North American Pueblo Indian people living in west-central New Mexico, U.S. They call themselves Ashiwi.
Their origin and early history are uncertain. When first encountered by 16th-century Spanish explorers, they were living in seven separate towns thought by the explorers to be the fabled Seven Cities of pueblo . The traditional occupation was corn farming; basketry and pottery were also well developed. Religious life centred on gods or spirits called kachina s. Today the Zuni number about 12,000.