Taos Pueblo Proposes ‘Red Willow Park’ Rename with Key Conditions

TAOS — The Taos Pueblo tribal leadership has put forward the name “Red Willow Park” as a proposed replacement for Kit Carson Park. The Kit Carson Renaming Committee announced that it will present this recommendation to the town council on November 17, 2023. The effort to rename the park, which honors the frontiersman Kit Carson, has been ongoing since 2011.

Carson, who lived in Taos for 25 years, has a complex legacy. His house and grave have attracted both tourists and vandals. In past discussions about renaming the park, the Taos Pueblo, known as the Red Willow people, declined a proposal for the name due to a lack of involvement in the decision-making process. Recent developments, however, have opened a new dialogue.

At its meeting on October 23, 2023, the renaming committee received a letter from the Taos Pueblo Tribal Council, outlining six conditions necessary for the acceptance of the new name. Committee Chair Genevieve Oswald expressed optimism, stating, “All six of those points can be met. This was just the door opening.”

During the meeting, Jeremy Lujan, the Tribal Secretary, along with Second Tribal Sheriff Jesse Winters, read the letter aloud. The letter emphasized the cultural significance of the land, noting, “We are the Tiwa people of Taos Pueblo. This valley is not a place we occupy — it is who we are.” Lujan highlighted the importance of acknowledging thousands of years of continuous life in the region, stating, “When we say this land is unceded Tiwa land, we mean what words cannot fully capture: We did not lawfully transfer our homeland to another nation.”

The Tribal Council’s letter criticized the current renaming process, describing it as a modern iteration of historical patterns where decisions are made without the input of the original inhabitants. The letter stated, “This procedural erasure looks different than conquest by force but produces the same result: decisions made about us without us.”

Carson’s legacy is controversial, especially due to his involvement in military campaigns against Native American groups, including the Navajo and Mescalero Apache. His name remains prevalent across the Western United States, notably as the namesake of Carson National Forest. In 2023, a monument honoring him in Santa Fe was toppled, reflecting ongoing debates about his legacy.

Oswald noted the significance of this opportunity, emphasizing that changing the name alone will not alter the relationship between communities. “If we really want this to be good work, it has to go deeper and enable deeper, longer, social-relational change,” she stated.

Taos Pueblo members Dr. Christina M. Castro and Turquoise Chenoa Velarde voiced concerns that a name change could be merely performative if it does not lead to broader changes. Castro suggested an alternative name, “The People’s Park,” and argued for a reevaluation of all names that could be seen as dehumanizing to Indigenous people. “It’s time to stop valorizing these eras that are so harmful to our people,” she remarked.

Velarde shared her personal connection to Carson’s legacy, linking it to her ancestry, which includes family members affected by the Long Walk, a forced relocation of the Navajo. “We need people who are ready to do more than clap for justice,” she asserted. “We need people willing to fight for it.”

During the discussion, committee member Horacio Trujillo raised a common argument against renaming, suggesting that retaining names like Carson’s allows for discussions about their historical impacts. Velarde countered, stating that it is possible to remove the name while still educating the public about its implications. “For it to stand as a priority means that we are not the priority, and then our story isn’t and our history isn’t,” she explained.

The Tribal Council’s letter also addressed the significance of place names, asserting that they shape public memory and visibility. “For generations, colonial names and commemorations have honored conquest and masked suffering,” the letter stated. “This does not teach history — it hides it.”

As the Taos Pueblo seeks a meaningful dialogue about the renaming of Kit Carson Park, the upcoming town council meeting is set to be a pivotal moment in addressing historical narratives and fostering community relationships.