When he won the National Congress of American Indians election this month, Joe Garcia became the second Pueblo leader to serve as president of the nation's largest inter-tribal organization.

Garcia, the governor of Ohkay Owingeh, formerly known as San Juan Pueblo, says he's ready to take on the job. "We cannot turn over decisions to Congress, the president or state legislatures," Garcia told The Santa Fe New Mexican. "We have to do it ourselves. We have to do our part as one nation � the Indian nation."

Garcia has served as governor of Ohkay Owingeh in northern New Mexico for two years. One of his first initiatives was to start using the traditional Tewa name of the pueblo. Ohkay Owingeh means "Place of the Strong People" and served as the first capital of Spain in the Americas.

Get the Story:
Rising to Indian Countrys call (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/15)
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Pueblo�s name predates arrival of Oate (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/15)

Relevant Links:
National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org

Related Stories:
Live from NCAI annual convention in Tulsa (11/03)
Pueblo leader completes National Statuary Hall (09/23)
Leader of New Mexico tribe seeks to change name (09/19)