In the land of the Río Bravo del Norte, the San Luis Valley stood as the northernmost outpost of sixteenth century Spain. To the Spanish, it was a wild and unexplored place known only to Native people. Spanish conquistadors ventured into the valley along the Río Grande corridor from the south, and Spanish settlers came with their religion and culture seeking fertile ground to raise their families. They laid out plazas, shared common ground, and relied on one another to survive in an unknown place. Not understanding Native beliefs, they soon came into conflict with Native people and fought wars to protect their Spanish communities. Distance cut off these colonies from their homeland, leaving them alone on the frontier. Over time, they wove a culture closely tied to religion and nature, giving the San Luis Valley a unique culture of its own that is still reflected in santos and bultos, religious sites around the valley, and fiestas and Días de los Santos still celebrated in Culebra villages.