Secret lands of the Zuni Pueblo

No skyscrapers in sight, no blur from the smog. Only a beautiful landscape captured in the morning that comes with freezing your fingers off to greet our Father Sun. Defining peace and sovereignty found here only in the Zuni Pueblo.

By Jodi K. from Zuni High School in New Mexico

Early December is one of the most important times of year for the A:shiwi people. It is the time of year we celebrate Sha'la'k'o. Welcoming the new year and praying this year will be filled with nothing but blessings for the entire village. Bringing home our ancestors for one night is what deeply connects the Zuni people. Realizing how our village is one big family, we are truly blessed and honored to be A:shiwi. 

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Zuni High School

Smith-Dual Credit

Dual Credit with NTU and ZHS

Humans of Zuni: Joshua Mahkee

With life bringing many challenges and problems, you can always find a person smiling through it all. Here is the story of my brother Joshua and his journey of self-introspection and finding happiness.

A Spirit's Path Home

For thousands of years, my people and our ancestors have inhabited the land, reciprocating blessings between ourselves and spirits of the animals. Our identity could have vanished long ago, but the walls that structure our protection still stand.

Culture Is Not Mass-Produced

The story behind two Zuni silversmiths and their efforts to market their jewelry in the face of non-Native opportunists who steal authentic designs to mass produce for a global market.

Humans of Zuni: Chasady Simplicio

Peering into the ocean of wandering waves, for the mind seeks beyond the shores and piers, past the blue horizons, and into the welcoming skies of the next morning.

Humans of Zuni: Kristyn Eriacho

How sports have gotten Kristyn through lifes hardships

Humans of Zuni: Cody Seciwa-Koons

Personal stories define who a person by describing how certain events shaped their personality. This is Cody Seciwa-Koons' story.

Humans of Zuni :Kyle Awelagte

This is Kyle Awelagte's story of his journey, becoming who he is today and the help of his family.

Culture Preservation and Native Americans

Native Americans have endured so much abuse for far too long. Now something must be done about it and we must be heard.

"Rez''ilient Education

Our tribal sovereigntypaves the way for us to developa unique education system that is the foundation for ensuring we support and enrich the deep culture we have within our community.

Tribal Sovereignty and Writing the Op-Ed

The fight to have our voices heard to bring back Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Tribal Sovereignty

Sacred Earthlings with sacred practices. We as A:shiwi (Zuni) people keep our religion sacred. And with this comes a law created by the Tribal Government. The No Flash Photography law that is abided by us as well as nonmembers of the community.

Sustainability for Sovereign Native Communities

When people think about Native communities, they think about the poverty levels and the stereotypes. I wanted to show how sovereign Native communities can continue to sustain themselves and thrive through the reclamation of ancestral traditions.

No More killing, Save the Indian

"kill the Indian, save the man" -Richard Henry Pratt

Humans of Zuni: Kameron Eustace

This is Kameron. Taking a glimpse at the world of his ambitions and dreams.

Earth as a part of tribal sovereignty

The land has a deeply rooted connection to the A:shiwi people. They have had many obstacles but remain on their sacred land.

My Dawg on The Rez

A rez dog is a dog that is mixed breed, basically a mutt. They have no real home and roam around the rez with no real purpose. My dog is a rez dog and has been able to survive the harsh conditions we call home here in Zuni land.

Humans of Zuni: Anthony Sice

In the Pueblo of Zuni, we open ourselves to windows of opportunity to grow and prosper. Anthony found his passion for baseball in the red dirt fields, playing with family, uncovering a talent he didn't know he had, and nurturing that talent.

Sovereignty: The Backbones of Our Community

The importance of women in our culture and in my life

Red Road of Connection

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." -Chief Seattle of the Duwamish Tribe

Tribal Sovereignty in Zuni

Tribal Soverignty can be seen in plain sight around Zuni Pueblo.

Humans of Zuni: Ian Bowekaty

Behold my friend, classmate, most proud to say: my brother.

Humans of Zuni: Jodi Kallestewa

This is Jodi Kallestewa's story. How she has overcome adversity and struggle to become more confident and outgoing.

Our sovereignty is inherent

We have always been a sovereign people and one with the earth since the beginning of time.

Tribal Sovereignty: Washed Faces

As the children are fed along a river, they find gratitude in the heart of the land. From one corn stalk to the next, the seed grows and the root stretches into the underworld, grasping the soul of their ancestors. A mother's sovereignty.

Protection of sacred lands

It took little for the United States government to take 99% of Native lands along with the lands and resources well they and private corporations continue to exploit. These corporations don't understand that these lands are our place or worship.

More posts from Zuni High School

Surprise Me

Conjoining Zuni High and Middle School, Will It Work?

The plan to solve both the Zuni High School and Zuni Middle School's problem is to create one conjoined school where the high school is currently located. Will a conjoined school work or not?

