Our next meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13^th, in the Lyceum at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College. After a brief business meeting, speaker Dan Simplicio will present: “Vanished! - Behind the Mystery of Mesa Verde." The discussion will focus on migration and core teaching that is still in practice today, but also how much Pueblo people have deviated from core principals, including the roles of women.

Mr. Simplicio was a former member of the Zuni Tribal Council and is currently the Cultural Specialist at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. In these positions he was known for his effective advocacy on behalf of the Pueblo of Zuni, its culture and lands. He led a successful opposition to a proposed strip coal mining operation near the Zuni Salt Lake, a sacred place to Zuni’s and other Pueblo people. The struggle took nearly two decades.

He has also been an advocate for his people on numerous issues, including health and education, language continuation, environmental and cultural protection. Mr. Simplicio has addressed these concerns before national audiences, the media, legislative bodies, and at various conferences and symposiums throughout the country.