“We believe that in order to know who you are, you need to know where you come from,” – Ysleta del Sur Pueblo: Walking in the Footsteps of our Ancestors
The story of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo spans generations. It is the story of the perseverance and determination of the Tigua Indians, whose community at Ysleta del Sur Pueblo represents the oldest community in Texas and whose governing body, the Tigua Tribal Council, endures as the oldest government in the state. The history of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in Texas began as tensions in New Mexico between the colonizing Spanish and the Pueblo Indians reached a breaking point. On August 11, 1680, the carefully organized revolt succeeded in overthrowing the Spanish rule that had been in place in New Mexico for 12 years. After leaving their homeland of Quarai Pueblo due to drought, the Tigua people had sought refuge at Isleta Pueblo. During the revolt, 317 Tigua were captured by the Spanish and forced to walk south for over 400 miles to El Paso. Their community, grounded in the rich history of their ancestors, flourished. For many years, they served as a critical point of military defense of the El Paso del Norte region. “Tigua warriors helped protect the settlements of the El Paso district and travelers along the Camino Real from southern Chihuahua, Mexico, north to the El Paso district,” writes Nicholas P. Houser, MPH, MA, Tribal Archivist.
Join us as we host Rick Quezada, Director of Cultural Preservation for the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, as he helps us understand the story 
of this community and its vital importance in the history of the State of Texas.
Rick Quezada, Director of Cultural Preservation for the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on his Masters in History from UTEP. Rick serves the tribe in many different roles. He is the primary contact for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) consultation, runs the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Cultural Center, and runs the language program. In June of 2021, after a 4-year effort, Rick’s hard work resulted in the formal approval of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office and the appointment of the first Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. With the formal approval, the tribe assumes responsibility for the review of Federal undertakings on tribal lands pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
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