When I was about nine years old, my family was raising money to send my sister on a to a leadership summit in Washington D.C. I was pissed off because we were struggling with money and even at a young age I knew that money was tight. We were able to raise enough money to send my sister on this trip. When she got back, she taught us what she learned about leadership and the responsibilities that she was given. Once I started realizing that this was a leadership summit and not just for amusement, I started to comprehend the significance of supporting my family. This got me thinking of various ways that tribes such as the Zuni Pueblo (A:shiwi) aid their people. Three main types of support that will improve or preserve ways of life are through cultural, spiritual and economic traditions. 

There are many ways that Native communities have supported themselves economically throughout history, from raiding other settlements for their goods to trading furs and pottery, to adapting to a monetary system in modern times. 

The early A:shiwi people were an agrarian society that traded surplus crops, jewelry, and pottery for shells, parrot feathers, and bison meat and hides. With the introduction of livestock and silversmithing from the Spanish, the A:shiwi began to rely more on trading as a lifestyle. Before and after the Pueblo revolt the A:shiwi relied mainly on their agriculture and trade until the mid to late 1800s. During the early 20th century the economy of the Zuni Pueblo withered and the A:shiwi people returned to their agricultural practices of their ancestors in order to survive. 

The economic conditions of the Zuni pueblo have been slowly improving throughout the years with the building of schools, tribal government buildings, and local businesses. There are many ways that the A:shiwi could improve their economic standing such as the selling of land, Native casinos or increased tourism. The first idea of selling land would not cross most of the A:shiwe people’s minds since the land is a part of themselves. The second idea of a Native casino might seem promising at first glance however most Native casinos take more from the communities then what they bring in. Tourism is already a good part of the Zuni economy today however it can be improved.

The growth of crops was not just for survival and economic reasons for the A:shiwi people, it was a link to the past and still is a major part of their culture. The agricultural society of the A:shiwi can be seen in all manner of their lives from before European encounters to now. The rain dances to bring in more rain, the stories that talk about how the plants came to be, even where the A:shiwi people built their communities. The cultural responsibilities that came with growing crops such as dowa (corn), squash, and beans included planting prayer sticks to protect the crops, bringing water to the crops, and clearing the land. 

Another major piece of A:shiwi culture in the matriarchal society. In A:shiwi culture the women have more or equal amount of control than the men, they own the houses and fields, many of the decisions that affect their family and communities have to be approved by the women of the tribe. The way that this has been continues. For example, houses and other property are given to the eldest daughter even to this day.

The last part of how A:shiwi could support themselves is spiritually. This could be both in the traditional sense and the Christian religion. The ways that the Zuni support themselves in the traditional sense is by the belief in Kokkos or spirits, planting prayer sticks that will protect and allow the crops to grow and flourish, and conducting the prayers and blessings that go with the A:shiwi religion. When the Spanish came into A:shiwi territory, they began to spread Christianity to the A:shiwi people. The Spanish forced the A:shiwe people to build missions on top of the sacred kivas. After the Pueblo revolt, the A:shiwi tried to go back to their traditional teaching but some of that knowledge was lost. The A:shiwi were able to recreate a mostly traditional religion but this had traces of Spanish influences. Once the Spanish came back, the A:shiwi people started to convert more into the Christianity. The way that the A:shiwi have supported themselves in the modern day, spiritually is by learning their traditions and participating in the different spiritual practices. Many of the A:shiwi people practice a combination of religions from their traditional religion to Christianity to Mormonism. This seems like it could be a challenge to most people because the practices and beliefs of the various religions can contradict each other. It can be tough to decide which religion takes precedence; however the rain priests have moved some of the major events in the A:shiwi calendar to allow people to worship and participate in their different religions.

The A:shiwi people have had a long history of supporting themselves, be it spiritually, economically or culturally. There are many ways that these types of support can be improved or taught but the main thing is that the Zuni people have supported themselves and will continue to support themselves. The way that the A:shiwi people have supported themselves as a sovereign nation throughout history could be something that the United States could learn from. Learning how the Zuni Pueblo supports their people reminds me of how I can support my family in any way that I can and how my family has supported my sister and me.

Resources:

(Hart, E. Richard, and T. J. Ferguson. “First Years as Governor.” Pedro Pino: Governor of Zuni Pueblo, 1830-1878, University Press of Colorado, 2003, pp. 13–32, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt46nr28.6.)

Tedlock, Barbara. “Zuni Sacred Theater.” American Indian Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 3, University of Nebraska Press, 1983, pp. 93–110, https://doi.org/10.2307/1184258.

Seowtewa, Octavius, et al. “A:Shiwi (Zuni) Perspectives.” The Greater Chaco Landscape: Ancestors, Scholarship, and Advocacy, edited by RUTH M. VAN DYKE and CARRIE C. HEITMAN, University Press of Colorado, 2021, pp. 188–90, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1m46ffr.13.

Ferguson, T. J., et al. “Repatriation at the Pueblo of Zuni: Diverse Solutions to Complex Problems.” American Indian Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 2, University of Nebraska Press, 1996, pp. 251–73, https://doi.org/10.2307/1185704.