CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – In this sweeping topographic view, Mount Taylor rises like a volcanic cathedral—her summit reaching to touch the sky and remind us of where we come from.
Known as Tsoodził to the Diné, Mount Taylor is one of the four sacred mountains that define the boundaries of the Navajo Nation. To the Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni peoples, she is revered by other names, but the respect is shared: she is lifegiver.
This map, centered on her massive volcanic form, reveals the communities that orbit her: Grants, San Mateo, Milan, Seboyeta, Bibo, Cubero, and San Fidel. These towns and pueblos are not simply neighbors— they are part of a living legacy of migration, mining, spirituality, and survival.
Grants itself was once known as a railroad stop and later the Uranium Capital of the World. In the 1950s and ‘60s, the “uranium boom” brought thousands to this corner of New Mexico, transforming the economy—and the land. Many of the scars from that era remain visible today, both in the terrain and in the health of miners and families still seeking justice.
San Mateo was once a farming stronghold, and remains home to families with deep roots in the land. Cubero, founded in the 1800s by settlers from nearby Pueblos, sits along historic Route 66 and still bears the charm of the old road. The village of San Fidel was an early stop for Spanish colonists, with adobe ruins and mission history woven into its soil.
The green zones on the map mark the Cibola National Forest lands, including the Mount Taylor Ranger District. These forests, mesas, and arroyos serve as environmental preserves; but to many, they are sacred places, contested grounds.
Today, Mount Taylor stands at the intersection of cultural heritage and contemporary debate.
Proposed uranium mining projects have reignited questions about land sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and economic need. While some see opportunity in revitalizing the area’s mining legacy, others call for a more sustainable future rooted in clean energy and respect for Indigenous sacred sites.
The Cibola Citizen would like to invite readers to consider not only where we are—but how we got here.
We invite Cibola residents to submit original works of creative art exploring this question: “Mount Taylor— called Tsoodzil, Kaweshtima, Tsiipiya, and more—has long been sacred. Now, it may be mined again for uranium. What would you do if the decision were up to you? Would you mine it, protect it, find an another way?”
A winner will be selected from LAHS, GHS, and the wider Cibola County Community.
We invite all opinions and all voices to participate. Poetry, essays, fiction and non-fiction stories, even photos of hand-drawn or hand-made art will be accepted.
Winning entry to be published.
Deadline: May 30 at noon.
Email: editor@cibolacitizen. com In person: 200 W.
Santa Fe Ave., Grants