New Mexico's early Spanish settlers face a long and difficult journey along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The most difficult part of the trail lies between what was later to become Fort Craig and Las Cruces. The Jornada del Muerte, or Journey of the Dead, shortened the long trek, yet it was an arid land with scarce vegetation. The Apache who lived nearby often raided the caravans. Many lost their lives on this harsh stretch of the Camino.

The first Spanish settlers came to New México with Juan de Oñate in 1598. After crossing the Jornada, these settlers had the good fortune to arrive at the Piros Pueblo near present day Socorro. The name Socorro remains today in remembrance of the much-needed help the Piros People gave to the settlers after this difficult crossing.

Some of Oñate's setters came as soldiers, while others came as families beginning the great adventure of a new life in a new land. They were promised titles of honor, riches, land and adventure. Some of them gave up and returned to México once they realized that riches were not to be found. Enough of them stayed, and are some of the shared ancestors of many Hispano New Mexicans.

The Spanish first settled near the San Juan Pueblo. Earlier explorers had told of the generous and kind nature of the San Juan people, and Oñate knew his colony would need their help. Their second settlement, across the river from San Juan, was named San Gabriel. New Mexico's capital city, Santa Fé, was settled shortly after.

Within the first year of settlement, Oñate made a request of the Viceroy of Nueva España for additional reinforcements in. Those recruited for this "second wave" of settlement included soldiers, families, women, children and servants. They began their journey north along the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro by late September 1600. They arrived at San Gabriel on Christmas Eve of 1600. Within a year, many of these settlers also deserted the colony. Again, New México's Hispano ancestors stayed to face the challenge of living in a difficult, yet beautiful, land in Nueva México.

Oñate lead a party into Kansas to search for the legendary Gran Quivara. Upon his return, he found that 400 colonists had deserted San Gabriel, the Spanish colony begun by the Oñate party. Those who remained were considered loyalists, and stayed on to raise their families in New Mexico.

The years of 1610-1680 are called the Spanish Mission period of New México History. During this time, the Franciscan priests came to convert the Pueblo Peoples to Christianity. Often there was conflict between the priests and the settlers over the pueblos.

For the Pueblo Peoples of New México, this was a time of great hardship. They were required to work for the Spanish under the encomienda system, plus obey the Franciscan priests. The Spanish unintentionally brought to New México the European diseases that had greatly diminished the Mexican Native American population. There was a prolonged drought during the mid 1600s that lead to the death of many Pueblo People.

The Spanish felt it was important to bring Christianity to the Pueblos The Pueblo people seemed ready to adapt to the new religion, but they indented to keep the religion of their own ancestors. Their religion was tied to the land, a land that was difficult to survive. For generations the Pueblo People used their religion to find a balance and harmony with their environment. Now it seemed that the balance at been upset, and the Pueblo People revolted against their Spanish rulers who had tried to eradicate the Pueblo Religion.

Many Hispano New Mexicans, especially in the northern half of New México, called the Rio Arriba, lost their lives during the Revolt of 1680. Fewer died south of Santa Fé in the Rio Abajo. The Pueblo of Isleta had not joined the revolt, and harbored the Hispano people of the Rio Abajo. The survivors of the Revolt moved to El Paso del Norte, now El Paso, Texas. Some of the Isleta people joined the Spanish in El Paso del Norte and formed a second Isleta Pueblo, Isleta del Sur, near present day El Paso.

The Spanish made attempts to return to New México. Finally in 1692 and 1693, Diego de Vargas brought new settlers back to New México in the "third and fourth wave" of settlement. They were descendents of the earlier settlers, and they were new recruits from México. This was not a "Peaceful Reconquest" of New México. Some Pueblos rebelled. By 1696, the Spanish again controlled the lands along the Rio Grande.

There was no more encomiendas, no more destruction of pueblo religion, and no more wars between the Pueblos and Spanish. Instead there was a great amount of cultural sharing. There were poor settlers who came to work the land, much as the Pueblo Peoples had done for centuries. They were people tied to the Land of New Mexico, just as the Pueblo People had been for generations. There were marriages between the Spanish and the Pueblo Peoples. Hispano New Mexicans have carried on the Native heritage and culture of México and New México Native Americans from the time of the first Spanish settlers.

After the war, my father brought my mother to El Rito, New Mexico. Arriving in Northern New Mexico during the 1940s was like arriving in another country. My mother first fell in love with my father, and then she fell in love with the New Mexico that was so much a part of who my father was.