Ute people

The Ute are an Indigenous people of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau.

Their traditional territory covers much of present-day Utah, western Colorado, and northern New Mexico. Historically, their lands reached into Wyoming, eastern Nevada, and Arizona. The Ute refer to themselves as Núuchi-u, which means "the people."

They speak a Ute dialect of the Colorado River Numic language. This language belongs to the Uto-Aztecan language family. This massive family stretches from southeastern California to central Mexico. It includes the Nahuan languages used in Mexico. Linguists believe the Numic language group began near the Nevada and California border. It then spread north and east across the region.

Historically, the Ute lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers. This means they moved between different locations to find food. They were organized into almost a dozen distinct bands. These bands were groups of extended families. Older members usually led these family groups.

As the Ute acquired horses in the late 17th century, their social structure changed. Chiefs began to lead bands when they needed to plan for defense or buffalo hunting. Some bands stayed in specific home domains. Other bands moved seasonally to follow food sources. They used different areas depending on the time of year.

Seasonal movement was a vital part of Ute life. They spent their summers in the mountains near Pikes Peak. The Tabeguache Ute called this mountain Tavakiev, or "sun mountain." This area was considered a sacred ceremonial site. In the winters, they moved to protected mountain valleys. They also established winter camps near rivers. These were located near modern cities like Provo, Utah, and Pueblo, Colorado. They often gathered at places like Manitou Springs. These mineral springs were sacred to many tribes. People would share the water there without conflict.

Trade and relationships with neighbors were very important.

The Ute participated in annual trade fairs with Pueblo peoples. These fairs were held at places like Taos and Santa Clara. They also traded with the Navajo, Havasupai, and Hopi tribes. Through these exchanges, they acquired woven blankets. The Ute were closely allied with the Jicarilla Apache. They also intermarried with the Paiute, Bannock, and Western Shoshone. In some areas, like southeast Utah, there was so much intermarriage with the Paiute that territorial borders are hard to define.

Contact with Europeans brought major changes to the Ute way of life. The Spanish were the first Europeans to have contact with them in the 18th century. By the late 1600s, the Utes had already gained horses from neighboring tribes. Sustained contact with Euro-Americans began in 1847. This happened when Mormon settlers arrived in the American West. The gold rushes of the 1850s brought even more people to the region. Ute bands fought to protect their homelands from these invaders. However, political pressure led to forced removals. In 1864, Brigham Young convinced President Abraham Lincoln to move Utes in Utah to a reservation. In 1881, Colorado Utes were also forced onto a reservation.

Ute history is also recorded in their art and petroglyphs.

At sites like Cañon Pintado, rock art shows many different eras. Some images from the Fremont people show corn stalks and planting calendars. Later Ute art includes images of firearms and horses. At Arches National Park, petroglyphs show men hunting on horseback. These carvings were made after the Utes acquired horses. These sites, along with the Bears Ears area, hold great cultural significance. Today, Ute members help co-manage the Bears Ears National Monument with the government.

Today, the Ute people are organized into three federally recognized tribes.

The first is the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation. The second is the Colorado Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. The third is the Utah Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. These tribes represent the descendants of the many historical bands. For example, the Uintah reservation includes the San Pitch, Pahvant, and Timpanogos bands. The Southern Ute tribes include the Muache, Capote, and Weeminuche bands. These modern tribal structures carry forward the long history of the Núuchi-u.