Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 2 PM
Throughout the Western Hemisphere, specifically what is now referred to as the US Southwest, diverse disciplines of science have uncovered, studied, and theorized over the empirical evidence of humankind. In particular, New Mexico, recent revelations have contributed to the scientific community’s redefining of our understanding of the duration and progression of humankind in the Western Hemisphere. However, even with a tremendous amount of evidence, what is known of the humans who built and resided at what is now referred as Chaco Culture National Historical Park remains an enigma.
Despite the massive 14 impressive Great Houses, expansive 50,000 square mile architectural and agrarian influence, and the known amount of time that Chaco was inhabited, a majority of the scientific community will admit little is known of the people themselves.
Join Placitas Community Library in welcoming our own scholar of Native American history, Jon Ghahate, Pueblo cultural historian, on Saturday August 22 at 2pm. Jon is from the Pueblos of Laguna and Zuni, and a member of the Turkey and Badger Clans. As a public speaker, he is recognized for providing more accurate, credible, and respectful histories, legacies, and cultures of the Southwest civilizations, specifically New Mexico’s contemporary Pueblo communities.
His diverse professional background includes: a health care practitioner, a public middle school and high school math and science educator, an athletic coach for the public school system, a journalist for a national radio talk program, and a community volunteer for a variety of community conscious organizations. Most recently, Jon served as the Museum Cultural Educator at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM. A Vietnam era veteran, Jon received a number of community, military service related, and professional commendations. He was also a fellow of the Kellogg National Leadership Foundation Program. He is a lifelong resident of New Mexico and his tribal nations and a father to two children. He is currently an educator at Crow Canyon Archeological Center in Colorado and lives in Placitas, NM. This presentation is for those who have yet to experience Chaco as well as for those who know Chaco Canyon well. It is an opportunity to learn what is now known and more importantly, the connections NM’s contemporary Pueblo communities have with the humans who called Chaco ‘HOME’ 1,300 years ago.