NM pueblo seeks return of ancestral lands

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Leaders of an American Indian community in northern New Mexico are seeking the return of all land within the boundaries of the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve, citing the area as a “spiritual sanctuary” and part of their traditional homeland.

Jemez Pueblo filed a lawsuit in federal court last summer to establish its aboriginal right to ownership of the property, and the pueblo has gained the support of tribes throughout New Mexico.