The Deer Dance, for example, which is performed to assure prosperity for the coming year, is conducted by the Winter People in January or February. As in many other dances, humor is an important element, here furnished by cariactures of Apache hunters, who stalk the dancers and pretend to hunt them with sunflower-stalk arrows. There are Buffalo Dances, Basket Dances and a Cloud Dance at various times of the year, and at some of them the traditional clowns accompany and tease the serious dancers. The San Juan people have a complex and fascinating cultural history. All ceremonies and dances are centered on this division of influences and relate to various aspects of daily and seasonal life.
Great importance is placed upon the teaching of responsibility.
Although many San Juan people work outside the Pueblo, most of them return for ritual occasions and ceremonies. Their language is Tewa. Visit the San Juan Agriculture Cooperative.