New Mexico Indigenous Tribe Proves DNA Ties to Area, Strengthening Voice in Land Decisions

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Pueblo Bonito, the largest large location successful Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

For the archetypal time, a federally recognized New Mexico indigenous people has led a familial survey to hint its ancestral roots, strengthening oral histories done subject and reinforcing its relation successful protecting ineffable land.

The Picuris Pueblo, a sovereign tribal federation successful bluish New Mexico, partnered with an planetary squad of scientists to survey past remains connected to the portion of Chaco Canyon. The area, agelong considered ineffable by Pueblo peoples, is astatine the halfway of statement implicit adjacent lipid and state development.

Tribal leaders viewed DNA probe arsenic a mode to backmost their oral traditions and advocator much forcefully successful onshore usage decisions. “We’ve been telling our stories arsenic agelong arsenic clip immemorial,” said Picuris Lt. Gov. Craig Quanchello. “Now we tin say, ‘This is ours, we request to support it.'”

Study shows beardown familial nexus to past ancestors

The findings, published Thursday successful the diary Nature, amusement a wide familial narration betwixt 13 existent members of the Picuris Pueblo and 16 individuals who lived adjacent Chaco Canyon betwixt 1300 and 1500 A.D.

🧬 Ancient DNA ties New Mexico's Picuris Pueblo people straight to Chaco Canyon, affirming long-held oral histories. This groundbreaking probe led by the people itself marks a pivotal measurement successful preserving their taste heritage. #IndigenousHeritage #DNAEvidence #ChacoCanyon pic.twitter.com/umRNPvnZX1

— WorldNewsByte (@World_News_Byte) May 1, 2025

“The results amusement a beardown narration betwixt past and present-day Picuris,” said Thomaz Pinotti, a geneticist astatine the University of Copenhagen and co-author of the study.

Research led by the people marks a displacement successful technological practice

Unlike earlier studies that often took Indigenous remains and artifacts without permission, this task was led by the Picuris Pueblo and was done successful collaboration with researchers. It signals a determination toward much ethical, consent-based probe models.

“It wasn’t an casual decision,” said Picuris Gov. Wayne Yazza, who besides contributed to the study. “This is life-changing data.”

Chaco Canyon’s taste value remains deep

New Mexico is location to 19 Pueblo indigenous tribes. While the survey focused connected the Picuris, it does not situation the humanities ties that different tribes person to Chaco Canyon.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Chaco Culture National Historical Park is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The country is known for its wide godforsaken landscapes and monolithic sandstone buildings, including multistory homes and ceremonial spaces built by ancestral Pueblo peoples.

They person been present a agelong clip …
These images are recovered astatine Chaco Canyon. I grew up proceeding astir Star People astatine Chaco Canyon.
The Diné , Hopi , Lakota , Crees and Indigenous radical everyplace person Star People successful their stories
Sǫʼ Dineʼé 👽 🛸 #NHI #Ufotwitter 🛸🛸 pic.twitter.com/ZyX1Hg9daJ

— Ursla_k80 (@ursla_k80) April 25, 2025

Experts caution against viewing Chaco arsenic ‘lost’

Paul Reed, a preservation archaeologist with Archaeology Southwest, warned against describing Chaco Canyon arsenic an abandoned oregon mislaid civilization.

That benignant of reasoning is “particularly damaging successful this lawsuit due to the fact that it disenfranchises the Pueblo radical who unrecorded each astir the canyon to this day,” Reed said.

Environmental concerns adhd urgency to the research

Brian Vallo, a subordinate of the Acoma Pueblo and manager of the Chaco Heritage Tribal Association, said the survey comes astatine a captious time. Federal onshore adjacent the parkland is nether menace from imaginable drilling and mining activity.

“We person these adjacent connections due to the fact that our ancestors migrated and built these places,” Vallo said. They stay cardinal to the preservation of our ain Indigenous culture.”

As national onshore policies evolve, the Picuris Pueblo’s usage of familial probe whitethorn connection a almighty caller mode to support taste practice rooted not conscionable successful contented but besides successful science.

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