The Tigua of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo are Pueblo Indians. Ysleta is a 20 minute 12 mile drive from downtown El Paso.

It is the southern most of the Rio Grande Indian Pueblo that extend northward to Taos Pueblo (above Santa Fe) New Mexico.

Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is the oldest community in the State of Texas. The Tigua Tribal Council is the oldest government in the state.

The Ysleta Mission, founded by the Tigua Indians in 1682, is the oldest parish in the State of Texas. In Spanish “del Sur” means “of the south” to contrast it with the mother pueblo of Isleta of the north, that is located just south of modern-day Albuquerque, New Mexico. The old Spanish spelling with "Y" has been retained for Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso, Texas.

Ysleta del Sur Pueblo has a tribal population of some 1,200 members. The combined reservation lands include two housing communities and several tracts near the Ysleta Mission and Hueco Tanks. Other tribally-owned lands include the historic Chilicote Ranch near Valentine, Texas. 

"Rio Grande Pueblos"
Courtesy of Bill Wright, The Tiguas
Pueblo Indians of Texas

                      Tigua Trails - Tour Through History

The objective of the Tigua Trails is introduce tribal members, visitors, students, educators to the rich and enduring historical and cultural legacy of the Tigua Tribe of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo. This website component serves as means to make the public aware of Tigua contributions to the El Paso region, State of Texas and the nation. 

Tigua Trails highlights Tigua cultural history, as well as heritage tourism of the Mission Valley (Ysleta, Socorro & San Elizario), the greater El Paso area, including southern New Mexico, and Ciudad Juárez (Chihuahua, Mexico).  In addition, the site contains the Scholar's Bookshelf (comprehensive archival sources on Ysleta del Sue Pueblo and the El Paso region prepared by historians, anthropologists and other scholars), bibliographical resources, and timelines or chronologies.

Tigua Trails introduces the viewer to the rich history and culture of the Tigual Tribe and to the beautiful, heritage tourism of the El Paso region with hundreds of colorful images: modern-day photographs, historic paintings and sketches, old photographs, and informative maps and illustrations. To make your tour a reality, visit Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, La Misión of Corpus Christi de los Tiguas, The Tigua Indian Cultural Center and Museum, and more.  Now to tell the story of the Tigua Tribe, which must begin from the beginning.