Who Are the Ute?
The Ute (Núuchi, "The People") are a Native American nation numbering approximately 10,000 enrolled members across three tribes: the Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah), Southern Ute Indian Tribe (Colorado), and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (Colorado and New Mexico). They speak Ute, a Southern Numic language related to Paiute and Shoshone. The Ute traditionally inhabited the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Utah—the state Utah takes its name from them. Master horsemen who acquired horses before most tribes, the Ute were formidable warriors who raided Spanish, Pueblo, and neighboring Plains peoples.
Mountain People
The Ute inhabited the rugged Rocky Mountains for centuries, ranging from the Front Range of Colorado to the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. They acquired horses from Spanish settlements by 1640—among the first North American Indians to become mounted. This early advantage transformed Ute culture; they became raiders and traders, capturing horses, goods, and slaves from pueblos and Spanish settlements. The annual Bear Dance celebrated spring; the Sun Dance was adopted from Plains peoples. Despite harsh mountain environment, Ute bands thrived through mobility, hunting (elk, deer, bison), gathering, and trading.
Dispossession
American expansion brought repeated dispossession. Treaties in 1849, 1863, and 1868 progressively reduced Ute territory as gold and silver miners invaded Colorado mountains. The 1879 Meeker Massacre—Ute response to agent Nathan Meeker's attempts to force farming—provided pretext for removing most Colorado Ute to Utah reservations. "The Utes must go" became political cry. The Southern Ute retained a strip of southern Colorado; most Ute were consolidated in northeastern Utah (Uintah and Ouray Reservation). From controlling Colorado and Utah, the Ute were reduced to small reservations in remote areas.
Economic Development
Unlike many tribes, some Ute reservations possess significant natural resources. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe developed oil and gas resources, becoming one of the wealthiest tribes in America—revenues fund services and per-capita payments. The Ute Mountain Ute have less development but operate gaming. The Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah has faced more challenges, though oil and gas provide some revenue. This economic variation creates distinct conditions across the three Ute tribes. The Bear Dance continues as central cultural celebration.
Contemporary Ute
Modern Ute navigate between economic development and cultural preservation. The Southern Ute's energy wealth enables services, land purchases, and cultural programs. Language revitalization programs address severe decline—fewer than 100 fluent speakers remain. The Bear Dance, Sun Dance, and other ceremonies continue. Ute history gains recognition—Sand Creek Massacre acknowledgment included Ute involvement. Land and water rights disputes continue; the Animas River spill (2015) affected tribal waters. How the Ute balance resource extraction with environmental protection, wealth with cultural values, and tradition with modernity shapes these mountain people's diverse futures.
References
- Simmons, V. M. (2000). The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico
- Decker, P. S. (2004). "The Utes Must Go!": American Expansion and the Removal of a People
- Smith, A. M. (1974). Ethnography of the Northern Utes