Modern Houses

Taos Pueblo in New Mexico.

Many Pueblo people today live in traditional houses in pueblos that have been occupied for hundreds of years.

The traditional roomblocks are made of adobe, masonry, and wood, and some are more than one story tall. As people build new houses or remodel old houses, they often use modern construction materials. But some villages require people to use traditional materials.

Most Pueblo houses today have electricity and running water.

Kivas are still used in all the pueblos. Different pueblos have different styles of kivas. Some kivas are round, some are rectangular. They may be belowground or aboveground.

Individual families do not have their own kivas. Instead, kivas are built and used by specific clans. People don't live in kivas, but they use them daily for ceremonies, meetings, or other activities involving members of their clan. Modern kivas are large, holding 100 to 200 people.

Plazas also continue to be very important places within a pueblo. They are where people gather for ceremonies and other important events.