TAOS — Forty years ago, President Richard Nixon signed a bill that returned Blue Lake and its watershed to Taos Pueblo — 48,000 acres that the tribe had long considered sacred.

The event not only ended a 64-year struggle to have the land returned, but it marked a significant change in the relationship between the U.S. government and Native peoples across the nation.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this historic event, the public is invited to take part in commemorations Friday and Saturday.

Several notable people who were directly involved in the fight for the return of Blue Lake will speak as a part of the celebration.

The two-day celebration begins Friday morning with a 7 a.m. Mass at the St. Jerome Chapel in Taos Pueblo's historic village. Mass will be followed by a procession with the statue of the Virgin Mary, and coffee in the church courtyard.

That evening, a reception will be held at the Kachina Lodge, at 413 Paseo del Pueblo Norte in Taos, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The free event will have light hors d'oeuvres and hand-drum singing.

The reception will also feature time for an "open mike" forum.

"This is an opportunity for people to get up and share their memories of what it was like at that time," said Linda Bernal Yardley, with the Blue Lake Committee.

Photographer Daniel Budnik, known for his photos of the civil rights movement, will present a slide show of images from the Blue Lake struggle. Yardley said other slide shows were also being prepared for the reception Friday evening.

Saturday morning, the commemoration opens with a march into Taos Pueblo's historic village at 9 a.m. Visitors are invited to meet at the village entrance beforehand.

Members of the tribal government will welcome the crowd, followed by a lineup of speakers who will relate their accounts of the fight for Blue Lake.

A keynote address will be given by Larry EchoHawk, head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Obama administration.

Other featured speakers include: Gilbert Suazo, a Taos Pueblo elder who was a member of the tribal delegation that spoke before Congress; Bradley H. Patterson, a White House staffer under Nixon; Jerry Straus, one of the attorneys who worked on the Blue Lake case; Fred Harris, the former Oklahoma senator who co-sponsored the Blue Lake bill; LaDonna Harris, Indian rights activist and a key player in the push for awareness of the Blue Lake cause; and Bobbie Green Kilberg, a White House fellow under Nixon who helped persuade the White House to take on the issue.

Two representatives of the tribe's young members will take the stage to offer their thoughts. Tribal members will also discuss some of the ongoing challenges.

Specialty dances will be performed throughout the morning. A traditional, Taos Pueblo-style luncheon will follow.

Yardley said an exhibit featuring photographs and other objects related to the return of Blue Lake will be on display as well.

Photography or video will not be allowed during the event, except for those with direct permission from the Blue Lake Committee. Gift shops will not be open, but commemorative T-shirts and posters will be on sale, Yardley said.

Parking will be available, and there is no charge for admittance to Taos Pueblo on Saturday.