UNITED PUEBLOS Acquisitions of Federal lands within Indian use areas, acquired from private owners since 1930 Alamo Band of Navajo Tribe. 59 31,663 1948. Interior Department Appropriation Act | To provide additional grazing land for for fiscal year 1948. Used as community land by Indians for livestock grazing, along with other lands. Acquired pursuant sec. 202, title II, of National Industrial Recovery Act of June 16, Alamo Navajos, all of whom are sub- demonstration Indian lands project. Land has subsequently become Indian trust by To conserve natural resources and to rehabilitate people living on submarginal land. 6. ZUNI AGENCY DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Zuni, N. Mex., June 5, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: Reference is made to your letter of April 17, 1958, requesting certain statistical data on land and land transactions at the Zuni jurisdiction. We are submitting two separate reports since the Indian lands in this jurisdiction cover two groups of Indians, namely, the Zuni Pueblo group and the Ramah Navajo group. You requested an enumeration of all Federal lands on each reservation which have been acquired from private owners since 1930, acreage involved, number of tracts, and other pertinent information. The information covering the Zuni Reservation is as follows: Purpose of acquisition: Land to be used for grazing purposes by the tribal members. Current use: Land is still being used for grazing purposes. The following land was purchased in the name of the Ramah Navajo Tribe from private owners: Number of tracts Acreage Authority Approximate date aequired Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1938 and 1939 (sec. 5). October 1943. do. July 1944. October 1945. September 1946. Purpose of acquisition: To consolidate Ramah Navajo land holdings; to be used for grazing purposes. Current use: Land is still being used for grazing purposes. The Zuni Tribe and also the Ramah Navajo community make use of all of their land for Indian use entirely. The Navajo Tribe purchased 56,252.44 acres of trust land from the pueblos of Pojoaque and Picuris in fiscal year 1957 for use of the Ramah Navajo community. Authorization for this purchase is set forth in the act of August 9, 1955 (69 Stat. 555), and the act of July 11, 1956 (70 Stat. 522). This was acquired for grazing purposes and is still being used for that purpose. This transaction is shown in the Navajo Agency report since this land was taken in trust in the name of the Navajo Tribe. The Zuni Tribe has no compensated tribal employees. The Ramah Navajo group is a part of the Navajo Tribe and has representation in the general council, but due to its proximity to Zuni is administratively handled by the superintendent of the Zuni Agency. For information of Navajo tribal participation in real-estate activities and number of tribal employees, please refer to the report submitted by the Navajo Agency. As requested in your letter, an original and one copy are submitted. If we can be of further service, please feel free to call on us. Sincerely yours, ELBERT J. FLOYD, Superintendent. A. ZUNI PART I As to tribal and individually owned trust or restricted land: 1. How many acres were there in tribal ownership on July 1, 1947? There were 337,828.77 acres. How many acres in trust? All. How many acres which the tribe had acquired in fee? None. 2. How many acres of trust or restricted land were there in individual Indian ownership of July 1, 1947? There were 1,932.85 acres. * 3. How many transactions, by which tribal or individually owned lands were disposed of * * were consummated during each fiscal year since July 1, 1947? None. 4. How many acres were so disposed of or removed from Bureau jurisdiction during each fiscal year since July 1, 1947? None. 5. Give the number of transactions for each year which will be shown in answer to No. 3 above, broken down by the type of trans actions. None. 6. Give the acreages for each year which will be shown in answer to No. 4 above, broken down by the type of transaction. None. 7. How many transactions, by which tribal or individual Indian lands were acquired, were consummated during each fiscal year since July 1, 1947? Fiscal year: 1950. Number transactions: 1. Acres: 59,766.03. Type of transaction: Acquisition of former Resettlement Adminis tration and public domain lands-title taken in trust for the tribe. 8. How many acres were so acquired during each calendar year since July 1, 1947? See answer to question 7 above. Acreage reported on a fiscal year basis. 9. Give the number of transactions for each year which will be shown in answer to No. 7 above broken down by the type of transaction. See answer to question 7 above. 10. Give the acreage for each year which will be shown in answer to No. 8 above, broken down by the type of transaction. See answer to question 7 above. 11. How many acres were there in tribal ownership on December 31, 1957? There were 397,594.80 acres. How many acres held by the United States in trust? All. How many acres which the tribe had acquired in fee? 12. How many acres of trust or restricted land were there in individual Indian ownership on December 31, 1957? There were 1,932.85 acres. 13. Cite and discuss briefly any special acts of Congress which have affected the acquisition and disposal of Indian lands***. Acquisition of land by purchase was made under the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), supra. By the act of June 20, 1935, certain lands were added which were withdrawn from the Cibola National Forest (49 Stat. 393, c. 282). The act of August 13, 1949 (63 Stat. 604), which provided for the acquisition of certain lands which had been temporarily withdrawn by the Department of the Interior from settlement, location, sale, entry, and other disposition. Title taken in trust for the tribe. What study is being made of the cause and effect of sales? No sales of either tribal or individually owned land are being made. Has the tribal council passed or considered any resolutions on this subject? The Zuni Tribe would like very much to acquire additional land but is in no position financially to do so unless Federal gratuity funds are appropriated for this purpose or they realize revenue from some unexpected source. The tribe realizes that for many years to come the larger percentage of the tribe will wish to earn their living from the land. In this connection it should be recalled that this tribe was in their present location when the Spaniards arrived over 400 years ago and have followed livestock and agricultural pursuits ever since. 14. Discuss to what extent, if any, the heirship, or multiple ownership, problem has affected the acquisition and disposal of Indian lands ** Up to the present time there has been no problem concerning heirship or multiple ownership of the land. PART II-ZUNI There has been no acquisition or disposal of any lands on the Zuni Reservation in recent years. The tribe and the individual Indians |