Set on 500 acres on the Santa Ana Pueblo near Albuquerque, NM, nestled along the Rio Grande and beneath the Sandia Mountains, the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa is like no other. It combines the architecture and ambiance of a Southwestern pueblo with the service and amenities of a world-class resort, and the property offers a range of activities that allow groups to tap into its uniqueness. A great example of this is the option for groups to experience one of the pueblo's oldest traditions, baking bread in a huruna, or oven.
Working side-by-side with a Santa Ana Pueblo tribal member dressed in traditional attire, attendees learn the ancient recipes and techniques used in making pueblo oven bread.
The class starts with an explanation of the ingredients and the significance of this dietary staple to the Tamayame people. Groups are given the ingredients to make the dough that they then knead, roll, shape, and slide into the resort's outdoor oven with a long, flat paddle. When the oven has reached 500 degrees, the gas is turned off and the mud bricks that it is made of bake the bread.
It is then time to work on the toppings. Tamaya chefs will help infuse oils, vinegars, and cheeses with herbs, fruit, and spices. Loaves hot out of the oven are served with the customized gourmet toppings as well as a selection of butters (such as red chili-pepper butter and green chili butter).
"The Hyatt Regency Tamaya is dedicated to preserving the traditions of the Pueblo of Santa Ana," says Jolene Mauer, marketing manager at the resort. "This is just one of our many group activities focused on offering a better understanding of Native American culture."
Groups are also encouraged to visit the resort's Tamaya Cultural Learning Center, that offers a glimpse of the Tamayame and their settlements on the Pueblo of Santa Ana, showcasing paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics, weavings, and pottery.
At the entrance of the resort sits a magnificent statue depicting the Tamayame people. A grandmother dips water out of a pool, a young man is working a hoe in a cornfield, and a grandfather with two children depicts the tradition of storytelling, the customary way the Tamayame retell their history to each generation. The fourth statue is of a young woman, her hand extended, welcoming guests to the resort as her ancestors welcomed travelers to the pueblo. After partaking in an activity like this, groups will leave with a better understanding of the Tamayame.
Pueblo Oven Bread Recipe
Approximately 9 cups of white flour
1 Package of dry yeast
2 Tablespoons of salt
2 Tablespoons of lard (can substitute with butter)
2 Cups of water
Soften and dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix lard, flour, salt and dissolved yeast in a large bowl. Add warm water a little at a time kneading and rolling to even out all ingredients. Let dough rise in bowl, covered with cloth. Set near warm place of approximately 5-6 hours. After dough has risen knead the dough and let rise once more for approximately 20-30 minutes. After the dough has risen a second time knead the dough for 2-3 more minutes. Shape into balls and other shapes and put in greased baking pans. Cover with a cloth and let rise one more time in a warm place. Bake in 400-degree oven 50-60 minutes or until tops are browned and loaves sound hallow when tapped.