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Please use our media library for downloadable images and usage rights.Native American groups have inhabited the territory of New Mexico for thousands of years, many centuries before Europeans reached the Americas. When the Spanish came to New Mexico in the 1500s, they brought with them their Roman Catholic religion. Those missionaries traveled to this new territory to bring their faith to the Native American people and converted many. However, Native beliefs and customs persevered and became intertwined with those brought by the Spanish colonists.
There are 23 Indian tribes located in New Mexico - nineteen Pueblos, three Apache tribes (the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Mescalero Apache Tribe), and the Navajo Nation.
The nineteen Pueblos are comprised of the Pueblos of Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zuni and Zia.
Each Tribe is a sovereign nation with its own government, life-ways, traditions, and culture. All welcome visitors, but please make sure to check ahead of your visit as some communities close unexpectedly for religious or other cultural observations.
The centrally located Albuquerque area is the perfect starting point from which to explore our Native American heritage. A majority of the 19 pueblos are located in northern New Mexico. The Navajo Nation is the largest American Indian tribe in North America and their reservation is located in northwest New Mexico, northern Arizona and southeast Utah. The Jicarilla Apaches live in northern New Mexico and the Mescalero Apaches reside in southern New Mexico. The Fort Sill Apache Reservation is also located in southern New Mexico. Reminders of Native American presence are throughout our state: cliff dwellings and pit houses, kivas (underground ceremonial chambers), abandoned cities along ancient trade routes, and symbols etched in rock.
Learn more about Native American Pueblo and Tribe locations in this state map »
Visitors are often fascinated to see that pueblo life is a window to another world. Not relegated to history books or museums, this is a living culture that carries on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors. Several pueblos and tribes hold regular tours and have excellent visitor centers with information about Native American culture and beliefs. Keep in mind that visitors are not allowed on certain days, when special observances are held in private. Call the pueblo or tribal office in advance of arrival to be sure that visitors are welcome on the day you'd like to visit.
Learn more about the pueblos and tribes of New Mexico »
Feast days are as much celebrations of ancient Native American traditions and heritage as they are commemorations of Catholic saints. Native American feast days allow tribal members to come together in a renewal of their language, culture and religion. On these days, the communities celebrating a feast day are open to the public (the corn, deer and buffalo dances are commonly open to the public), and members of the tribe will prepare a variety of bountiful meals to share with their visiting guests.
Feast days include traditional dances in brilliant attire and sacred rituals, cultural activities, food and arts & crafts vendors. Every dance is considered a prayer, not a performance, and each dance tells a different story and serves a different purpose. As such, outsiders are privileged to observe them. The ceremonial dress worn by the dancers is more than just decorative; the feathers, jewelry and beads all communicate part of the story.
Drums beat with an insistent cadence and the air is filled with the fragrance of piñon smoke. The sights, sounds and smells of the pueblo celebrations are a feast for the senses.
Learn more about Native American Feast Days »
Always remember that when you visit a reservation, you are visiting someone’s home. Please observe all posted requests and regulations. When you are on Indian land, you are subject to Indian laws. It is important to understand that visitors must abide by the laws and rules of each tribe, and respect their customs and traditions. For example, some tribes have strict rules governing photography, sketching and tape recording. Those who take the time to visit a tribe will leave with a precious memory to add to their New Mexico experience.
Learn more about cultural etiquette »
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque is a valuable resource for visitors interested in learning more about these tribes and Native American traditions in New Mexico. The Cultural Center features a museum, restaurant, gift shop, regular dance performances and offers information about visiting the pueblos and a calendar of feast days and other events. It also features exhibits of weaving, pottery, jewelry, clothing and photography from each of the 19 area pueblos.
Learn more about the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center »
Another way to learn about our Native American communities is to explore their many arts and crafts including silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery, drums, carvings, clothing and weavings. Discover authentic Native American jewelry, pottery and more – often at lower prices than other Southwestern cities – but be sure to ask for a certificate of authenticity. Historic Old Town is a great place to start where you can also buy directly from artisans under the portal, but there are shops scattered throughout the city that sell authentic Native American arts and crafts. Or try traditional Indian food such as bread baked in an horno (outdoor oven) or fry bread, best consumed on the spot, hot and honey-drizzled straight from the pan.
Learn more about retail shops »
Founded in 1932, the Maxwell Museum offers an excellent introduction to the cultural heritage of today’s pueblo Indians. The “People of the Southwest” exhibit illustrates how the ancient lifestyles, pottery, ceremonies and traditions across the Southwest influenced today’s pueblos of New Mexico.
Learn more about the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology »
Visitors to the Petroglyph National Monument will find the work of ancestral puebloans with more than 17,000 human and animal images, effigies and symbols that are etched onto the black surface of volcanic rocks that litter the escarpment along Albuquerque’s West Mesa.
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