New Mexico
The Pueblo of Pojoaque is composed of Native Americans. The tribe is settled in the rural, high desert area which is approximately twelve miles on the northern portion of Santa Fe, New Mexico. There have been scientific evidenced that reveal the tribe's existence in the area since 1150 A.D. The pueblo fell into the Spanish colony from the year 1540 up to 1840. After the Spanish colonization, the tribe was then handed to the Mexican intrusion. It was in the year 1848 when the tribe finally became a recognized part of the United States. The Pueblo's Spanish land grant was then accepted and handed to them by the Untied States Congress in the year 1858. The grant was patented under the United States government on the 1st of November in the year 1864. The confirmation of the land grant was in the form of a quitclaim deed. The Pueblo of Pojoaque has always been believed to have owned the land under the communal title. The Pueblo, since then, has never been a federal reservation. The original land that was granted to the Pueblo was actually 13, 438.15 acres. Between the years 1848 and 1913, the Pueblo of Pojoaque's lands were not protected by the government against outsiders who were eager to invade the land for settlement. In the year 1913, the United States Supreme Court finally ordered that the Pueblo of Pojoaque be recognized by the government as "Indians" so as to gain protection from the federal government. The location of the tribe was in the high desert thus; water was vital to survival. Because of the invasion of other settlers, the tribe lost their best lands which were up to 1, 845.64 acres. The lost lands were the ones which were near the waterways. It was in the year 1913 when most of the Pueblo of Pojoaque members had decided to leave the Pueblo. This decision was urged by the encroachment by the settlers and the lack of land suitable for planting purposes. The tribe was also forced to move out and start working and settling in the neighboring communities. Good thing, though, in the year 1924, payments for the lands of the Pueblo were authorized by the federal government in compliance with the Pueblo Lands Act. The Pueblo Lands Act provided for payments of the lost lands due to the negligence and lack of protection from the government. It was in the year 1932 when five Pueblo of Pojoaque families started returning in their ancestral lands to live the way they used to. These five families were once again the first to start building their new community based on the traditional form of government. The Pueblo then adopted a constitution, and their government was composed of a Tribal Council which was opened to all members of the Pueblo who are more than 18 years of age. The tribe today owns and operates several business enterprises which include supermarkets, casino, hardware store, Laundromat and two hotels among others.
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