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Elvia Osuna Bustamante

Chairwoman, Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Constitutional Advisory Committee (CAC)
Elvia Bustamante

Elvia Osuna Bustamante serves as the elected Chairwoman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Constitutional Advisory Committee (CAC), leading the Tribe’s current constitutional reform initiative. Raised on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation with family roots in Guadalupe, Arizona, Elvia comes from the Osuna family, a lineage deeply woven into the Tribe’s governance history. Her uncle, Jesus Flores “Chuy” Osuna, served on the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council, and her mother, María Jesús Osuna Bustamante, was a constitutional steward in the early 1970s, traveling across Arizona to identify Yaqui families and document hesitancy around enrollment during the Tribe’s foundational years. 

Elvia’s leadership continues this legacy. Her work focuses on strengthening constitutional protections, aligning Tribal governance with enforceable standards, and building a resilient framework capable of serving future generations of Yaqui people. She emphasizes sovereignty, lawful process, cultural grounding, and the protection of rights for Tribal citizens both on and off the reservation. 

In addition to her role as CAC Chairwoman, Elvia serves as the Volunteer Secretary for the American Legion Yoeme Auxiliary Unit 125 and is recognized for her diplomatic leadership style, structural governance expertise, and commitment to advancing nation‑building for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.  She joins the Native Nations Institute as a guest panelist to share her vision for constitutional development and the future of Tribal governance.