Taos Pueblo Proposes Renaming Kit Carson Park to Red Willow Park

Taos Pueblo tribal leadership is advocating for the renaming of Kit Carson Park to Red Willow Park. The town’s Kit Carson Renaming Committee announced last week that it will present this proposal to the town council during a special meeting scheduled for November 17, 2023. Efforts to rename the park have been underway since 2011, reflecting ongoing tensions surrounding the legacy of the park’s namesake, the historical figure Kit Carson.

Carson, a well-known frontiersman and soldier, resided in Taos for 25 years. His home and grave have become both tourist attractions and targets for vandalism. Taos Pueblo, known as the Red Willow people, previously rejected a proposal for the park’s renaming because they were not involved in the decision-making process. At an October 23 meeting, the committee received a letter from the Taos Pueblo Tribal Council, outlining six conditions for their acceptance of the new name.

Committee Chair and town Councilor Genevieve Oswald expressed optimism about meeting these conditions. “All six of those points can be met,” she stated, describing the letter as an “opening door” for meaningful dialogue. The letter was read by Jeremy Lujan, the Tribal Secretary, alongside Second Tribal Sheriff Jesse Winters, who is also a member of the renaming committee.

Lujan emphasized the deep connection Taos Pueblo has with the land, stating, “We are the Tiwa people of Taos Pueblo. This valley is not a place we occupy — it is who we are.” He articulated a call to address historical narratives that have marginalized Indigenous voices, asserting that the current renaming process should not repeat past mistakes that exclude the original inhabitants.

The letter from the Tribal Council criticized the pattern of including various stakeholders in discussions about renaming without genuinely involving the Indigenous community. “Well-meaning actors — activists, scholars, neighboring tribes, and municipal commissions step forward and frame the narrative,” it stated. “This procedural erasure looks different than conquest by force but produces the same result: decisions made about us without us.”

Carson’s legacy remains controversial due to his involvement in violent campaigns against Native American groups, including the Navajo and Mescalero Apache. In 2023, an obelisk dedicated to Carson in Santa Fe was toppled, reflecting growing discontent with his commemorations.

Oswald believes that renaming the park should lead to deeper changes in community relations, stating, “Changing the name does nothing to change the relationship. If we really want this to be good work, it has to go deeper and enable deeper, longer, social-relational change.”

Members of Taos Pueblo, including Dr. Christina M. Castro and Turquoise Chenoa Velarde, voiced concerns that a name change alone is insufficient. Castro suggested the name “The People’s Park,” emphasizing the need for broader changes that address historical injustices. “It’s time to stop valorizing these eras that are so harmful to our people,” Castro remarked.

Velarde highlighted her personal connection to Kit Carson’s legacy as a descendant of those affected by the Long Walk, the forced relocation of the Navajo from their homeland. She urged for more substantial action beyond symbolic gestures. “We need people who are ready to do more than clap for justice,” she said, calling for a commitment to genuine reform.

The renaming committee member Horacio Trujillo raised a common argument against renaming figures like Carson, suggesting that doing so removes opportunities to discuss past harms. Velarde countered that it is possible to educate the public about these issues while still pursuing a name change, emphasizing the importance of context in educational curricula and tourism materials.

The letter from the Tribal Council also stressed the significance of names in public spaces. “When a name is given to a place in the public sphere, it frames what people remember, who is visible, and whose authority is assumed,” it noted. The letter accused colonial names and commemorations of honoring conquest while masking suffering, arguing that this approach does not teach history but rather obscures it.

As the town prepares for the upcoming meeting, the discussion around Kit Carson Park and its proposed new name underscores the complexities of historical narratives, identity, and the ongoing struggle for recognition and respect for Indigenous communities.