Flower with freedom

This native flower symbolizes freedom because it grows wherever it wants without any law or restrictions for it to stop growing, it's a living thing that can grow freely unlike some humans that don’t get that much freedom like plants do.

Democracy: A fragile strength in America

Democracy nowadays is a lot like this ancient A:shiwi pottery piece from 1050 AD: broken and delicate. Although it has gone through years, decades or even centuries of hardships, it has still stayed somewhat intact.

Democracy in Zuni

Darkness is always represented as the downsides of an object. In recent years, it feels that our tribal government has let down the people of Zuni.

Bad Park Conditions in Zuni

Bad parks and playgrounds are a safety hazard for children. We always want what's best for our children, and that starts with safety! Let's help out the community by fixing and cleaning up playground equipment that is in disrepair.

Zuni Animal Adoption Shelter / Clinic

As I drive around the Zuni Reservation, I see so many rez dogs in need of help. These dogs need "fixing" but Zuni doesn't have an animal clinic or shelter.

Get To Know Your Neighbor

An interview with Ladean Blackhair.

Democracy in Zuni, NM

The Dowa Yolanne Mountain shows democracy through the freedom we have, allowing us to practice our religion.

Dear Teenagers of Zuni

Letter to the Editor of the Independent.

Generations of running

This was taken at the 2021 NM State Cross-Country Race. Our ancestors would run to different places sending messages and receiving messages. Running has been a part of our generation for many years and here we successfully continue the cycle.

Independent letter to the editor

Letter to the editor of The Independent

Democracy

This place reminds me of the first time that I arrived in Zuni, NM. Aspects of the environment here such as the landscape, houses, and the way people interact with each other give me sensations and feelings that remind me of India, where I'm from.

More posts about "photo & caption", "#shiwi", "story", and "straightoutofshiwi"

Surprise Me

Mattress Firm

What is really going on?

Humans of Zuni: Joshua Mahkee

With life bringing many challenges and problems, you can always find a person smiling through it all. Here is the story of my brother Joshua and his journey of self-introspection and finding happiness.

Six Words

Coming of Age in the 2020s

Democracy to me

This picture was taken in downtown San Luis Potosi Mexico in late July. Democracy to me is seeing how different we all really are and how we are all free to live completely different lives and go in very different life directions.

Journalistic Storytelling

Tobacco addiction.

Covid affecting bsketball at EHS.

I wrote about how Covid affected EHS basketball. I interviewed Jimmy Rodgers who is the boys varsity basketball coach.

Democracy to me.

What Democracy means to me is people working together to create something new and beautiful to inspire others to create.

Democracy To Me

Democracy to me means being able to spend time with those who I care for, knowing that they’ll become something great someday and make a huge difference in our country and in our world.

Rez freedom

This is Trevor, he is not a "Rez dog" but he is a dog living on the Rez. He has freedom within a confined system, just like Native Americans who have freedom within a "confined system".

Humans of Publications

Interview with Melissa Singleton

Humans of Sophomore Honors English: Kaitlin Giacone

In an interview I had with Kaitlin Giacone, you get to know about her inspiring story of how she wants to help change an issue she is passionate about. She explains a past issue of hers, and how she is planning on preventing others going through it.

Six Words

Coming of Age in the 2020s

Culture Preservation and Native Americans

Native Americans have endured so much abuse for far too long. Now something must be done about it and we must be heard.

democracy visual

I took this at a show last year. I feel like this image accurately represents democracy because we have the opportunity to still do things that make us happy and enjoy the company of our friends while still maintaining the safety of those around us.

Six Words

Coming of Age in the 2020s.

Democracy to Me

Democracy is easily shown because, of the first 2 nations to go to space, the US is a democracy. To have a nation run by the people be the second people to space, and the first on the moon is a big representation of what democracy means.

Six Words

Coming of age in 2020

Journalistic Story Telling

This is my presentation

Humans of Sophmore Honors Sidney

For our Humans of Sophomore English project. I interviewed Sidney Caampued and learned that she is all about her family and culture. She is very proud of where she came from and of her family.

"Rez''ilient Education

Our tribal sovereigntypaves the way for us to developa unique education system that is the foundation for ensuring we support and enrich the deep culture we have within our community.

Democracy In Zuni

A tree has grown through a tractor that has been sitting in the middle of Zuni for many years. Just like democracy, it takes time to implement change and sometimes the change can affect something significant like removing the tractor from the tree.

the programs you never knew about

Most schools have fun organizations for students like theater, chess and student council, but Texas High offers many more clubs that a lot of students don’t realize we have.

Humans Of May River

In this post I interviewed a student from May River asking them questions about the community, themselves and other important questions that have something to do it.

Six Words

Coming of Age in the 2020s

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