Utes
Land:The Ute people came from the north to become the oldest residents of
Colorado. They occupied Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. The climate and
environment of this area was desolate and this led to the Utes being one of the
final Native American groups to live without European interference. It is not
known exactly when or why the Utes moved into the United States but evidence
suggests that they arrived from along the Rocky Mountains. The Utes were
surrounded by other Indian groups which affected where travelled to find food.
Some of the groups that surrounded them were the
Apache,
Cheyenne,
Navajo, and
Bannock.Traditions:The Ute are probably best known for their many traditional tribal
dances, but the Sundance Ceremony is the dance that stands out as one of the
most important events in the Ute tradition. Although the ceremony has changed
some in the last century, the importance is still very strong.
Dancers go without food and liquids for four
days. There are very powerful spiritual aspects
of this ceremony. With the concept of the family participation,
the Sundance Ceremony became a source of spiritual rejuvenation for the whole
people.History:The Utes way of life changed when the Spaniards colonized New Mexico.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not
claim expertise on the Ute.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the
web address of this page.
If you are Ute, your feedback is much appreciated.
Southern Ute Indian Tribe: http://www.southern-ute.nsn.us/
Utah Ute by Four Directions Institute, Listing of Resources for Ute
Sites: http://www.fourdir.com/ute.htm
References:
Introduction to the Ute Tribal History. Southern Ute. http://www.southern-ute.nsn.us/history/intro.html.
27 April 2001.
The Ute Sundance. Southern Ute. http://www.southern-ute.nsn.us/culture/sun.html.
27 April 2001.
Ute Indians. Discovery School. http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/worldbook/atozgeography/u/578520.html.
27 April 2001.
Written by: Daniel Wright
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