New Mexico Bucket List – Z ~ Blogging Through The Alphabet

We are at the end. These seem to come to an end so quickly. As we have traveled around New Mexico, I hope you have found a few places and ideas to add to your next trip to the Land of Enchantment. When you look at the state, one image comes up over and over – the Zia.

The Zia is the symbol of the state and has been borrowed from the native culture of the state. The Zia is an ancient symbol with great meaning to the people of Zia Pueblo. The sun symbol is a circle connecting four groups of four lines. The four groups of four rays each extend out from the circle, top, bottom, left, and right. They stand for the following:

• The four cardinal directions (north, south, east, west)
• The four seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall, winter)
• The four periods of the day (morning, noon, evening, night)
• The four steps of life (childhood, youth, adulthood, old age)

The symbol was found in the early 1900s on a pot and became a symbol for the state, which joined the US in 1912. The Zia was used on the state flag, designed in 1920. It has since become synonymous with New Mexico and seems to be a symbol of pride and power.

But, the Zia Pueblo has recently begun to decry the use of the Zia symbol by the state, claiming it was used illegally and essentially stolen by the state for use. There is ongoing discussion and legal actions and it will be decided at some point whether New Mexico can continue to use the symbol it has been using for almost 100 years.

I hope that a common understanding can be found without removing the use of the Zia from the state; it is THE symbol that everyone knows and remembers fondly. I also hope the understanding can come about without the over-regulation of it, as it seems the Pueblo is trying to put trademark regulations on it. If that becomes the case, I feel NM will have lost much of its identity. But, we shall see, I guess.

At any rate, the Zia is a bright and welcoming symbol for all to come visit the Land of Enchantment. Please come and see all that New Mexico has to offer.

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

In This Series –

A – Abiqui
B – Bandalier National Monument, Bosque del Apache
C – Carlsbad Caverns, Christmas on the Pecos, Cloudcroft, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
D – Desert Petroglyphs, Duck Races
E – Explora!, Enchanted Circle, El Morro
F – Flying J Ranch, Forest Fire Prevention, Four Corners
G – Gila Cliff Dwellings, Ghost Ranch, Giant Pistachio
H – Hubbard Museum of the American West, Hatch Chile
I – Ice Cave, International Balloon Fiesta
J – Jemez Springs, Jemez Mountain Trail
K – Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, Kneeling Nun, Kennecott’s Copper Mine
L – Lincoln (Billy The Kid), Loretto Chapel
M – Malpais/Valley of Fire, Meow Wolf
N – Nambe, New Mexico Museum of Space History
O – Oso Grill, Ojo Caliente
P – Pie Town, Pecos Wilderness, Palace of the Governors
Q – Gran Quivira
R – River of Lights, Rio Grande, Rail Runner Express
S – Smokey Bear, Sunspot, Soda Dam
T – Turquoise
U – UFOs
V – Valle Caldera, Very Large Array 
W – White Sands, Wheeler Peak
X – no post
Y – Yucca
Z – Zia

Thank you for joining us on the adventures through New Mexico as we went Blogging Through The Alphabet with others from the Homeschool Review Crew. We will be back up and running with another round of Blogging Through The Alphabet in mid-September.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Please visit some of these other blogs to get things like book lists, vegan recipes, and wonderful places to visit, just to name the topics.

• Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool
• Christine @ Life’s Special Necessities 
• Kimberly @ Vintage Blue Suitcase
• Dawn @ Schoolin’ Swag
• Wendy @ Life On Chickadee Lane
• Yvonne @ The Life We Build
• Jennifer @ A Peace Of Mind
• Kristen @ A Mom’s Quest To Teach
• Kirsten @ DoodleMom Homeschool

You can also join us and link up your own Blogging Through The Alphabet Post!! Just be sure to follow these simple rules–

* Each post must be family friendly. If it is not, we have the right to remove it.
* When linking up to this post, you give us permission to share your post and/or a photo from your post in future posts and social media shares.
* Place the Blog Button from the site onto the post you are linking up.
* Use the hashtag #abcblogging when promoting your post. This will help us find you and help us promote you as well.
* If you have time, check out a few of the other posts and share the love.
* The most important rule is to make sure you are having fun! This is not something we want you to be stressed out over. We want to see all the fun ideas that everyone comes up with for the letters!

Tagged: ABC blogging, New Mexico