Texas Band of Yaqui Indians

Texas Band of Yaqui Indians
Seal of the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians
Total population
~1,500[1] (2017)
Regions with significant populations
Languages
  • English
  • Yaqui (Yoeme)
Related ethnic groups
Texas Band of Yaqui Indians
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization[2][3]
EIN 41‑4066283 (tribal government); EIN 45‑3612050 (501(c)(3) nonprofit)[4][3]
Legal statusNonprofit corporation
PurposeTribal governance; cultural preservation; community development[3][2]
HeadquartersLubbock, Texas, United States[3]
Chairman
Israel "Iz" Sotel Ramirez[5][3]
Websitewww.tbyi.gov

The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians is a Yaqui tribe based in Lubbock, Texas. It is recognized by the state for various administrative purposes but currently has no legal state or federal recognition.[2][6] In 2015, it was acknowledged by congratulatory resolution in the state of Texas under Texas Senate Resolution 989.[1][7][8] A 2016 Certificate of Congressional Recognition from U.S. Representative Randy Neugebauer (19th District, Texas) commemorated the tribe's honorary recognition.[9][10]

History

In 1978, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in Arizona obtained federal recognition, but many Yaqui people living outside Arizona—often from different villages and migration histories—were not included in that federal roll.[11] In the 1990s, Israel "Iz" Sotel Ramirez began organizing Yaqui descendants in Texas, documenting family lineages that connected them to Yaqui communities in Sonora and Arizona.[12] The group was formally organized as a tribal association in 1995, and later incorporated a nonprofit arm to support cultural and community programs.[13]

Acknowledgement

The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians has been acknowledged by the Texas Senate through a congratulatory resolution. This means it is not legally recognized at the state or federal level but it has administrative recognition for certain internal state purposes.[6][1][14] On 27 May 2015, the 84th Texas Legislature adopted Senate Resolution 989, which "recognize[s] and honor[s] the members of the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians" and directs that an official copy of the resolution be prepared for the tribe "as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate".[8][7][2] The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians aims to seek federal recognition in future.[15][7]

Activities

The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians engages in cultural programming, including demonstration dances and storytelling. The band has participated in events such as Native American Heritage Month activities at Lubbock Christian University and other educational and community programs.[16][7] The organization supports the study of the Yoeme language and Yaqui cultural traditions as part of its mission.[5][3]

Notable members

Chaplain Jose Anguamea Villegas, also known as Joseph L. Villegas Sr., an official associated with the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians, serves as a National Guard chaplain and has been an advocate for the protection of Native cultural and environmental sites, including Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.[17][18] Villegas has also appeared in reporting on water‑contamination issues impacting Native communities in the Southwest.[19]

Dance scholar and choreographer Sam Aros‑Mitchell, enrolled with the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians, has served as a postdoctoral scholar at Arizona State University’s Center for Imagination in the Borderlands and has taught at institutions including Macalester College and the University of California San Diego.[20][21] His work has been supported by fellowships and commissions from organizations such as the McKnight Choreographer Fellowship program and the Guthrie Theater.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Changes for the American Indian Tribes of Texas" (PDF). Studies Weekly, Texas Edition. Texas Tech University Research. February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d "STOP Violence Against Women Act Program Implementation Plan for the State of Texas 2022–2025" (PDF). eGrants. Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office. 2 March 2022. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "TEXAS BAND OF YAQUI INDIANS". Candid (GuideStar). Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ^ "About Us". Texas Band of Yaqui Indians. Texas Band of Yaqui Indians Government. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b Westbrook, Ray (5 September 2010). "Yaqui Indian tribe descendent searches for heritage". Lubbock Avalanche‑Journal. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b "Summary of Consultation Comments: STOP Act Proposed Rule" (PDF). Indian Affairs. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. 14 January 2025. p. 8. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d "Yaqui". Texas Tech University. Texas Tech University. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b "84th Legislature, Senate Resolution No. 989 (Enrolled)". Texas Legislature Online. Texas Legislature. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Certificate of Congressional Recognition Randy Neugebauer". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  10. ^ "US House of Representatives folder cover". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Yaqui". Texas Tech University. Texas Tech University. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  12. ^ Westbrook, Ray (5 September 2010). "Yaqui Indian tribe descendent searches for heritage". Lubbock Avalanche‑Journal. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  13. ^ "About Us". Texas Band of Yaqui Indians. Texas Band of Yaqui Indians Government. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  14. ^ Koenig, Alexa; Stein, Jonathan (2008-01-01). "Federalism and the State Recognition of Native American Tribes: A Survey of State-Recognized Tribes and State Recognition Processes across the United States". Santa Clara Law Review. 48 (1): 103–8. ISSN 0146-0315. We have categorized states' widely varying approaches to recognition into four groups: 1) State Law; 2) Administrative; 3) Legislative; and 4) Executive.
  15. ^ "The 574 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in the United States". Congressional Research Service. Library of Congress. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Native American Tribe Visits LCU to Celebrate Cultural Heritage". Lubbock Christian University. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Protecting the "center of the ancient world"". Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 23 October 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Hundreds of Faith & Indigenous Leaders Urge Increased Protections around Chaco Canyon". National Wildlife Federation. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  19. ^ "When PFAS hits home: Poisoned wells in La Cieneguilla". Searchlight New Mexico. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  20. ^ "Sam Aros‑Mitchell". Center for Imagination in the Borderlands, Arizona State University. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  21. ^ "Sam Aros‑Mitchell". Macalester College Department of Theater and Dance. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Dancer — Fellows". McKnight Choreographer Fellowship. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  23. ^ "Dickens' Holiday Classic Large‑Print Program" (PDF). Guthrie Theater. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

Further reading

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