“There it lies. Nestled in the high mountains. The little blue eye of faith. The deep turquoise lake of life. Blue Lake. My church, guarded by Mother Earth.”

Taos Pueblo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States, has lived at the headwaters of the Rio Grande Valley since time immemorial. In 1906, 48,000 acres of Pueblo aboriginal land, including Blue Lake, the sacred lake at the heart of Pueblo religion, were taken into the federal forest system. For 64 years, Taos Pueblo refused monetary compensation and worked patiently across generations to bring Blue Lake home.

Their victory in 1970, when President Richard Nixon signed Public Law 91-550 returning Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo, became a turning point in federal Indian policy. It helped open the way for the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the modern era of Tribal sovereignty.

This story walks the pilgrimage path with Taos Pueblo elders, leaders, and language teachers, sharing how one Pueblo’s patience changed Indian Country.