The Southern Ute tribe is a Native American group indigenous to Colorado, tracing their ancestry to the Mouache and Capote bands of Ute Indians. They were originally hunters and gatherers, living in teepees and organizing their society around the harvest and changing seasons. European settlers first encountered them in 1636, and the Southern Utes are the only indigenous Colorado Indians still organized today. They are governed by the Southern Ute Constitution and are recognized as an independent Indian nation under US law. The Ute people split into three geographically specific tribal groups after the Indian Reorganization Act was enacted in 1934. The Southern Ute tribe completed construction on a cultural center and museum in 2011 to preserve their culture and educate visitors.
A Southern Ute is a Native American Indian indigenous to Colorado. The Southern Utes trace their ancestry to the Mouache and Capote bands of Ute Indians. The Utes were the original residents of much of the southwestern region of the United States, which extends from Southern California to the Rockies through Colorado. The state of Utah is believed to have been named in reference to these indigenous settlers.
Most members of the Southern Ute tribe live today on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in Ignacio, Colorado. Originally, however, the Southern Utes were a largely nomadic people, living most of the year in teepees and engaged in big game hunting. The Southern Utes were hunters and gatherers and organized much of their society around the harvest and the changing seasons.
European settlers first came into contact with the Southern Utes in 1636 when Spanish explorers traveled through what is now known as New Mexico. Native Americans traded furs and meats for modern tools and, in particular, horses. Horses were previously unknown on the North American continent and changed the way all American Indians, but especially the Utes, hunted and trapped their prey.
The Southern Utes are the only indigenous Colorado Indians still organized today, and Ute tribesmen are the state’s longest continuous residents. They are also one of many independent Indian nations recognized under US law. As independent nations, all Native American tribes, including the Southern Utes, have the authority to govern themselves.
In 1934, the United States enacted the Wheeler-Howard Act, also known as the Indian Reorganization Act, which formally allowed native tribes to run their own governments and exist as independent, but recognized entities. Southern Ute tribal government is organized around a Tribal Council, whose members are elected every three years. The tribe is governed by the Southern Ute Constitution, a document originally written in 1936.
At one point, the Ute people were considered a single tribe. After the reorganization, however, the Ute people split into three more geographically specific tribal groups. Mountain Utes is based in Towaoc, Colorado while Northern Utes is located in Fort Duschene, Utah.
Shoshonean is the native language of the Utes. Southern Ute tribal leaders strive to continue to teach and speak Shoshonean on the reservation, even though it has fallen out of the common parlance in many respects, as most reservation business is conducted in English. In 2011, Southern Ute completed construction on a cultural center and museum designed to both preserve Southern Ute culture and educate visitors about the tribe’s history and heritage.
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