Zuni’s Santo Niño family needs help

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — For more than 300 years, the family of Missy Yatsattie has been charged with taking care of the Santo Niño de Zuni, a statue of baby Jesus.

Each year thousands of people mount pilgrimages to the small home within the Zuni Pueblo that houses the statue and other religious artifacts to pray for the well-being of their family members and of the world.

But the house that has been home to the statue for generations too numerous to count is crumbling, so the caretakers are now conducting a series of fundraising events to make improvements to the house.

“The funds raised will help pay for bills, repair the house’s southwest corner wall and hopefully save up for much needed home renovations such as a new roof and other smaller projects,” Yatsattie said.

The family, which is responsible for taking care of the statue 24/7 because visitors come at all hours of the day and night, has tried unsuccessfully to get government and private foundations interested in providing funds to pay for expenses, and Yatsattie said her family has to rely on donations to pay for any expenses.

On Saturday, an Honor Dance will be held on the Zuni Plaza beginning at 11:30 a.m. and on Sunday Yatsattie said she is having a pledge walk from Galllup to Zuni to raise funds.Yatsattie said she will begin walking from the CDEC office near Nizhoni Boulevard and Second Street and walk to Zuni, a trip of approximately 35 miles.

“I’m going to go as far as I can,” she said, adding that she has been gathering pledges of $1, $2 and more per mile from individuals and businesses in the Gallup area.

Her family is also going to local merchants to get prizes for a raffle they are holding on Nov. 11.