Story outline
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River House, Bears Ears NM
Welcome to River House, an Ancestral Pueblo village connected to Zuni people today. -
Stop 1. Listening to the Land
For A:Shiwi, or Zuni people, River House and other ancestral villages are living places home to Zuni ancestors. Listening to the land is an important part of visiting these places to pay respect to the ancestors. -
Stop 2. Zuni Emergence & Migration
The Bears Ears landscape including River House is part of Zuni people’s emergence and migration path through the region. Zuni people split into three groups that went south, north, and east. Those that went north traveled through what is today Bears Ears National Monument. -
Stop 3. Water is Life
Just as water plays a critical role in Zuni people’s daily and spiritual lives today, water was essential for those who built River House. From the San Juan river to springs nearby, water is the lifeline the connects Zuni people with ancestral lands. -
Stop 4. An Ancestral Home
The structures at River House are reminiscent of more traditional homes at Zuni. Those who built the homes at River House likely chose this location strategically with its access to water and resources in the surrounding area. -
Stop 5. Daily & Seasonal Life
The lives of the people who lived at River House involved hard work that would have changed seasonally with the land. Men, women, and children would have likely carried out different tasks to support and contribute to the community that lived here. -
Stop 6. Agriculture & the Land
The land surrounding River House likely looked different in the past. Zuni ancestors would have relied on the fertile ground surrounding the river for agricultural use that would change seasonally. They also would have utilized native plants that grew in the area, many of which are still present today. -
Stop 7. Respect & Stewardship
River House and other ancestral sites are home to the ancestors of descendant communities including Zuni people. It is critical to visit these homes with respect so that future generations of Zuni people can maintain cultural connections with ancestral lands and ways of life that have been passed down for generations. -
Stop 8. Ongoing Connection
Bears Ears National Monument is part of a sacred ancestral landscape for Zuni people and many other affiliated tribal communities. Please carry on what you have learned and explore other ways you can help protect these sites.
Voices
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Mr. Kucate
Pueblo of Zuni Governor
Mr. Arden Kucate bio coming soon... -
Ms. Hooee & Ms. Sanchez
Zuni Lt. Governor & Councilwoman
Ms. Cordelia Hooee & Ms. Birdena Sanchez bio coming soon... -
Mr. Wemytewa
Pueblo of Zuni Councilman
Mr. Edward Wemytewa is a Zuni Tribal Councilman, artist, writer, and activist.
Gallery
Partners
About the Project
This Tapestry experience is part of a larger between CyArk, the Bureau of Land Management Monticello Field Office, and tribal nations including the Pueblo of Zuni, the Hopi Tribe, and the Pueblo of Acoma. This project is meant to highlight tribal nations' connections to Bears Ears.
Related Links
Credits
This Tapestry experience is part of a larger between CyArk, the Bureau of Land Management Monticello Field Office, and tribal nations including the Pueblo of Zuni, the Hopi Tribe, and the Pueblo of Acoma. This project is meant to highlight tribal nations' connections to Bears Ears.
Related experience
Butler Wash Developed Site (Opens in new tab) — Follow the footprints of Hopi ancestors