oñate

Don Juan de Oñate was a man of La Frontera-- the frontier. Determined to bring the laws of the Spanish Crown to new territories, he wound up being condemned to exile by those same laws. He was the author both of glowing accounts of his own successes as well as some of the very testimony used to convict him after accusations of mistreatment of his fellow colonists and torture of the indigenous people of Acoma.

We examine Oñate from his expedition north from El Paso del Norte to his audacious claim of success in converting 33 Pueblos and tribes to the King's rule.
We trace his arduous journey to California, his conquest of the New Mexican territory, and the stringent trials he encountered as governor.

But that's not the whole story - we also unpack his enduring-- and conflicting-- legacies. We also explore recent-- and heated conflicts-- in Albuquerque, Alcalde, and Espanola around memorials to Oñate, conflicts which risk establishing New Mexico's newest, and worst tradition: Shooting incidents over the removal of statues.

From the heated debates surrounding his statues to the indelible impact on New Mexico, we leave no stone unturned. Prepare to challenge perceptions and unveil truths about this divisive historical figure.

Trigger Warning: Although we generally keep it PG at the Enchantment Chronicles, this episode does refer to executions and the mutilation and enslavement of indigenous people, as well as a describing some battle scenes. 

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