Our Mission
The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians was established to serve, preserve, and strengthen the Yaqui people, our cultural heritage, and our future generations. Following periods of displacement, persecution, and migration from our ancestral homelands in Sonora, Mexico, and throughout the American Southwest, many Yaqui families became separated from their communities, traditions, and cultural identity. For generations, countless Yaqui descendants lived without access to their people, history, or the support systems necessary to maintain meaningful connections to their heritage. In 1995, leaders, families, and descendants of the Mountain Yaqui tradition came together with a shared vision to support Yaqui people living throughout the United States. Their goal was to create opportunities for Yaqui descendants to reconnect with their culture, strengthen family and community ties, preserve traditional knowledge, and ensure that future generations would continue to carry forward the values, customs, and teachings of our ancestors. Since that time, the Texas Band has worked to promote cultural preservation, traditional ceremonies, educational opportunities, community development, and the protection of Indigenous religious practices. Through the protections afforded under federal law, many of our ceremonial leaders and practitioners have continued to safeguard sacred traditions and pass on important cultural knowledge to the next generation.
The Texas Band has established governmental institutions, including a Tribal Judicial Court System, while advancing land stewardship initiatives and supporting programs that benefit our communities. We remain dedicated to strengthening the well-being of our people through cultural, educational, and community-based initiatives that promote Yaqui identity, leadership, and self-sufficiency. We also maintain longstanding cultural and governmental relationships with Yaqui pueblos in Sonora, Mexico, our ancestral homeland. The Texas Band is recognized within these communities and works cooperatively with traditional authorities, community leaders, ceremonial leaders, and other local representatives to support cultural preservation, educational initiatives, ceremonial activities, and youth programs. These partnerships help strengthen the connection between Yaqui descendants in the United States and the homeland pueblos while honoring the traditions, governance, and customs of the Yaqui people.
Today, the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians continues to honor the resilience, sacrifices, and perseverance of our ancestors. We are committed to preserving our history, protecting our traditions, strengthening our communities, and creating opportunities for future generations. Through service, cultural stewardship, and community leadership, we strive to ensure that the Yaqui people and our heritage continue to thrive for generations to come.
Government and Organizational Status
The Texas Band of Yaqui Indians Government is recognized by the State of Texas and Internal Revenue Service as a governmental entity and has been assigned Employer Identification Number (EIN) 41-4066283. Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which supports cultural, educational, and community programs, operates under EIN 45-3612050.
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Culture
 We are Yoeme!Our Yoeme people are very talented! Their Art spans from Painting, Literature, Bead working, Sculpture, Wood working, Mask Carvings, Jewelry, and Leather working. We support all of our Artisans and Authors whos talents have taken them to all parts of the world. Our Culture is expressed in so many ways, Our Ceremonies, Songs, and Traditions all revolve around Tribal Art and Literature. |  Manny MorenoArtisan |  Ojo de Venado |
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 Ray Bacasegua ValdezMy name is Ray Bacasegua Valdez and I was born in Kingsville, Texas of nahua(mexico)/yaqui(yoeme) Native American ancestry and am a Tribal member of the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians. I am an artist located in Austin, TX, with a studio also in Reno, NV. showing my fine art paintings. I have been marketing my work in galleries throughout the United States for the past 20 years. I am also a muralist, with 20 murals in Nevada, the largest being approximately 4,000 square feet created for Truckee Mead |  Author, Poet, Speaker Manny MorenoOrder at the link for his captivating books ! A must have in your stories of Yaqui Indigenous Authors |
We are a very wide spread people, Our peoples population covers Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. By Networking we can connect our Tribal Members to Language courses and our History.