Scene from the parade in May 2001 marking the first anniversary of the Cerro Grande Fire. Photo by Zhen Huang 

Scene from the parade in May 2001 marking the first anniversary of the Cerro Grande Fire. Photo by Zhen Huang

By ZHEN HUANG
Los Alamos 

May 4, of 2021 marked the 21st anniversary of the Cerro Grande Fire. Two decades of time could have wiped out a lot of memories, however, I could never forget the heartfelt kindness and graceful support my family received from the Native Americans of our Pojoaque Pueblo neighboring community. 

Twenty one years ago, I was a foreign scientist at LANL. My parents had just come to visit Los Alamos from China for a little over one month. I remember when a neighbor knocked at the door notifying us of the evacuation order at midnight, we were getting ready to leave. I went outside and found traffic was backed up on all the streets, so I let my parents go back to sleep, they wanted to since they were still adjusting to the day-night reversal shock. We waited until early morning to evacuate when a county police knocked at the door and urged us to leave.

I remember when we arrived at the Pojoaque Pueblo evacuation shelter, we were told that the hotel room would not be available until late time in the day. I decided not to drive down to Santa Fe or Albuquerque but just stay at the shelter. Then, the Governor of Pojoaque Pueblo approached us, and offered us to stay at his home for the day so my parents could get some good rest.

I remember the Governor took us in his vehicle to his home. The Governor’s home is located at the top of a hillside that should have a breathtaking view overlooking the Pojoaque Valley, but at the time the atmosphere was fuzzy with smoky air from the Cerro Grande Fire. At the Governor’s home, we were greeted by Governor’s wife with a surprising Chinese greeting “你好” (Hello). She introduced herself as an artist from Korea while walking us through their home to the guest room.

I remember the air inside the Governor’s home was filled with soothing and comforting freshener from mixed herbs. My mother immediately recognized the aromatic scent from some herbs that were what her grandmother always used during summertime when she was a child. The Governor’s home atmosphere refreshed my mother’s remote memory of her childhood. I thanked the Governor’s wife for their thoughtful arrangement. We had a pleasant chat about our traditions of using herbs in Native American Pueblo, in Korea, and in China. We were happy to find that we have shared common heritages over our long history.

I remember when the Governor said Hi and shook hands with my father, my father was so surprised and excited. In Chinese culture, Native Americans are highly admired as heroic swordsmen who have a strong sense of justice and are always ready to help the weak people in difficult moments. My father was a big fan of Jin Yong’s martial arts novels that feature heroic swordsman figures. For my father, having the luck of meeting the Governor of a Native American Pueblo, shaking hands with him, and visiting his home was quite a dramatic event as if he got to say hi to his favorite heroic swordsman novel figures in real life. 

I remember during the five evacuation days we stayed at a room in the Pojoaque Pueblo operated hotel. We spent most of our time storytelling. My mother told lots of her childhood stories about her grandfather who was a Chinese Medicine Doctor and her hometown in the coastal Yangtze River region, in particular, about playing and learning in the herb garden with her grandmother. My father told his favorite heroic swordsman stories he read from Jin Yong’s martial arts novels, as well as “lost brother” stories he read from the Native American and earlier Chinese American history. I felt like living backwards to my childhood to listen to my parents telling bedtime stories.

It was the Governor’s heartfelt kindness of opening up his home for my parents to get a good rest, as well as the graceful support of Native Americans opening up their community to accommodate Los Alamos evacuees, that turned the mandatory evacuation experience to a memorable family vacation I hadn’t had with my parents for many years…

I remember on May 4, 2001, a chilly overcast day, Los Alamos held a community gathering for the first anniversary of Cerro Grande Fire. The then LANL director delivered a speech at the gathering. His expression of gratitude towards our Native American neighboring communities echoed in the spring air over the blackened mountains, and is still echoing deep in my heart.

This May, on the 21st anniversary of Cerro Grande Fire, thanks to Los Alamos Daily Post for giving me this opportunity to address to the world:

Thank you! the Governor of Pojoaque Pueblo. Thank you! my brother and sister Native Americans.

Scene from the parade in May 2001 marking the first anniversary of the Cerro Grande Fire. Photo by Zhen Huang