Reyna remembered by those whose lives he touched

He has been described as a “gentle warrior,” and during the century he lived among us, Tony Reyna fought for our nation’s freedom and became the symbol of dignity for his people that will forever inspire all who knew and loved him.

When he died in his sleep in the early morning hours of Dec. 4, it was a gentle passing. He was with his family at his home at Taos Pueblo, a short walk from the creek that carries water from the tribe’s beloved Blue Lake high in the mountains above the village. “All was peaceful and all is well,” his daughter Diane Reyna said shortly after he walked on.

{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="e90ce05e-bcc1-11e6-be97-1f2c516552c8"}}

Reyna, age 100, was buried in the Taos Pueblo cemetery on Dec. 5, according to tribal custom. Because he was an important member of his Native religion, his funeral was afforded special distinction by tribal leaders even before full United States military honors were displayed at graveside.

Reyna is a survivor of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines, after which he endured three and one-half years of brutal captivity during World War II. This was at a time when Native Americans did not yet have the right to vote. His captivity ended in 1945 when he and other prisoners of war were liberated by Allied forces. He was the last of 11 men alive from Taos Pueblo who were captured at Bataan. At the time of his release, Reyna weighed barely 100 pounds.

‘I served my country’

After recovering, he, like many returning World War II veterans, set about using the skills he learned to benefit his people. Reyna married Annie Cata Reyna, and opened the first Indian-owned business in the area, Tony Reyna’s Indian Shop, in 1950, which has remained open continuously to this day. The couple raised four children.

{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="201be0fe-bcc2-11e6-8280-e3e0cfa26032"}}

During 2015 Veterans Day ceremonies at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, Reyna was among those singled out for honors. “I served my country,” Reyna said in a media report. “I served my people. I’m still serving. I’m available anytime they ask me!”

“Mr. Reyna has spent his entire life serving his Pueblo and his country,” said Travis Suazo (Laguna-Taos-Acoma), the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s director of museum and cultural engagement, in a statement. “Only through the sacrifices of men like him are we are able to protect and maintain our Pueblo beliefs and core values.”

Life of distinction

Reyna was a respected community leader even before he served two terms as his tribe’s governor, as well as in various other offices in tribal government. For the town of Taos, he served as a police commissioner and as a museum board member. He was a lifetime member of the Taos Pueblo tribal council.

“Gov. Reyna’s life was one of dedicated and selfless service to his community, his state, and his country,” said U.S. Senator Tom Udall upon learning of Reyna’s death. “He served in the Army during World War II, surviving the Bataan Death March and more than three years of brutal captivity in the Philippines.

“After the war, Gov. Reyna helped invigorate the local economy by opening a Native American arts shop, which has operated continuously to today. We are forever indebted to Gov. Reyna for his incredible record of public service — as Secretary, Lieutenant Governor, and twice as Governor of Taos Pueblo, as well as Police Commissioner for the Town of Taos, member of the Taos School Board, and trustee of the Millicent Rogers Museum. With the passing of Gov. Tony Reyna, New Mexico has lost a true hero and an esteemed public servant.”

Congressman Ben Ray Luján said, “I was saddened to hear about the death of Gov. Reyna, whose commitment to his people and his country embodies the best of New Mexico. A survivor of the Bataan Death March and over three brutal years as a prisoner of war, he returned to become a leader in his community. His remarkable lifetime of service to Taos, our state, and the Nation exemplify his dedication to improving the world around him.”

{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="4637d07c-bcc2-11e6-9f15-bbc3237df292"}}

‘Commitment to his people’

Family and friends gave a birthday breakfast for their beloved patriarch last Jan. 31 at his home and shop. It preceded Reyna’s actual birthday, which was Feb. 1, the date on which the New Mexico Legislature honored him with a memorial, naming it “Tony Reyna Day.” The proclamation was authored by state Sen. Carlos Cisneros.

During the birthday breakfast, Reyna presided over a table filled with food, cards and birthday decorations. After “Happy Birthday” was sung, two little boys helped him blow out the candles on a cake specially decorated with a photograph of Reyna wearing a favorite Pendleton blanket. Then, he and newly named Taos Pueblo War Chief Richard Archuleta sang several round dance songs, which Archuleta said he has helped preserve from days past.

Reyna was recipient of the seventh annual “Spirit of the Heard” award in 2010 at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. During the ceremony, Reyna was presented with traditional gifts and a cash award, and his photograph was installed with other recipients of the award at the west entrance to the museum’s Steele Auditorium, according to a report in Native Times.

Each year, the Heard Museum’s board of trustees honors an individual who has demonstrated personal excellence either individually or as a community leader. The award reinforces the mission of the museum, which is to educate the public about the heritage and living arts and cultures of Native peoples.

Dr. Letitia Chambers, director of the museum, said in the report, “Tony Reyna’s life has been one of service and commitment to his people. His effort to preserve the culture of Taos Pueblo were instrumental in Blue Lake being returned to the tribe. Reyna was elected governor of Taos Pueblo twice. In 1992, the United Nations’ UNESCO agency named Taos Pueblo as a World Heritage site.”

{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="76e025b2-bcc2-11e6-89f2-9fc3f482a716"}}

Wayne Mitchell, (Mandan/Dakota) chairman of Heard’s American Indian advisory committee, added, “Tony Reyna was chosen for a variety of reasons, but primarily because he dedicated his life to the betterment of Indian people and, in particular, to helping preserve the culture, resources and traditions of his tribe.”

Extraordinary legacy

Taos Pueblo custom states that no one tribal member should be considered greater than another, but some people are destined to stand out because of their particular talents and insights. In this regard, Reyna was always humble in his approach to dealing with his leadership responsibilities. In 1992, during one of his terms as tribal governor, he presided over the aforementioned U.N. designation of Taos Pueblo as a World Heritage Site.

“We appreciate the significance of this recognition,” Reyna wrote at the time. “However, we must share with you that our experience as a living community which is known throughout the world has made our people cautious with regard to the potential impact of designations conferred upon us by the outside world.”

Saying his tribe was “not interested in using the award as a promotion,” he nonetheless accepted the U.N. certificate, and put potential critics on notice that the Pueblo was more interested in the award “as a tool for future generations to safeguard their survival, including the preservation of their culture, resources and traditions.”

Reyna’s four children have also followed in his footsteps; all four are adults of accomplishment. In addition to Diane and Phillip, John Anthony has worked as a teacher, and daughter Marie is director of the Oo-oonah Art Center at Taos Pueblo. His wife passed away in 1993. He was the last of his immediate family. Additional family includes Marlene, Carly and Aneva.

In a 2013 article for Indian Country Today, Reyna said, “I served in the Army, I served the state of New Mexico, and I served the city of Taos, but the most important of all was serving my people as governor,” he said. “It was hard work over the years, but I made a lot of friends … I have a little great-grandson (Antonio Ray) here that is the joy of my life. I’m 97 now, and intend to make 100.”