Partnering to preserve Zuni connections to land and water at Hermosa

My name is Octavius Seowtewa and I am A:shiwi from Zuni Pueblo. Our reservation is nestled in a scenic valley in central New Mexico near the Arizona state border. A:shiwi (the Zuni people) have lived in the American Southwest for thousands of years, from emergence through migration to Halona:wa (the Middle Place) into present-day. We are still here.

Our cultural and religious traditions are rooted in our deep ties to the mountains, river ways, forests, and deserts of our ancient homeland, including archaeological sites, shrines, springs, trails, plants, animals, and minerals. Through collaboration with South32 on the Hermosa Project, we are preserving our ancestral connections in southern Arizona.

We knew of Santa Cruz County from our migration stories, but private land restrictions made it difficult for us to get there. An important aspect of Zuni religious freedom is the right to worship at, visit, use, and ensure the protection of our cultural resources. Private landownership has affected our abilities to conduct religious activities beyond the Zuni reservation. Today, Zunis are working with South32 to revisit and reconnect to privately owned portions of our homeland near Hermosa.

For Zunis, place is much more than a physical location. We express our deep associations with places through songs, prayers, and storytelling. The re-telling of stories creates belonging and binds us to that place. Our ancestors share their knowledge with us through special places. When we revisit these places we reactivate that knowledge. Meaning is tied to a specific location, so we must go there. Revisiting places and reactivating knowledge are how Zunis continue today.

Zuni life is oriented around complex matrilineal clan and ceremonial systems that transcend biological and human connections. Responsibility, shared values, and mutual support are foundational to Zuni culture and identity. There are six specialized esoteric groups devoted to the worship of supernaturals, each with restricted membership and their own priesthood. The Zuni Cultural Resources Advisory Team (ZCRAT) carries the perspectives of these esoteric groups forward on behalf of the Zuni people by providing guidance on Zuni ancestral lands and cultural objects.

South32 hosted ZCRAT visits to the Hermosa Project multiple times between 2023 and 2025, and during different seasons. On these visits, we made offerings, performed ceremonies, and collected spring water, plants, and minerals. We have more visits planned for 2026.

We cherish these visits to parts of our homeland that were once off-limits to us. By reconnecting and remembering, South32 and ZCRAT are working together to revitalize Zuni esoteric knowledge, promote cultural resilience, and strengthen Zuni connections to land and places for future generations.

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Octavius Seowtewa
A:shiwi scholar, elder, and religious leader
Zuni Cultural Resources Advisory Team (ZCRAT) supervisor
Pueblo of Zuni

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