Southern Ute tribal elder Denise Thompson gets a plate of food from Events and Heritage Coordinator, Jack Frost III on Friday, Oct. 1 at the Multi-Purpose Facility’s Gathering Room. The Ute Speaker Brunch created a social space for Ute elders to talk in their traditional language and converse with other members of the community over a meal.

Ute elder Arleen Colorow speaks in Ute with SUIMA students, Matthew Carrillo and Leandro Litz Jr. — the Southern Ute Montessori Academy’s Ute Language Class paid a visited the Ute Speaker Brunch to visit and practice their Ute with elders. Students of the Ute Language class also gave a prayer entirely in Ute and preformed a song to those in attendance.