Navajo

The Navajo Nation is the largest U.S. Indian tribe and consists of more than 298,000 members with about 106,000 whom live in New Mexico. The Navajo migrated to the Southwest around the 15th century. They were first noticed by other people in the 1400’s, between the Chama and upper San Juan rivers. The Spaniards brought sheep and horses which the Navajo adapted to their nomadic lifestyle. It is thought that the Navajo originally consisted of four clans and today has expanded to include over 60. The reservation, which extends from northwestern New Mexico into Arizona and Utah, encompasses approximately 27,000 square miles of land.