Southern Ute Tribe

The Ute Tribe was a part of the Shoshonean speaking people and played a major role in Utah’s history. In fact the state itself is named after them.

Before the Europeans came to America they were spread out between Utah and Colorado. The word “Ute” means “Mountain People”. They lived one with nature and respected it. They would never overhunt or hunt for sport; instead they would hunt only for food.

The Bear was thought to be the closest animal to a human and was the center of many of their mythologies. The Ute people were also polygamous which allowed them to have many wifes. That would prove to be one of the only things they had in common with the Mormons whom they would have a rough relationship with.

European Influence

They first met the Spanish in 1630 who introduced the horse to the native tribes. The horses would be vital for the Ute’s when it came to hunting and wars. The Mormons also influenced them a great deal when they brought with them the traits of agriculture and raising livestock.

As the colonist started entering the land there would be a series of small wars between the colonist and the Ute, most notably the “Walker War” and the “Black Hawk war of 1812” There resistance turned out to be futile as the Ute were eventually put onto a series of reservations. Today there are around 3500 Ute Indians in a reservation in Utah and they control 1.3 million acres of land.

Return From Southern Ute Tribe to Utah History