Genízaro

Genízaros (or Genizaros) was the name for detribalized Native Americans (Indians) from the 17th to 19th century in the Spanish colony of New Mexico and neighboring regions of the American southwest. Genízaros were usually women and children who had been captured in war by the Spanish or purchased from Indian tribes who had held them captive as slaves. To circumvent Spanish laws forbidding slavery, the purchaser (or rescuer) of a genízaro had the obligation to introduce them to Christianity and Spanish customs. Genízaros worked as indentured servants, shepherds, and laborers. They occupied the lowest rung of status-conscious Spanish society in New Mexico but slowly assimilated and intermarried into Spanish and later Mexican (1821-1846) and American (1846-present day) society. The descendants of genízaros are also called genízaros and the word has become a term of pride for the descendants of the original Indian captives and slaves. In 1793, genízaros are estimated to have comprised up to one third of the 29,041 people living under Spanish rule in New Mexico.

New Spain had a prohibition of indigenous slavery implemented from 1543 onwards, but it excluded those captured in the context of war. The restrictions of slavery also meant that genízaros were to be convicted and sentenced to servitude for a specific timespan, at which time they earned freedom. They were even encouraged to become landowners themselves by Spanish government landgrants, or to join the regional militia. After abolition of slavery was proposed in 1810 during Mexican independence, the practice of slavery began to become unpopular in the Spanish Empire, even more so after abolition was included officially by José María Morelos in the Sentimientos de la Nación of 1813. This became law after Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America of First Mexican Republic and during the era of the centralist Republic. Genízaros joined other citizen-soldiers of New Mexico during the Chimayó Rebellion of 1837, to fight for New Mexico's separation from the centralist Republic of Mexico; In fact, the commander of the rebellion José Gonzales was a genízaro.

Genízaros settled in several New Mexican villages, such as Belén, Tomé, Valencia, Carnuel, Los Lentes, Las Trampas, Socorro, and San Miguel del Vado. Genízaros also lived in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Atrisco, Santa Fe, Chimayó, Taos, Abiquiú, and Las Vegas, NM. Most genízaros were, or their ancestors had been, slaves of Indian tribes, particularly the Plains tribes who raided and enslaved members of tribes allied with the Spaniards, such as the Apaches.

In 2007, genízaros and their contemporary descendants were recognized as indigenous people by the New Mexico Legislature. During the early 21st century, they have comprised much of the population of the South Valley of Albuquerque, and significant portions of the population of northern New Mexico, including Española, Taos, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, in addition to that of southern Colorado.