History Colorado

Explore information about the Ute Bear Dance.

We Are Still Here-Bear Dance

Each of the three Ute tribes has its own seal with images and icons that are important to the Tribes. The government of each tribe is elected by the members of the tribe.

We Are Still Here-Government

The government established two boarding schools for Ute children, including one at Ignacio in 1902 and one at Towaoc in 1906.

Reservation Life-Boarding Schools

By the 1880s, the white settlers had caused the Ute bands to separate and live on three reservations. 

Reservation Life

The Ute Indian Tribe lives on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Fort Duschesne, Utah. It is the second largest Indian reservation in the U.S., and covers over 4.5 million acres. The tribe oversees 1.3 million acres of land. The tribe’s membership is 3,022 people. Over half of the membership lives on the Reservation. The Ute Indian Tribe are descendants of the Tabeguache, Yamparica, Parianuche, Uintah, Cumumba, Tupanawach, San Pitch, Pah Vant and Sheberetch bands.

We Are Still Here-Uintah and Ouray Reservation

Horses were important for trade. Ute bands were connected to each other through a trade network that stretched to the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Southwest, the Great Basin, and the plains.

Hides for Horses

Ute Timeline after European Contact

We Are Still Here-Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The Ute people have oral traditions going back thousands of years—that explain that their origin was possibly right here in Colorado. 

Ute Creation Story and Origins

Draw and label where the 3 Ute tribes are located.

Many Bands, One People: Ute Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Southern Ute Tribe

Ute people are the longest continuous residents of Colorado and are still here today. Explore the history of the Ute people-CO's oldest inhabitants.

Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation

Utah American Indians: Curriculum and Digital Archive    

Ute Indian Tribe - Uintah & Ouray Reservation

Ute Tribal Paths

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U.S. History

The U.S. government believed that if American Indians lived on farms, spoke English, believed in Christianity, and were U.S. citizens, they would be happy and become wealthy.

The history of the state’s original inhabitants: the Utes. Historians trace their origins from pre-colonial days and early interactions with American trappers and explorers through the escalating friction with new settlers and gold seekers, to their ultimate expulsion to reservations. The first reservations were established in the 1860’s, and the question of land rights remains a topic of dispute.  Full documentary: https://video.rmpbs.org/video/colorado-experience-original-coloradans/


boarding_schools

Boarding School Excerpt Clip from The Original Coloradans

At these boarding schools, the students were forbidden to speak their language, wear Ute clothing, or practice their culture.  This was an attempt to wipe out culture and make sure that children could not connect to their parents and grandparents. Many Utes born after the reservations were created did not learn to speak Ute, which meant they could not learn the oral histories that were so important to the people.

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Language Excerpt Clip from The Original Coloradans

Founded in 1886, the Grand Junction Indian School was created to assimilate Ute people into American society by taking them away from their tribal culture. Children were only allowed to speak English.

Ute Indian children enrolled in the first day of school at navajo. Springs open by S.F. Stacher, Teacher and Mrs. S.F. Stacher housekeeper under direction of Superintendent John S. Spear of the Fort Lewis School then in charge of the Ute Mountain Reservation

Photograph, Indian School

In 1891, the school was renamed the Teller Institute. Many Ute families refused to send their children to the school because so many children got sick there and never returned home. Even though the Teller Institute was established to serve Ute children, the school had to recruit students from Arizona and New Mexico reservations.

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Basketball

Old skills—such as tipi building, arrow making, and hide tanning—began to die out, replaced by others—plowing, planting, ditch digging—that the government encouraged. 

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Ute Tribal Paths

Reservation Life-Boarding Schools

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Boarding School