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Zuni People Facts & Worksheets

The Zuni (Zuñi) people are a Native American tribe in west-central New Mexico.

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The Zuni (Zuñi) people are a Native American tribe in west-central New Mexico. They were one of the Pueblo tribes who inhabited the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande. The Zunis were also believed to be the descendants of the Anasazi, known as the cliff dwellers. The Zunis are also one of the Pueblo tribes who practice adherence to the Kachina (spirit) dolls along with the Hopi and certain Keresan tribes.

See the fact file below for more information on the Zuni Tribe, or alternatively, download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Facts & Information

Zuni Tribe Early History

  • The River Valley in New Mexico is home to 19 original tribes including the Zuni people.  They have inhabited New Mexico for 3,000 to 4,000 years.
  • Being able to reside in a river valley, the Zuni used irrigation techniques that enabled them to farm maize, squash, beans, and sunflower seeds. They were also able to domesticate animals such as sheep and goats.
  • When the Spanish colonizers encountered the Zuni people in the 16th century, they lived in Hawikuh and five or six other towns later called the Seven Cities of Cibola. This area is known as the rumored empire of gold sought by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and other conquistadors.
  • By 1500, the word Pueblo was adapted to name the towns inhabited by southwest Indians.
  • In 1629, the Spanish colonizers sent a mission to Hawikuh, but the Zunis tried to expel them. By 1643, the Spaniards started another mission in Halona.
  • In 1680, Chief Popé led a coalition of the Pueblo, Zuni, and Hopi people against the Spanish. Located in New Mexico and Arizona, this was known as the Pueblo Revolt (1680-1692).
  • The Pueblo Revolt was mainly due to the suppression of the religion of the tribes by the Spanish colonizers. This revolt was a significant victory for the Zunis and the other Pueblo tribes because the Spaniards were forced to withdraw from the area of Santa Fe but eventually reconquered the area in 1692.

Zuni Culture and Tradition

  • The Zuni people were descendants of the Anasazi, cliff dwellers. They lived in villages near their ancestral homes of the Anasazis.
  • The Zuni constructed a sacred building called Kiva. It was built underground, comprising circular chambers. The Kiva was used for spiritual ceremonies and secret rites. The Zuni used prayer sticks or ‘pahos’ during their rites and ceremonies.  
  • The Zuni people associated the creation of the sun, moon, earth, sky, men, women, and all creatures to “Awonawilona, the maker of all.”
  • Part of the Zuni belief system is the Kachina dolls. They symbolize the powerful spirits of deities, natural elements, and animals. Each Kachina possesses different powers such as weather, fertility, protection, and healing.
  • The Zuni have their language, and today around 6,000 Zunis speak English.
  • The Zuni have been known for making turquoise and silver jewelry, beadworks, baskets, and pottery. Pottery played a vital role in the Zuni community. They designed their pottery religiously and in relation to their rituals honoring Mother Earth, Awidelin Tsitda. Traditionally, women used to create pottery, but today men are also engaged in the activity.
  • The carving of animal fetishes is a well-known Zuni art form. These are made of natural materials like stone. It is said that these carvings have spiritual components and possess special powers of healing, luck, and protection.

Zuni Pottery

  • Zuni women used to make ceramics for food and water storage. They designed using clan insignia. The clay for the ceramics is supplied locally. They perform a rite in which they honor their Earth Mother, Awidelin Tsitda.
  •  Zuni Pottery and other traditional handicrafts have been one of the significant sources of income for the tribe. A lot of families depend on the earnings of these skilled workers. Aside from these, Zuni women also do ceramics, weave clothes and make baskets.

Silversmithing and Carving

  • Many Zuni has become expert silversmiths and has mastered the art of stone inlay.
  • Zuni jewelers put turquoise in silver and are noted for their excellent silversmithing.

Religion

  • Religion is essential to Zuni culture. Their religious beliefs revolve around three great deities: Earth Mother, Sun Father, and Moonlight-Giving Mother, as well as Old Lady Salt and White Shell Woman.

Shalako

  • Shalako is a set of ceremonial dances performed throughout the night on or near the winter solstice. They are not open to non-natives unless a tribe member personally invites them.
  • The event also blesses the dwellings that were constructed over the year. The blessing takes the form of singing, accompanied by six Shalako-clad dancers. 
  • These costumes may reach a height of eight feet, and the dancers who wear them depict “couriers of the rain deities coming to bless new dwellings.” The dancers proceed from home to house throughout the night, and the event concludes with Saiyatasha’s final prayer at daybreak.

