Ute Indians

The Mormons or "Mermen" as the Weenoochew (Old People) called them, came into Utah and settled in the Wasatch Valley in the 1840’s. At first they wanted to convert the Utes. Their "Book of Mormon" says, the "Lamanites" (dark skinned People) are the Chosen People. Some Noochew accepted the Mormon religion and became farmers, other Noochew resisted.

The Mormons were content with what land they had at first and just being able to practice their Latter Day Saints (LDS) religion without harassment and ridicule. But soon, greed for more land and resources confirmed their cry for "manifest destiny." The Mormons believed their God made the land for them to take and make prosper. Ute leaders, Walkara (1853-4) and Black Hawk (1863) fought back against the encroaching Mormons.

In 1850, some Mormons killed two Noochew warriors, then lied to their leader, Brigham Young about it. The Noochew felt it was an eye for an eye, kill a Nooch and they'll kill you, kill their deer, they'll kill your cattle. Walkara and Blackhawk retaliated. This was all the Mormons needed. They called for the removal of the Utah bands; Sahyehpeech, Sanpeech, Toompanawach and Cumumba to the Uinta Valley Reservation in 1867.

President Abraham Lincoln established the Uinta Valley Reservation for the Utah Indians in the Uintah Basin in Northeastern Utah in 1861. The original reservation boundary was described as "Peak to Peak to Peak," of the now Uintah Basin.

In order to gain statehood, Brigham Young's Mormons had to go along with the "Utah Territory" name, instead of the "Deseret" they wanted in 1896.

COLORADO NOOCHEW

Gold was discovered at Pike’s Peak in 1859. Non-Indian miners and farmers wanted rich Nootuvweep (Land). The Noochew didn’t want any strangers entering their "Shining (Uncompahgre) Mountains." There were many fights between Noochew and Whites over the land and it's minerals.

Two reservations, the "Whiteriver" at Meeker and the "Southern Ute" at Ignacio were established in 1868 for the Colorado Noochew.

The Noochew wouldn’t stay on the reservations because of poor hunting and having to live in one place. They couldn’t understand why they couldn’t go back to their traditional homes and hunting areas to live like they used to.

Nathan Meeker was the U.S. Government Agent for the Whiteriver Agency. Meeker thought he could change the Ute way of life by killing their horses and plowing up their race tracks. The Nooch looked at horses as great wealth. The Whiteriver Utes killed him. This was known as the "Meeker Incident," in 1879.

"The Ute's Must Go" was the out cry from all Coloradoans that lead to the removal of the Yapudttka (Whiteriver) bands to the Uintah Valley Reservation in Utah in 1881. The Pahdteeahnooch and Taveewach (Uncompahgre) bands were also marched to Bitter Creek on the newly established Uncompahgre Reservation in 1882.

FORCED TOGETHER

In 1886 the Uintah and Ouray agencies consolidated as the Uintah and Ouray Ute Reservation in northeastern Utah in the Uintah Basin. The Uinta Valley Reservation expanded to include the Uncompahgre Reservation in 1882 and the Hill Creek Extension in 1948.

Most of the Utah Noochew, Sahyehpeech, Pahvant, Sahpeech, Toompanawach, Cumumba and Yoovwetuh were forced on to the Uinta Reservation by 1867 and are now known as the Uintah Utes. By 1882 the Northern and Central Colorado Noochew were marched by gun point to the Uintah Valley Reservation in 1882, the Pahdteeahnooch and Taveewach are now called the Uncompahgre Band. The Yampadttka are now the Whiteriver Band.

The other Colorado bands, the Mahgruhch, and Kapota became known as the Southern Utes at Ignacio near Durango, Colorado. And the Weemeenooch are now called the Ute Mountain Utes at Towaoc near Cortez, Colorado.

ALLOT THE RESERVATION, THEN OPEN THE REST TO HOMESTEADING

In 1887, Congress passed the "Allotment Act" giving 150 to 300 acres of land to each tribal member. Later, the rest of the reservation was declared surplus land and opened up to non-Indian homesteaders in 1910.

MANIFEST DESTINY LIVES TODAY

"Manifest Destiny" continues to live today, the State of Utah wants jurisdiction over Ute tribal members within their own reservation. The State of Utah took the Hagen jurisdiction case all the way to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court said homesteads and townsites are extracted from the reservation (making a donut hole) where the state has jurisdiction over tribal members.

The Ute Tribe feels, they are a sovereign nation and have jurisdiction over our own members within the reservation, no matter what.

C.U.P. TOOK TRIBAL WATER ON PROMISES

The Ute Tribe’s Group Five Waters have gone to fill the Jordanelle Reservoir above Heber City, Utah. In 1965, the Tribe agreed to defer it’s Group Five Waters to the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Water Project. The tribe was promised several dams and water storage. The Bottle Hollow Reservoir near Fort Duchesne is the only project the Ute Tribe has seen as part of the promises.

In 1992, Congress enacted the "Ute Water Settlement Act," monetary payment instead of the water projects promised. The Ute Tribe has voted to accept the money. It will be these funds that will create a future for the Ute Tribe.

Also in '92, Congress enacted the Uintah Basin Replacement Project, a scaled down version of CUP water projects. Now the Tribe, Counties and State will have to agree what will be developed. If all the entities can't agree, there probably won't be any water projects in the Uintah Basin.

