Martin Heinrich: “it is an honor to recognize the enormously impactful life of Governor Peter M. Pino. The Pueblo of Zia, and New Mexico…”

“it is an honor to recognize the enormously impactful life of Governor Peter M. Pino. The Pueblo of Zia, and New Mexico as a whole, have lost one of our greatest leaders. Peter M. Pino devoted his entire life to serving the people of the Pueblo of Zia. For more than four decades, he served the Pueblo of Zia as Governor, War Chief, Tribal council member, Tribal administrator, and treasurer. He was also a traditional spiritual leader and held a lifetime appointment as one of the Pueblo's Keeper of Songs. As a traditional artist, Governor Pino employed techniques passed down to him by his Puebloan ancestors to craft works in rock, tan deer hides, and make moccasins, bows, arrows, digging sticks, rabbit sticks, and bone tools. He also played an instrumental role in the Pueblo's ongoing effort to repatriate and protect a treasured part of Zia's heritage and cultural property, its sacred sun symbol. Almost a century after the State of New Mexico appropriated this sacred symbol on its flag, Pino helped lead the Pueblo's actions to seek compensation, public education and engagement, and permission for commercial uses. Thanks to this work, Eastern New Mexico University changed the name of its women's athletic teams, and multiple companies have voluntarily sought permission and advice from the Pueblo on how they will depict the symbol and contributed proceeds from sales to a scholarship fund for Zia youth.…”