Shelter and Clothing

  • The Zuni tribe resided in settlements around the Cliff Dwellers’ isolated ancestral houses.
  • Cliff Houses was the Zuni Pueblo Indians’ first homes. They were expert stone masons who moved from these mansions and built their homes beneath the cliffs.
  • Adobe, a combination of clay and straw cooked into strong bricks, was used to build Zuni dwellings. Each adobe housed a single family and frequently had multiple rooms.

Zuni Men

  • The Zuni Tribe’s males wore breechcloths and short kilts. These are created using skins of animals they hunted, worn between the legs, and put over a belt. 
  • During the 1800s, males began to wear slip-less clothing. They wore soft leather moccasins and light beige slip-on shoes with a leather sole and sides.  
  • Traditional Zuni males wore simple cloth or leather headbands, although Zuni dancers occasionally used painted masks or feather crowns.

Zuni Women

  • The Zuni tribe’s women wore shifts underneath ankle-length cotton gowns called mantas.
  • Long hair was worn in a traditional chongo manner with a hair knot called a Hömsoma wrapped with white yarn. They also enjoyed wearing jewelry, especially turquoise jewelry and wore elaborate turquoise and silver necklaces.

Food & Agriculture

  • The Zuni tribe were known to be great hunters. Zuni men hunt animals such as antelopes, deers, rabbits, turkeys, and other small game species.
  • The Zuni tribe were also skillful farmers. As farmers, they grew maize, beans, sunflower seeds, and squash. Nuts, berries, and fruits such as melon complemented crops and meat.
  •  The Zuni people later began to breed sheep and goats. They frequently exchanged their produce with the Southwest’s nomadic Native American Indians.

Weapons

  • The Zuni tribe’s weaponry initially comprised an ancient spear-throwing weapon known as an Atlatl, which was eventually supplanted by the bow and arrow. 
  • The Atlatl was used to propel spears or “darts.” The tribe also utilized a variety of blades for hunting and practical purposes.

Notable Zuni People

Emily Pablibito

  • Emily Pablibito, born on 1878, was a Zuni Tribe Painter. 
  • Zuni culture’s application can be seen in her artworks, including kachina dolls and Zuni pottery.
  • Her artworks can be viewed at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

We’wha

  • We’wha was a famous weaver and potter during the late 1800s. 
  • In 1880, We’wha visited Washington, D.C. to showcase his skills, where she met President Grover Cleveland.

Zuni Tribe Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the amazing and rich history and cultures of the Native American Zuni tribe peoples.

Download includes the following worksheets:

  • Shiwinnaqin
  • Zuni Word Search
  • The Zuni Way
  • Kachina Dolls
  • The Pueblo Revolt of 1680
  • Zuni Pottery
  • Famous Zunis
  • Zuni Legacy
  • Zunis Then and Now
  • Elahkwa!

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Zuni tribe?

The Zuni Tribe is an ethnic American people who live mostly in Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, along the Zuni River. The Zuni tribe’s ancestors were the ancient Cliff Dwellers. The Zuni tribe is a peaceful people known for their religious traditions, which include Kivas, Kachinas, and other old ceremonial dances and ceremonies.

What is Shalako?

Shalako is a set of ceremonial dances performed throughout the night on or near the winter solstice. They are not open to non-natives unless a tribe member personally invites them. The event also blesses the dwellings that were constructed over the year.

How are Zuni Men and Zuni Women distinguished from each other?

The Zuni men were known to be hunters of the tribe. They hunt animals such as antelopes, deers, rabbits, turkeys, and other small game species. At the same time, the Zuni women are farmers, weavers, and makers of ceramics and pottery.

What is Atlatl?

The Zuni tribe’s weaponry initially comprised an ancient spear-throwing weapon known as an Atlatl, which was eventually supplanted by the bow and arrow. The Atlatl was used to propel spears or “darts.” The tribe also utilized a variety of blades for hunting and utilitarian purposes.

Who is Emily Pablibito?

Emily Pablibito was a famous Zuni tribe painter who incorporated Zuni Culture in her artworks, including kachina dolls and Zuni pottery. Today, Her artworks can be viewed at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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