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YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO / TINGUA TRIBE
SOCORRO,
TEXAS
SOCORRO,
TEXAS
The Tiguas are the oldest community in El Paso, and with a connection to the land spanning
hundreds of years, they were able to survive in the arid Chihuahuan desert mainly because of
Hueco Tanks, a set of mountain sized boulders covered in natural hollows that fill with rainwater.
A phenomenon of nature and spiritual sanctuary for thousands of years, it has more masked
pictographs than any native site in the country, dating back to 6,000 B.C. Plants such as the
mesquite tree have provided food and firewood for thousands of years.
Tribal leader Rick Casado is working on an herbal medicine book passed down from the elders, which explains how the native plants are used. Today, the Tigua tribe is actively teaching their children about the importance of agriculture at a young age. On the weekends, the youth hold social dances, photo upper left, and feasts are held throughout the year where even a drum named Huanshiru, meaning Thunder, is treated as a live being and has been passed down since the 1600’s.
Tribal leader Rick Casado is working on an herbal medicine book passed down from the elders, which explains how the native plants are used. Today, the Tigua tribe is actively teaching their children about the importance of agriculture at a young age. On the weekends, the youth hold social dances, photo upper left, and feasts are held throughout the year where even a drum named Huanshiru, meaning Thunder, is treated as a live being and has been passed down since the 1600’s.