The Zuni Tribe is a Native American Pueblo tribe known for traditional art, living in pueblo dwellings, and practicing agricultural irrigation. Their language is a linguistic isolate, and they follow traditional religious practices. The tribe is famous for its turquoise and silver jewelry and other crafts. The first European contact with the Zuni was in 1539 when Estavanico entered Hawikuh’s Zuni Pueblo alone. The Zuni abandoned Hawikuh in 1680.
The Zuni Tribe is one of the Native American Pueblo tribes. Most live in the Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico, USA, or on the surrounding Zuni Indian Reservation. The tribe also owns tracts of land in Catron County, New Mexico, and Apache County, Arizona. The Zuni tribe is known for their traditional art. Many people in Zuni Pueblo still live a traditional lifestyle, including living in pueblo dwellings and practicing agricultural irrigation.
The ancestors of the Zuni tribe, along with the other Pueblo groups, are believed to have lived in the American Southwest for centuries. The language of the Zuni tribe is a linguistic isolate, meaning it is not related to any other known language. It is spoken by around 9,500 people, including a large number of children. The Zuni language is the primary language of communication in Zuni Pueblo, particularly at home.
The Zuni tribe also continues to follow traditional religious practices. The culture is based on a cycle of religious ceremonies, including pilgrimages to Zuni Heaven and the Zuni Salt Lake. The deities of the Zuni religion are called kachinas; the most important are Awitelin Tsita and Apoyan Tachu, or Father Sun and Mother Earth.
The tribe is well known for its turquoise and silver jewelry, which members of the tribe have been making since the 1880s. The Zuni tribe learned silversmithing techniques from the Navajos, but later improved the craft. Zuni jewelry often makes use of small oval-shaped pieces of stone set in silver to create a pattern. Other traditional Zuni crafts include pottery and needlework. Many Zunis make a living by selling their artwork.
The first European contact with the Pueblo peoples was between Estavanico, an African slave of Spanish explorers, and the Zuni. In 1539, Estavanico entered Hawikuh’s Zuni Pueblo alone, as most of his original exploration party had died and the other members had fallen ill. The Zunis eventually killed Estavanico, presumably because he had offended them in some way.
Hawikuh was also the first pueblo to be conquered by the Spanish, in 1540 by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. A mission was established on the site in 1628, and the Zuni rioted and burned the church four years later. The Zuni tribe abandoned Hawikuh in 1680. Today, the Hawikuh Ruins are a National Historic Landmark located on the Zuni Indian Reservation, approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Zuni Pueblo.
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