Vigil described the Valley’s culture as a “stew,” where language, spirituality, history and tradition are not easily separated. His films capture elders moving between English and Spanish. Vigil said they were not simply translating.

“It really is the way people communicate,” he said.

Vigil also documented the Penitentes, a Catholic brotherhood with deep roots in the region. Members in San Luis invited him into their morada or “dwelling” and spoke with him about their practices. That kind of access required trust.

“You got to build relationships,” Vigil said. “You just can’t go and think that it’s just going to happen naturally. It doesn’t work that way. It’s a process.”