The Zuni Indian Reservation, also known as Pueblo of Zuni, is the homeland of the
Zuni tribe of
Native Americans. In
Zuni language
Zuni (also formerly Zuñi, endonym ''Shiwiʼma'') is a language of the Zuni people, indigenous to western New Mexico and eastern Arizona in the United States. It is spoken by around 9,500 people, especially in the vicinity of Zuni Pueblo, New ...
, the Zuni Pueblo people are referred to as A:shiwi, and the Zuni homeland is referred to as Halona Idiwan’a meaning Middle Place.
Location
The reservation lies in the
Zuni River
The Zuni (Zuñi) River is a tributary of the Little Colorado River in the southwestern United States. It has its origin in Cibola County, New Mexico, in the Zuñi Mountains at the Continental Divide. The river flows off the western slopes of th ...
valley and is located primarily in
McKinley and
Cibola counties in western
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, about west of
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
. There are also several smaller non-contiguous sections in
Apache County, Arizona
Apache County is in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. Shaped in a long rectangle running north to south, as of the 2020 census, its population was 66,021. The county seat is St. Johns.
Most of the county is occupied by part ...
, northwest of the city of
St. Johns.
The main part of the reservation borders the state of
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
to the west and the
Ramah Navajo Reservation to the east. The main reservation is surrounded by the
Painted Cliffs, the
Zuni Mountains Zuni may refer to:
Peoples and languages
* Zuni people, an indigenous people of the United States
* Zuni language, their language
Places
* Zuni, Virginia, an unincorporated town in Virginia in the United States
* Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, a ce ...
, and the
Cibola National Forest
The Cibola National Forest (pronounced SEE-bo-lah) is a 1,633,783 acre (6,611.7 km2) United States National Forest in New Mexico, USA. The name Cibola is thought to be the original Zuni Indian name for their pueblos or tribal lands. The name was ...
. The reservation's total land area is 723.343 sq mi (1,873.45 km²).
As noted above, the
Zuni Tribe also has land holdings in
Apache County
Apache County is in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. Shaped in a long rectangle running north to south, as of the 2020 census, its population was 66,021. The county seat is St. Johns.
Most of the county is occupied by part ...
, Arizona, and
Catron County, New Mexico, that do not border the main reservation.
Population
The population was reported at 7,891 inhabitants in the
2010 census. Almost all of the population lives in the reservation headquarters community of
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo (also Zuñi Pueblo, Zuni: ''Halona Idiwan’a'' meaning ‘Middle Place’) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,302 as of the 2010 Census. It is inhabited largely b ...
, located near the reservation's center, or in nearby
Black Rock, to its east.
History and main features
Also on the main reservation are the
Hawikuh Ruins
Hawikuh (also spelled ''Hawikku'', meaning "gum leaves" in ZuniLanmon, Dwight P. and Harlow, Francis, "A brief history of the Ashiwi (Zuni) pueblos", in ''The Pottery of Zuni Pueblo'', 2008, Museum of New Mexico Press. ), was one of the largest of ...
. The ancient Zuni pueblo of Hawikuh was the largest of the
Seven Cities of Cibola
The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold, also known as the Seven Cities of Cibola (), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology r ...
. It was established in the 13th century and abandoned in 1680. It was also the first pueblo seen by the Spanish explorers. The
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n scout
Estevanico
Estevanico ("Little Stephen"; modern spelling Estebanico; –1539), also known as Esteban de Dorantes or Mustafa Azemmouri (مصطفى الزموري), was the first African to explore North America.
Estevanico first appears as a slave in Portu ...
was the first non-Native to reach this area.
The largest town on the reservation is
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo (also Zuñi Pueblo, Zuni: ''Halona Idiwan’a'' meaning ‘Middle Place’) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,302 as of the 2010 Census. It is inhabited largely b ...
, which is seat of Tribal government. Also on the reservation are the towns of
Black Rock and
Pescado. There is a branch campus of the
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...
located in Zuni.
Tribal government
The Zuni Tribe is governed by an elected governor, lieutenant governor, and a six-member
Tribal Council with elections being held every four years. The governor is the administrative head of the Tribal Council, which is the final decision-making body on the reservation. The council oversees finances, business decisions, taxes and contracts.
Education
The sections in Cibola and McKinley counties in New Mexico are zoned to the
Zuni Public Schools
Zuni Public School District (ZPSD) is a school district headquartered in the Zuni Pueblo census-designated place of unincorporated McKinley County, New Mexico, United States.
It includes sections in Cibola County and McKinley County (including ...
.
Zuni High School
Zuni High School (ZHS) is a public high school in Black Rock, New Mexico, with a Zuni Pueblo postal address. It is a part of the Zuni Public School District.
It includes sections in Cibola County and McKinley County (including Zuni Pueblo and Bl ...
is the zoned high school.
See also
*
List of Indian reservations in the United States
This is a list of Indian reservations and other tribal homelands in the United States. In Canada, the Indian reserve is a similar institution.
Federally recognized reservations
There are 326 Indian Reservations in the United States. Most of t ...
Bibliography
Zuni Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, New Mexico/ArizonaUnited States Census Bureau
References
External links
Official site of the Zuni tribeOfficial site of Zuni Tourism
{{authority control
American Indian reservations in Arizona
American Indian reservations in New Mexico
Geography of Apache County, Arizona
Geography of Catron County, New Mexico
Geography of Cibola County, New Mexico
Geography of McKinley County, New Mexico
Reservation