Maria Cristina Moroles, known now by her ceremonial name Águila, is an Indigenous curandera, shaman, and landyke who has lived at Santuario Arco Iris, rugged women’s land in the Ozark Mountains near Ponca, Arkansas, since 1974. The land offers over a hundred acres of sanctuary for women and children, especially women and children of color. In 2000, she founded the Arco Iris Earth Care Project, a nonprofit that preserves 400 acres of neighboring wilderness land.

Maria Cristina Moroles, Águila (eagle), has lived at Santuario Arco Iris in the Ozark mountains since 1976. It is one of the few women’s land communities in the United States founded by women of color. An Indigenous Mexican American curandera (healer), Águila turned this very, very rugged mountain land into a sanctuary for women and girls.

Since 1991, Lesbian Natural Resources (LNR) has supported North American women’s land communities in many ways. Lesbiannaturalresources.org

Check out these interviews with women who started or participated in lesbian-feminist land groups, safe places to develop new lesbian culture in the South.