UTAH'S CENTENNIAL & MORMON SESQUICENTENNIAL

The Ute Tribe had mixed emotions about both the Utah State Centennial and the Sesquicentennial. The state is named after the Utes. Yet for the Utes, the coming of the Mormons and statehood meant the genocide of the Noochew, loss of lands, way of life and being forced on to the Uintah and Ouray Ute Reservation. Many Utah and Colorado towns, mountains and roads still retain the old Ute names for well known locations and trails.

The Noochew have been here for thousands of years, we are still here and will always be here. We were here before the Mormons came. We are not Fremont or Anasazi, we are Noochew. We can not change what has happened in the past.

There are eight native tribes in Utah, the Goshute, Navajo, Northwestern Shoshoni, Paiute, Southern Paiute, Skull Valley Goshute, White Mesa Ute and Uintah and Ouray Ute tribes. As sovereign nations we will determine what happens on our reservations.

We asked during the Sesquicentennial year to acknowledge what happened to the Native tribes of Utah and start the healing for the tribes and the entire state. We live next to each other as neighbors, we need to know each other as neighbors. No one is moving ever again. The Ute Tribe is ready to work together with the towns, counties and state to make Utah a good place to live.

UTE BEAR DANCE

In Ute Culture, the Bear gave the Bear Dance to the Noochew. It was a time to gather together after the long hard winter to celebrate life. A time to see who made it through the winter, new births, marriages and deaths.

It is a social dance held in the Spring to celebrate new life and surviving winter. The rumble of the rasp and tin box makes the sound like the first thunder of spring and the awaking of the bear.

The dance is Lady’s choice. They select their partners by flipping their shawl fringe at the man and line up first. The women line up to the west. The men line up facing the women to the east. They hold hands with the person next to them and both lines together dance back and forth to the music. The Cat Man maintains the lines and cuts the lines into couples on the last two days..

The dance lasts four days. It ends with the last song that goes on until a couple falls or the singers get tired. The fallen couple is blessed by the Bear Dance Chief, in turn blessing the whole tribe. This kind of Bear Dance is unique to the Noochew. Everyone joins in the feast.

CULTURE HAS MEANT SURVIVAL FOR THE NOOCHEW

Most People, when they think of the "Indians" of the United States, they think of them in the past tense. The Noochew are still here, have always been here and will always be here. It’s our culture that has helped us survived as the Nooch from the time the Creator placed us here, to today and in future years to come.

We still communicate with the Creator and all things as our ancestors did. Most of our ceremonies are still practiced by families. It is what makes us strong as Noochew. It gives us strength to continue in this world and society as it is today and as will be in the future.

A long time ago, Ute children were taken away from their families at a young age and sent to government boarding schools. Utes were forbidden to speak Ute. They were told the Ute language and culture would only hold them and their children back.

Some Utes accepted that and didn’t practice their culture. Others retained their culture and language anyway. Even if they did get beatings and rapped across the knuckles with a heavy ruler or stick. It’s these families that have retained the cultural ways and are strong in their Ute identity.

There will always continue to be a nation called Nooch as long as we can hold on to our lands, culture, language and way of life. Turgrayock..

 

 

These men are eagle catchers. They probably caught this young eagle as a eaglet while still in the nest. The eagle was kept tethered and raised on a diet of rabbits. When the eagle matured they would harvest its prized feathers for decoration and ceremonies.

Conical brush home. Notice the drying rack to the left, loaded with Indian corn. This type of shelter probably pre-dates the tepee.

Ignacio, Weeminuche chief who was instrumental in moving his band to the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, where the lands remain united today. Ignacio believed the allotments would weaken the power of the people, which is exactly what they were intended to do. Ignacio was the last chief of the Weeminuche to live a free and traditional life in his people's homelands.

Ignacio, chief of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. This photograph was taken after he and his people had been moved to the present-day Ute Mountain Ute reservation. Notice the badge indicating that he had been named chief of police. The appointment was largely ceremonial.

Chief Jack House. He was the last chief of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The tribe, with the help of the U. S. Government, adopted a constitutional form of government and is now led by a Tribal Chairperson, elected by the people.

 

A warrior's shield. It was constructed of two thicknesses of buffalo hide with a deer skin cover painted white and decorated with eagle feathers. The shield would have been tied to the forearm and wrist with leather straps. This shield measures 46.5 cm in diameter

Ute Indians sporting a couple of scalps

 

Dr Hayden (Government Invader,)and his geological survey team, 1872. As chief geologist of the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey, he mapped the untold riches of the Ute homelands.

White man looking around to see what he can take from the Indians.

2nd Row on the right...LOL Typical white man...

 

Courtesies and Credits

Northern Ute Indian Tribe

American Museum of Natural History, New York; Museum of American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York.

Smithsonian Institution.

John K. Hillers photo, Powell Expedition, Smithsonian Institution.

Denver Public Library.

Colorado State Historical Society.

H. S. Poley photo, Denver Public Library.

Center of the Southwest Studies, Fort Lewis College

Colorado State historical Society, Denver, Colorado.

Museum of New Mexico.

.H. S. Poley photo, Smithsonian Institution