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The Connectedness of People and Geological Features in the El Malpais Lava Flows of New Mexico, USA

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  • Simon Larsson

    (Department of Theology, Centre for Multidisciplinary Research on Religion and Society (CRS), Uppsala University, P.O. Box 511, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden)

Abstract

El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico, USA, is a landscape of significant cultural and geological importance, characterized by extensive lava flows, caves, and cinder cones. Despite its harsh terrain, El Malpais holds deep cultural and spiritual meanings for Native American communities, including the Acoma, Zuni, Laguna, and Navajo tribes, whose cosmologies and histories are interwoven with this landscape. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining ethnographic fieldwork with comparative literature studies, this paper documents how these Indigenous groups perceive and interpret interconnected geological features as sacred and meaningful parts of their ancestral heritage. The findings reveal that volcanic landscapes are central not only to cultural origin narratives but also to ongoing rituals, resource use, and pilgrimage practices. This interconnectedness is exemplified by the cultural links between El Malpais and adjacent Mount Taylor, highlighting how geological features form a unified sacred geography. This study positions El Malpais as a culturally animated landscape, where Indigenous epistemologies and spiritual relationships with volcanic landforms challenge conventional notions of geoheritage and call for relational, community-informed approaches to heritage management.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Larsson, 2025. "The Connectedness of People and Geological Features in the El Malpais Lava Flows of New Mexico, USA," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1243-:d:1675577
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexandre Oliveira Tavares & Maria Helena Henriques & Artur Domingos & Abel Bala, 2015. "Community Involvement in Geoconservation: A Conceptual Approach Based on the Geoheritage of South Angola," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-26, April.
    2. Richard Stoffle & Richard Arnold & Kathleen Van Vlack, 2022. "Landscape Is Alive: Nuwuvi Pilgrimage and Power Places in Nevada," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-33, July.
    3. Richard Stoffle & Kathleen Van Vlack, 2022. "Talking with a Volcano: Native American Perspectives on the Eruption of Sunset Crater, Arizona," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-32, January.
    4. Richard Stoffle & Kathleen Van Vlack & Heather H. Lim & Alannah Bell, 2024. "Mateo Tepe or Devils Tower: Native and Tourist Differences in Geosite Interpretations," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.
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