Posts by Fabian Martinez

Southern Ute elder Willette Whiteskunk lies out packets of information she gathered about the Federal Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report written by the United States Department of the Interior in May of 2022 on Wednesday, May 18, at the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park. Whiteskunk put up a small booth in order to raise awareness on the lasting impacts and effects of historic boarding schools within Indigenous communities in North America.

Thu Jun 2nd, 2022

Whiteskunk raises awareness

Cassius Harlan receives his Kindergarten Diploma from kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Pepper, Wednesday, May 25, in the Ignacio High School Auditorium.

Thu Jun 2nd, 2022

A goodbye to kindergarten

Ignacio High School student and saxophonist, DaVonte James, performs his solo during the popular Miles Davis jazz song, “All Blues.”

Thu May 19th, 2022

Spring Concert resounds

Lieutenant Deirryck Begay of the Southern Ute Police Department (SUPD) takes part in the walk while enroute to the Bear Trail. SUPD was vital in helping make sure that the event was safe, and traffic was directed accordingly.

Thu May 19th, 2022

Walking for hope

Southern Ute Tribal Chairman, Melvin J. Baker gives a warm welcome to attendees at the Southern Ute General Meeting, followed by the “State of the Tribe” address, Friday, April 22 at the Sky Ute Casino Resort Event Center.

Thu Apr 28th, 2022

Membership receives annual update from tribal entities

Tribal elder Luana Herrera chooses from one of many gifts donated by staff and community members during a raffle. A cake walk followed the raffle and was joined by those in attendance.

Thu Apr 21st, 2022

Elders gather for Easter

Southern Ute Chairman Melvin Baker visits with tribal elder Georgia McKinley and her family during the March Sip, Chat and Chew event at the Multi-Purpose Facility on Friday, Mar. 11. This was the first Sip, Chat and Chew event that allowed in-person participation since last year.

Thu Mar 24th, 2022

Sip Chat & Chew Anew

SunUte Community Center staff gave well wishes and gifts to Divine Windy Boy at a going away party, Monday, Feb. 7 in the SunUte Capote Room. Windy Boy worked at SunUte as a Front Desk Attendant for three years and will transition over to Tribal Information Services, where she has been hired as the Reporter/Photographer for the Southern Ute Drum newspaper.

Fri Feb 11th, 2022

A SunUte farewell

Many Moons 10:
Chris Olguin, bison manager for the Southern Ute Wildlife Resource Management Division, reflects fondly on the history of the Tribe’s buffalo herd, recalling stories of Rolling Thunder, the first bull bison born on the reservation, which passed away in the spring of 1999. The Tribe currently manages a small population of adult bison numbering in the 30s. The herd resides southeast of Ignacio on tribal land. This photo was first published in the Jan. 27, 2012, issue of The Southern Ute Drum

Fri Jan 28th, 2022

Many Moons Ago

The Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic paid a visit to the Southern Ute Tribal Campus on Thursday, Dec. 16, in the form of a large tour bus. In collaboration with San Juan Basin Public Health and the state of Colorado, the Mobile Vaccine Clinic is free to anyone wanting to receive a COVID-19 vaccine dose, COVID vaccine booster or Flu vaccine. The bus will be parked at 109 Capote Drive in Ignacio, near the Southern Ute Dental and former KSUT building, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Thursday, Dec. 16 through Sunday, Dec. 19. You can visit https://www.mobilevax.us/clinics for more information.

Fri Dec 17th, 2021

Mobile vaccine clinic

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.

Fri Oct 8th, 2021

Ute speakers share a meal

The Southern Ute Tribal Council stands in honor of the Southern Ute Veterans Association during a flag and victory song provided by the Southern Ute Singers at the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s annual General Meeting held on Friday, Sept. 17, at the Sky Ute Casino Resort Events Center.

Fri Sep 24th, 2021

Tribal entities provide financial update to Southern Ute membership

Events and Heritage Coordinator, Jack Frost III helps aid Southern Ute tribal elder, Pearl Casias with her breakfast, which was provided by the Southern Ute Culture Department. The Culture Department hopes to make this event a monthly occurrence as it was requested by the tribal membership.

Fri Sep 10th, 2021

Ute Speaker Brunch

The Southern Ute Drum Archive recently received 18 boxes of historic newspapers donated from the Ignacio Community Library and longtime Ignacio resident, Malcolm Jones, respectively. Also, the Archive received seven bound books of Ignacio Chieftains from the 1930’s that were donated by the Pine River Community Library in Bayfield, Colo.

Fri Aug 13th, 2021

Drum archive receives additional newspaper donations

Tribal Information Services Director, Edna Frost reminisces with her husband Raymond Frost while watching a slide show of her professional career during a retirement celebration hosted in her honor on Friday, July 23, at the Multi-Purpose Facility. The slideshow was followed by congratulations and well wishes from past and present members of Tribal Council.

Fri Jul 30th, 2021

Edna Frost celebrates career, retires