La Sierra

La Sierra. — Mountain of Life —. , The majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains facing you, or “La Sierra,” are the life of this community. This land was part of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, issued to Narciso Beaubien and Stephen Lee in 1843 by the Mexican government. With this gift came the responsibility of settling and managing this land for the benefit of the community. , Caretakers of this land, the people did not see themselves as wealthy, but having everything they needed for a thriving community. Wealth was measured in deep connections to the land and each other. , In the mid-1900s, the people lost their rights to “La Sierra” during a land purchase. The new owners denied access to the local residents, a right that was guaranteed by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Recently, in an unprecedented case, heirs to the land grant regained access to traditional uses of these mountains. , For more than one hundred years, the people here have maintained a pioneer spirit that helped make this community a success. They continue to be stewards of the land, water, culture, and traditions by maintaining traditional land uses, natural farming, and unique spiritual beliefs. The people of “La Sierra” are keepers of their heritage in a changing world. , [photo and image captions] , . Sheep are still grazed on the lush grasses of La Sierra, as they have been for generations. , . The settlers depended on these mountains for many of their needs , wood for building and fuel, rich hunting and foraging grounds for feeding their families and creating natural remedies, and grasses for grazing their cattle.