Historic Agreement Reached Between U.S. Government and Jemez Pueblo
A long-standing legal battle between the U.S. government and the Jemez Pueblo over the Valles Caldera National Preserve has come to an end with a historic settlement. Announced on Friday, the agreement acknowledges the tribe’s rights to use a portion of the preserve for cultural and religious purposes, following a decade-long legal dispute.
The agreement was reached after more than a year of negotiations and was formalized by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, marking a significant step toward recognizing Native American land rights.
Recognition of Pueblo’s Rights to Sacred Land
The settlement grants the Jemez Pueblo the right to occupy and use a nearly 5-square-mile (13-square-kilometer) section of the Valles Caldera, known as the Banco Bonito area, for traditional practices. This comes after a 2023 ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged the pueblo’s title to the area.
The pueblo, located northwest of Albuquerque, had originally sought claims to the entire 140-square-mile (363-square-kilometer) preserve, but opted to narrow its claims after legal challenges.
Secretary Haaland’s Commitment to Tribal Land Stewardship
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold a Cabinet position, emphasized the cultural and spiritual significance of the land for Indigenous people. “It is essential that wherever we can, we allow the original stewards of these lands to live and worship in these places,” she said, highlighting the federal government’s effort to involve tribes in the co-stewardship of ancestral lands.
Monumental Legal Victory for Jemez Pueblo
Attorney Randolph Barnhouse, representing the Jemez Pueblo, called the settlement “monumental,” noting that this marks the first time a tribe has successfully argued for aboriginal property rights in an American court. Barnhouse praised the government’s willingness to collaborate with the pueblo to define their joint stewardship moving forward.
“This is a great example of how the public will retain rights to these lands while the pueblo exercises joint stewardship with the government,” Barnhouse added.
A Long-Standing Legal Battle
The lawsuit was initiated in 2012 when Jemez Pueblo argued that its aboriginal property rights to Valles Caldera had never been extinguished. Despite a lower court ruling in 2019 that the government held clear title to the preserve, the pueblo continued its legal fight, ultimately narrowing its claims to four specific areas within the preserve’s boundaries.
The 2023 appeals court ruling acknowledged the pueblo’s title to the Banco Bonito area but rejected claims to the other areas. This settlement, however, represents a significant step forward for the pueblo’s ability to use the land for traditional purposes.
Preserving Cultural and Spiritual Practices
Valles Caldera, with its sweeping grasslands, remnants of a massive volcanic eruption, and one of New Mexico’s most famous elk herds, has long been a sacred site for many tribes. Redondo Peak, the highest mountain in the caldera, is a pilgrimage site for various tribes and is home to several shrines.
For more than 800 years, the area has been used by tribes and pueblos for hunting, gathering, and religious practices. The settlement is seen as a victory not only for Jemez Pueblo but also for preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of Indigenous people.
