Introductory Information
The San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe is a federally recognized Indian Tribe and our territory is located in northern Arizona and southern Utah. In Utah, our Tribal Members reside in and around the communities of Navajo Mountain, White Mesa and Blanding, Utah. In Arizona, our Tribal Members reside in and around the communities of Hidden Springs, Rough Rock, Willow Springs, Tuba City and Cow Springs. Paiute Canyon, which is in both Arizona and Utah, is also included in our traditional territory.
The Southern Paiute People of our Tribe have shared our territory with the Navajo for more than 160 years. During the 1860’s, the U.S. military campaigns against the Navajo People resulted in many thousands of Navajos moving west into our San Juan Southern Paiute territory to escape. As a result of the large population of Navajos in our territory, much of our Tribal lands were ultimately annexed by the United States into the Navajo Reservation.
In 1907, the United States first set aside the Paiute Strip in Utah as a reservation for us in our Northern Area, but the United States withdrew that designation and in 1933, the United States declared this part of our territory was set aside “for the benefit of the Navajo and such other Indians as the Secretary of the Interior may see fit to settle thereon.” Similarly, in 1934, our territory in the Southern Area was declared as part of the Navajo Reservation “for the benefit of the Navajo and such other Indians as may already be located thereon.” To this day, our Tribe continues to live in our traditional territory within the Navajo Reservation alongside our Navajo and Hopi neighbors.
The Council
- Robbin Preston, Jr., President
- Candelora Lehi, Vice-President
- Louise Tallman, Northern Area Council
- Vacant, At-Large Council
- Micheal King, Northern Area Council
- Shyla Preston, Southern Area Council
- Chenoa Burbank, Southern Area Council