Archuleta, Manuel

Manuel Archuleta, of San Juan Pueblo, was one of the first collectors of Native American music in the United States. He formed his own record production company, Tom Tom Records, Co., Albuquerque, New Mexico. His label heading read "America's Original Folk Songs of the Redmen, Vocal Documentation of Authentic Indian Songs." Additional slogans on his records include "Manuel Archuleta Production Enterprise, Save-A-Chant Project Series, Limited Issue." It is believed that Archuleta recorded 24 songs under this label. Archuleta worked as a U.S. Indian Service stock and file clerk at the Albuquerque Indian School. He sang native songs that he had learned from the old men of his village and started collecting New Mexico Native American songs at the Indian School and various pueblos in 1939. Archuleta's wife, Alyce Pinno of Laguna, also worked for the Albuquerque Indian Office. Archuleta recorded Alyce's father, George Pinno, known as one of the best song makers of his day. Archuleta lectured at UNM and taught Indian dances and lore in the schools. Archuleta first recorded music as a hobby, and later sold his records. In the 1940s Archuleta made a series of 78 rpm lps under his Tom Tom records label. In the 1970s, Mary-Kay Co. of South El Monte, California published some of his recordings. Archuleta realized that the native people of New Mexico were reluctant to have him record their songs, but once they listened to his recordings and understood that he was helping to preserve their heritage, they began urging him to record their songs. Archuleta captured as many authentic Native American songs as he could, knowing that when old men die they take with them the songs that others had failed to learn. To further this cause he donated his recordings to the University of New Mexico. Musicologists researching Native American songs have found Manuel Archuleta's recordings useful. For example, in Music and Dance of the Tewa People, authors Gertrude Prokosch Kurath and Antonio Garcia have used these recordings along with ethnographers' film recordings, to combine transcriptions of the music with dance glyphs.

From the description of Manuel Archuleta collection of Pueblo Indian, Navajo and Hopi music, ca. 1940. (University of New Mexico-Main Campus). WorldCat record id: 456100435

Tom Tom Record Label

Manuel Archuleta, of San Juan Pueblo, was one of the first collectors of Native American music in the United States. He formed his own record production company, Tom Tom Records, Co., Albuquerque, New Mexico. His label heading read “America’s Original Folk Songs of the Redmen, Vocal Documentation of Authentic Indian Songs." Additional slogans on his records include "Manuel Archuleta Production Enterprise, Save-A-Chant Project Series, Limited Issue." It is believed that Archuleta recorded 24 songs under this label. After loss of the copyright to his first label, Manuel produced a second run of the 24 songs as 45s under the name - Songs of the Redmen, Super Chief Indian Records. They are similar to his earlier lp Tom Tom recordings, but with different label descriptions.

Archuleta worked for the United Pueblos Agency. He sang native songs that he had learned from the old men of his village and started collecting New Mexico Native American songs at the Indian School and various pueblos in 1939. Archuleta’s wife, Alyce Pinno of Laguna, graduated in 1936 from Haskell Indian School with a commercial associates degree. She worked for the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Archuleta recorded Alyce's father, George Pinno, known as one of the best song makers of his day. Archuleta lectured at UNM and taught Indian dances and lore in the schools. Archuleta first recorded music as a hobby, and later sold his records. In the 1940s Archuleta made a series of 78 rpm lps under his Tom Tom records label. In the 1970s, Mary-Kay Co. of South El Monte, California published some of his recordings.

Archuleta realized that the native people of New Mexico were reluctant to have him record their songs, but once they listened to his recordings and understood that he was helping to preserve their heritage, they began urging him to record their songs. Archuleta captured as many authentic Native American songs as he could, knowing that when old men die they take with them the songs that others had failed to learn. To further this cause he donated his recordings to the University of New Mexico. Musicologists researching Native American songs have found Manuel Archuleta's recordings useful. For example, in Music and Dance of the Tewa People, authors Gertrude Prokosch Kurath and Antonio Garcia have used these recordings along with ethnographers’ film recordings, to combine transcriptions of the music with dance glyphs. Archuleta died in November 1963.

Sources: Archuleta, Manuel. “The Chants of my People," The Desert Magazine, October 1949, Vol. 12, No. 12, pp. 12-14

Kurath, Gertrude Prokosch, with Antonio Garcia, Music and Dance of the Tewa Pueblos. Museum of New Mexico Press: Santa Fe, NM. 1970. p. 164;

Levine, Victoria Lindsey. Ed. Writing American Indian Music: Historic Transcriptions, Notations, and Arrangements. Published for American Musicological Society. A-R Editions, Inc.: Middleton, Wisconsin. 2002

Szasz, Ferenc M. Larger Than Life: New Mexico in the Twentieth Century. University of New Mexico Press: Albuquerque. 2006.

From the guide to the Manuel Archuleta collection of Pueblo Indian, Navajo and Hopi music, ca. 1940, (University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research)