in New Mexico in 1680, the Tigua of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso have maintained their government, language, and culture over hundreds of years. This olla was made in the 1880s by Juana Ortega Muñoz (1869–1957) in an ancestral style.

After decades of colonization and oppression, the Pueblos of New Mexico revolted against the Spanish in 1680. As the Spanish fled to El Paso, they forced hundreds of Tigua from Isleta Pueblo to come with them, using the Tigua as shields for safe passage. These captives created a new home in Texas called Ysleta del Sur Pueblo. This part of Texas was not new to the Tigua, however, as their ties to the area extended back to their origins. Hueco Tanks is a particularly important and sacred place to citizens of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo — their ancestors had been living in and visiting the site for thousands of years before the Pueblo was established.

Over the generations, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo citizens have maintained their ancestral cultural practices, including pottery making. Juana Ortega Muñoz was one of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo’s expert potters during the late 1800s–early 1900s. This style of pot is called an olla, which is defined by a short neck with a much wider body and can be used for multiple purposes, including water or food storage and cooking. Muñoz used a traditional outdoor pit to fire the olla, a technique that creates the dark “smoke clouds” seen across the pot’s surface. She would have collected clay for her pottery from sources in the surrounding El Paso area. Many of these clay sources are no longer available to Ysleta del Sur Pueblo potters due to land loss and development.

Today, potters like former Ysleta del Sur Pueblo governor Albert Alvidrez continue the pottery making tradition. Alvidrez has been working with clay for over 30 years, continuing traditional techniques and designs and preserving them for the next generation of Pueblo potters. He explains, “I strongly believe pottery is a cultural [practice] that will explain tribal traditions and customs for generations to come.” Alvidrez also works in more contemporary styles, is a prolific collector of Pueblo pottery, and teaches traditional pottery-making workshops.

Learn more about Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and its deep connection to Texas in this video on the Bullock Museum's YouTube channel.