Zia. It’s everywhere in New Mexico. On the flag. On license plates. Twice on this building in Clovis. Even, according to this article, on public toilets.

But it’s also a sacred symbol of the Zia Pueblo, a tribe of about 850 members, who feel that perhaps their tribal symbol is being used in ways that are not in accordance with their beliefs. The current session of the state legislature has asked the State Department of Cultural Affairs to prepare a report on the matter. A previous fiscal impact study on the issue said the Cultural Affairs Department should consult with Zia Pueblo, but cautions that “there is potential for conflicts of interest between the state and the pueblo, particularly if the report is intended to include recommendations.”

Clovis, New Mexico
photographed 5.25.2013