A presentation tracing the Navajo people from their Athabaskan roots through their migration to the American Southwest will be held Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. at Historic Old San Ysidro Church.
Raymond Sisneros, an educator and local historian based in Cuba, N.M., will lead the free public presentation as part of the 2026 Corrales Historical Society Speaker Series.
The presentation will examine the Navajo migration from Canada and Alaska to the American Southwest between 1000 and 1500 A.D. Sisneros will discuss how the tribe established a lifestyle of hunting and gathering while adopting agricultural techniques from their Puebloan neighbors and adapting to the arid landscape.
The introduction of sheep complemented the Navajo’s semi-nomadic lifestyle and contributed to the development of their weaving traditions, according to the presentation description.
Sisneros will explore early Navajo interactions with the Apache, Utes and Pueblo people, including trade relationships, alliances and conflicts. Major historical events to be covered include the arrival of the Diné, Spanish contact and issues leading to The Long Walk.
Sisneros served as superintendent of the Cuba Independent School District and is recognized for his specialized knowledge of regional history, particularly indigenous history of the Southwest. He has contributed to oral history projects documenting New Mexico families and works with various organizations and historical societies in the state.
The presentation emphasizes Navajo resilience as inhabitants of the Southwest.
The event will be held at Historic Old San Ysidro Church, 966 Old Church Road, Corrales. Seating is limited, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early.