Indigenous Governance Database
Pueblo of Laguna

"Modern Tribal Governments, Constitutions, and Sovereignty" Session at NCAI's Annual Convention
This session, convened by NCAI at its 2014 Annual Convention, chronicled the growing movement by tribal nations to reform and strengthen their constitutions in order to reflect and preserve their distinct cultures and ways of life, more effectively address their contemporary challenges, and achieve…

Pueblo of Laguna Constitution
Location: New Mexico Population: 3600 Date of Constitution: 1958

Pueblo of Laguna: Elections Excerpt
ARTICLE III - THE PUEBLO COUNCIL, STAFF OFFICERS AND SETTLEMENTS Section 1. - The Pueblo Council. The governing power of the Pueblo shall be vested in the Pueblo of Laguna Council. The Pueblo Council, functioning as one (1) governmental entity, shall be composed of the following officials: (a) One…

Richard Luarkie: The Pueblo of Laguna: A Constitutional History
In this informative interview with NNI's Ian Record, Laguna Governor Richard Luarkie provides a detailed overview of what prompted the Pueblo of Laguna to first develop a written constitution in 1908, and what led it to amend the constitution on numerous occasions in the century since. He also…

Shannon Douma: Cultivating Good Leadership: The Santa Fe Indian School's Summer Policy Academy
Shannon Douma (Pueblo of Laguna) provides a detailed overview of how the Santa Fe Indian School's Summer Policy Academy works to develop Pueblo youth to ably take the leadership reins of their nations through a rigorous curriculum designed to build up their sense of cultural identity and personal…

Shannon Douma and Richard Luarkie: How Do We Choose Our Leaders and Maintain Quality Leadership? (Q&A)
Shannon Douma and Richard Luarkie (Pueblo of Laguna) field questions from seminar participants about how the Pueblo and also the Santa Fe Indian School's Summer Policy Academy groom Pueblo youth to take over the reins of leadership of their nations.

Richard Luarkie: How Do We Choose Our Leaders and Maintain Quality Leadership?: The Pueblo of Laguna
Pueblo of Laguna Governor Richard Luarkie provides a brief overview of how Laguna citizens gradually and systematically ascend up the leadership ranks within the Pueblo through their adherence to and practice of Pueblo core values.

Andrew Martinez: Constitutional Reform: The Secretarial Election Process
Native Nations Institute's Andrew Martinez (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) gives participants a concise and informative overview of how the secretarial election process works when Native nations amend their constitutions, and what happens (and doesn't) when Native nations remove the…

Richard Luarkie: Leadership and Nation Building at Pueblo of Laguna
In this informative interview with NNI's Ian Record, Governor Richard Luarkie of the Pueblo of Laguna discusses Laguna's approach to nation building, the roles their core values and time-tested process for cultivating effective leaders has played in that effort, and how and why Laguna has worked to…

Stephen Cornell: Getting Practical: Constitutional Issues Facing Native Nations
Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy Director Stephen Cornell provides a brief overview of what a constitution fundamentally is, and some of the emerging trends in innovation that Native nations are exhibiting when it comes to constitutional development and reform. This video resource is…

Jerry Smith: Building and Sustaining Nation-Owned Enterprises (2009)
Laguna Development Corporation President and CEO Jerry Smith shares the lessons he has learned about building and sustaining Native nation-owned enterprises, in particular the critical step of creating a formal separation between tribal politics and the day-to-day management of those enterprises.

Jerry Smith: Building and Sustaining Nation-Owned Enterprises (2008)
Laguna Development Corporation President and CEO Jerry Smith discusses the evolution and growth of the Pueblo of Laguna's diversified economy, and the importance of building an infrastructure of laws and rules in ensuring the success of Laguna's nation-owned enterprises.

Laguna Now Operates Cebolleta Fire Department
Officials from Cibola County and the Pueblo of Laguna have worked together for several years to better serve northern Cibola County residents in regard to public safety. The Cebolleta fire station located in Bibo recently changed operational hands. According to Richard Luarkie, the Pueblo of Laguna…

Richard Luarkie: Choosing to be Bitter or Better: A Perspective from a Pueblo Upbringing
Pueblo of Laguna Governor Richard Luarkie shares his rich Pueblo upbringing, a deep tradition of contribution to community, and inspiration to live a great life. Richard has a passion to contribute to global economic and community advancement using his Pueblo cultural values and teachings.

Pueblo of Laguna: Secretarial Election
As the Pueblo of Laguna prepared for a Secretarial Election to remove the Secretary of Interior approval clause, the leadership developed an educational process for the community to understand the process. This presentation provides an overview of Laguna core values, their traditional governance…

Traditional Foods in Native America
Commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Native Diabetes Wellness Program (NDWP), this report highlights traditional foods programs in six culturally and geographically diverse American Indian and Alaska Native communities. For decades, American Indian and Alaska…