It's the ninth of September, six days until our harvest festival titled Gogiiya, gogiiya means knife edge and refers to when our festival was near Abiquii, in the 1800's when the Jicarilla Apache Nation was in transition with the US Government. We were alternately fighting with them and being at peace with them. The Olleros were led by my Great Grandfather Huerito Mundo and their range was primarily in central Colorado around the town of Center, Colorado and westward. At one time the Jicarillas received rations from the government at Abiquii and they carried on their ceremonies. If you drive by Abiquii you will notice a rock that resembles a knife edge, this is probably where the footraces were held.

Since the northern half of our reservation was established in 1886, the races have been held at Stone Lake and will continue to do so as long the Jicarilla Apache Nation exists as an entity. So building campsites and removing dry branches are the main concerns as we head toward the fifteenth. Most older Jicarillas try to make the ceremony and especially my cousins, Veronica Tiller, Roberta and Everett Serafin, Mary Velarde, Alberta Velarde, and Bob Crosby Velarde who rarely miss a Gogiiya ceremony. So come out and enjoy our harvest festival with us.