Five Southwestern tribes are partnering on a cultural resource study of the Greater Chaco Region in northwestern New Mexico.
The Chaco Heritage Tribal Association includes the Hopi Tribe along with the Pueblos of Acoma, Jemez, Laguna and Zuni. They’ll tap congressionally approved funds to conduct the first tribe-led survey of the area that includes sacred and culturally significant sites.
The tribes say past studies of Chaco Canyon and the surrounding area haven’t included Native voices and much of it remains unstudied. The Trump administration wants to allow thousands of new oil and gas leases in the area, which tribes and environmental groups oppose.
