Ohkay Owingeh is undergoing an extreme makeover — in more ways than one. Thanks to the tribe's housing authority and Avanyu General Contracting, the tribe is in the midst of rehabilitating and preserving the core of its centuries-old plaza.

The project is called the Owe'neh Bupingeh Rehabilitation Project. The name is in reference to the pueblo's center of the world. Phase II of the project is under way in which adobe stabilization is the goal. Avanyu, which is a Native American and woman-owned company, is in the process of assessing the adobe walls and vigas, removing the adobe that needs to be removed, and rebuilding the walls and the homes in a properly traditional manner.

"Our goal is to keep the area alive," said Liana Sanchez, owner/CEO of Avanyu. "Go to any pueblo and they're building housing projects and moving people out to subdivisions. But it's not the same sense of community. We don't want the village to be vacant. We're trying to make the homes desirable again, so people will want to move in rather than move out."

Presently, of the 56 homes within the core of the pueblo, there is only one-third occupancy. The goal is 100 percent occupancy.

"We want to make the main plaza as vibrant as possible," said project superintendent Mateo Peixinho. "It is a historic preservation landmark, but what makes the plaza unique is that it's still growing. There is still ceremony being held here. There is laughter, dancing, kids playing. It's not a museum or a fort that people visit. This is home for many people."

Sanchez, who is a member of San Ildefonso Pueblo, said her company uses traditional methods of adobe repair and stabilization. She said using real mud leads to long-term sustainability. She began her career in construction with classes and hands-on projects at Northern New Mexico College's Adobe Construction program in Española and El Rito. She says she has "a love for dirt."

"We should be building in adobe," Sanchez explained. "It's keeping with our tradition. It has to be carried on. Pueblo people have always been part of the green movement."

Both Sanchez and Peixinho give much of the credit for the Owe'neh Bupingeh Rehabilitation Project to Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority Director Tomasita Duran for securing the grants and the capital.

Avanyu has also made it a priority to hire locals. Out of the 40 staff that has been hired for the project, 20 are Native American and 17 are Ohkay Owingeh tribal members.

"We try to hire from here. HUD has a mandate to hire locals but a lot of contractors haven't done that," Sanchez said. "This place has a certain uniqueness. Some of the guys (working on the crew) own these homes. So we have maintenance planning built in (to the project). We say we're working ourselves out of a job. We want the people here to be able to take care of these homes themselves for the next 50 years or so. We want to make sure if something happens, they can fix it, and they don't have to wait on a grant.

"And yes, I feel we're instilling a sense of pride and ownership. It's about giving back to my (pueblo) community. This is what I'm contributing to my people," said Sanchez.

Peixinho said it's unknown how old some of the adobe homes are, but many are what he called "pre-Columbian." He said planning for the rehabilitation was done through a Cultural Advisory Team, including tribal elders.

"To see it falling down was sad," said Peixinho. "It's a sacred place. To bring it back is special."

Harlan McKosato, a Sauk/Ioway, is host of the syndicated radio show Native America Calling, which airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on KUNM, 89.9 FM.