Do you know the history of the Zia symbol? Our state's flag features a sacred symbol created by the Zia Pueblo, but its presence on the flag is thanks to an act of appropriation in 1925. When the Daughters of the Revolution held a design contest to choose a symbol, a local physician, Harry Mera, submitted the Zia, something he had seen while studying and admiring Native American arts. As an article in New Mexico Magazine states, Mera did not seek permission, and the pueblo was left without any power to counter the appropriation—at the time, the people of the pueblo weren't considered citizens and weren’t allowed to vote.
The history of the flag is well worth learning about and reckoning with when using the Zia symbol. For those who want to use the symbol, you can ask for and pay for use through the Zia Pueblo (as you might have noticed, our @SimplySantaFeNM account logo uses the Zia, and we obtained permission before using it). The article mentioned above provides a solid overview of the history, and for those seeking to learn more, you can tune into a filmed lecture from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that was hosted in tandem with a 2018 exhibition focused on the Zia symbol, its history, and its complications.
Local jewelry maker Leah Harrison of Yote Jewelry also has a fantastic blog post on the subject. As she writes, "So many aspects of Indigenous culture are in our day to day, yet also overlooked. How can something that defines us as a community have such little recognition by those who live by it? The Zia Symbol is a beautiful, exclusive, and powerful symbol. It holds a special place to us as a State and as a people, but it also has very specific origins. It has been on loan for a very long time now and deserves recognition. It is sacred and should be treated as such."
We've linked the video, article, and blog post below as well as a link to the official Pueblo of Zia website. If you have educational resources to share, we'd love to hear about them!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=10155288578081755&ref=watch_permalink
https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/favorite-sun/
