Ute Indians

Ute Indians

By Javon Cooper

Ute pronounced "yoot" (rhymes with "boot.") This comes from the Spanish name for the tribe, Yuta, but nobody knows for sure where the Spanish word came from. It may have come from the Western Apache word yudah, which means "high up."

There are three different Ute tribes today. Each Ute tribe lives on its own reservation, which is land that belongs to them and is under their control. Each Ute tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. The Utes are also US citizens and must obey American law.

Most Ute people speak English today. More than a thousand Utes, especially older people, also speak their native Ute language. A few easy Ute words, maiku (pronounced similar to "my-kuh") is a friendly greeting, and tog'oiak' means "thank you."

The Ute Indians were originally divided into twelve different groups. The Ute Indians lived in many areas of the western United States. Different groups of Ute Indians lived in what are now Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada. Most Ute people still live in these areas today. Ute families lived in brush wickiups and ramdas in the western and southern areas and in hide tepees in eastern parts of Utah. Men and women kept their hair long or braided, and depending on the area or season wore woven fiber skirts and sandals, rabbit skin robes, and leather shirts, skirts, and leggings.

The Utes got horses from the Spanish by 1860. The horses increased the Ute ability to travel more. It allowed them to focus on big game animals, they also began raiding and trading, and making them respected warriors.

In the late 1800s the Ute bands were forced onto different reservations in Utah and Colorado.

The Utes continue their cultural activities, mainly the Ute Bear Dance. It originally 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 death. It is now a social...