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Jennie and Dianne are joined by Rick Hendricks, PhD to learn about a series of fascinating witch trials that took place not in New England, but in the border town Abiquiu, New Mexico beginning in 1756 and spanning over the course of ten years ending in 1766.  Governor Tomás Vélez Cachupin had a plan to bring peace to the early settlers of New Mexico by granting land to the Genizaros, who were indigenous peoples with a Hispanic influence. The colony was in danger due to the resistance of the Pueblos against Christianization and the attacks by nomadic tribes including the Utes and Comanches. At the same time, Father Juan José Toledo, claimed that the Genizaros had cast a spell on him. In response, Governor Vélez Cachupín gathered religious leaders to discuss the unusual events in Abiquiu. Rick Hendricks explains the finer points of these Ordinary Extraordinary witch trials while also explaining the differences and similarities to the more widely known Salem witch trials of the 1692.

Illustrations of events related to the Abiquiu witch trials and posted to social media and our website, are by Glen Strock and are shared with permission.

To purchase the book, "The Witches of Abiquiu: The Governor, The Priest, The Genízaro Indians, And the Devil", follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/Witches-Abiquiu-Governor-Genizaro-Indians/dp/0826320325/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=JUNYH6KP8JH0&keywords=the+witches+of+abiquiu&qid=1688019287&sprefix=the+witches+of+abi%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1