La Acequia, Nuestra Madre

Art and history of New Mexican waterways


Exhibit at Millicent Rogers Museum:
Runs Through August 30th

Featured Event:

Acequias: The Legacy Lives On

Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Saturday, May 30 at 4 PM
Taos Center for the Arts
Free; registration recommended

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Join the Millicent Rogers Museum for a special screening of Acequias: The Legacy Lives On, presented in connection with La Acequia, Nuestra Madre: Art and History of New Mexican Waterways. This visually stunning documentary explores New Mexico’s enduring acequias through the voices of farmers, advocates, scholars, parciantes, lawmakers, journalists, and community members.

Following the screening, stay for a panel discussion featuring voices deeply connected to acequia culture, land stewardship, and the ongoing preservation of New Mexico’s agricultural heritage.

Event Schedule
4:00 PM Film Screening
5:00 PM Panel Discussion

Reserve your spot for this free community program. Registration is recommended.

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Panelists

Sylvia Rodríguez is a native Taoseña and professor emerita of anthropology and former Director of the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies at the University of New Mexico. Her research and publications have focused on interethnic relations in the Upper Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, including the cultural impact of tourism, the relationship between ritual, place, and ethnic identity, and conflicts over land and water. She has conducted ethnographic and community participatory action research with acequia organizations and testified as an expert witness on behalf of acequia associations. She currently studies the politics and anthropology of water and collaborates with researchers across disciplines on questions of acequia sustainability and resilience. She is a commissioner on the Acequia de San Antonio in Valdez and a board member of the Taos Valley Acequia Association.

Floyd Archuleta is a lifelong acequia parciánte, rancher, farmer, gardener, and artist from Des Montes, New Mexico. He is a retired Town of Taos Director of Building, Parks and Recreation, Safety Director, and Project Manager. Throughout his career, he also served as Manager of Freeland Sand and Gravel in Los Brazos, New Mexico, and as Project Manager for Contreras Construction in San Diego. Floyd is a past member of the Taos Valley Acequia Association and a current member of the Rio Hondo Watershed District. Deeply rooted in the traditions and stewardship of Northern New Mexico land and water, Floyd continues the life of a rancher, farmer, and gardener while also working as an artist and owner operator of the Des Montes Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden. His artwork and community involvement reflect a lifelong commitment to acequia culture, land based traditions, and the preservation of New Mexico’s agricultural heritage.

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Exhibition:

The Millicent Rogers Museum is proud to present La Acequia, Nuestra Madre: Art and History of New Mexican Waterways, a powerful exhibition exploring water stewardship through the voices of contemporary New Mexican artists. Co curated by artist Toby Morfin and Claire Pelaez Motsinger, this exhibition brings together artists whose creative practices are deeply intertwined with care for the land.

Rooted in Indigenous traditions of water gathering and distribution, the acequia system is a network of communal irrigation ditches and headgates that sustain agriculture across the region. More than a method of irrigation, acequias represent a living cultural system shaped by centuries of history. Their origins trace through Moorish Spain, Spanish colonization, and later United States governance, forming a layered narrative of adaptation, resilience, and community.

At its core, the acequia is a shared responsibility. It reflects a collective commitment to land, water, and each other. Generations of parciantes, or water rights holders, have maintained these systems, ensuring the survival of both crops and culture.

A Living Tradition at Risk

Today, this centuries old way of life faces significant challenges. Climate change, prolonged drought, and reduced snowfall threaten water availability. At the same time, development pressures and changing land use patterns have led to the loss of agricultural land.

Despite these challenges, advocates and community members continue to defend acequia traditions with determination. Their work to educate, organize, and sustain awareness is vital to preserving this cultural and ecological heritage.

Artists in the Exhibition

Through diverse artistic practices, participating artists honor the lifeways of the acequias and celebrate the communities that sustain them.

Artists include:

  • Floyd Archuleta
  • Luis Barela
  • Erin Currier
  • Steve Chavez
  • Jodie Herrera
  • Nicholas Herrera
  • Steven Katzman
  • Juanita J. Lavadie
  • Felix Lopez
  • Krissa Lopez
  • Joseph A. Lopez
  • Huberto Maestas
  • Toby Morfin
  • Jody Naranjo
  • Michael Naranjo
  • Marcella Pacheco
  • Roxanne Swentzell
  • Jim Vogel

Programs and Events

Film Screening
Acequias: The Legacy Lives On
May 30
Taos Center for the Arts

Supporters

This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and collaborators. The Millicent Rogers Museum extends sincere thanks to:
Taos County Lodgers Tax
Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association
Taos Valley Acequia Association
Des Montes Art Gallery