The Culture Preservation Department took a trip to Colorado Springs with Southern Ute and first descendent kids ages 11 to 17 years on June 16 – 18.
NAGPRA Coordinator, Cassandra Atencio talked about the history of the Utes at the various stops; Fort Garland, Francisco Fort, Garden of the Gods, June 16 and 17, and Helen Hunt Falls on June 18. The kids also toured the Pioneer and Fine Arts Museum.
Event Coordinator, Tara Vigil and Culture Director, Edward Box III asked the kids to write about their favorite experience to the different places they visited. Media Tech, Kree Lopez took photos of the kids and the staff enjoying the history of the Utes.
Fort Garland/Garden of the Gods, Pioneer Museum
My favorite part was the Francisco Fort.
– Daymien Guild
My favorite thing about Culture Camp was Garden of the Gods. I watched a movie of how the rocks were formed. We went hiking and saw Pikes Peak up close.
– Ethan Barry
My favorite part was when we went to the Pioneer Museum, on the third floor there was a replica of a living room from a long time ago and like me and Toph were like “WOW!” It was dark and scary, it looked old and weird.
– Autumn Harlan
I learned that Pikes Peak in Ute is “Tovo-kov” and it translate to “Sun Mountain.” I also learned that Buffalo Soldiers are a type of soldier and they are called that cause their hair grows like buffalo hair. “Fort Garland” is different from “Francisco Fort” cause if “Fort” is in front of the name it’s a part of the U.S. Government, if a name is in front of “Fort” like “Francisco Fort” it’s a settlement.
– Adin Barry
My favorite part of my day was going to the Garden of The Gods, we saw the most beautiful rocks and plants. We also went to the Pioneer Museum. One of my favorite things was looking at the Ute archives, we had to put gloves on and handle them very carefully. The elevator was an old style where you had to close a cage. It had no windows and we went to the top of the building and saw four clocks. We got to ring the bell and look out into the city, it was the most amazing view of Colorado Springs. I felt dizzy, but it was amazing. Afterwards we went to the hotel and jumped into the pool, we were all splashing and having fun. We ate, is was my favorite part of my day.
– Tylee Pinnecoose
My favorite part was when we went to the Garden of the Gods where we went on a hike and offered tobacco, after that we went to the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. We got to ride the old elevator, as well as go to the top of the building and ring the bell to the old clock. We got to learn how to say Pikes Peak- Sun Mountain, in Ute it’s “Tovo-kov” and that was my day.
– Toph Pinnecoose
My favorite part about the trip was the Garden of the Gods, because I liked the hike and learning about all the plants. The trees all were very green, on one of the rocks it looked like there was a face and a feather on it. A long time ago the Ute People had an event there where they were Pow Wow dancing.
– Jaela Velasco
Ok so my favorite part of the trip was to Garden of the Gods & also looking at the Ute artifacts at the Pioneer Museum that our ancestors used. I also learned the Ute word “Tovo-kov” means “Sun Mountain” also known as Pikes Peak.
– Kylean Velasco
My favorite part is Garden of the Gods because I learned about how our people walked and got buried and I liked all the cool mountains like Sun Mountain. I liked the crevices and the Kissing Camel’s mountain. Inside the visitors center at Garden of the Gods we could see what the weather looked like on our birthdays by scrolling on a big monitor.
– Nathan Maes
My favorite thing so far was walking through the Garden of the Gods because it was beautiful, and I learned that we should not walk through the fisher or crevices because it is like walking through the cut of mother nature.
– Jazmin Carmenoros
My favorite thing was learning about how we should never go through the fisher because you’re going through mother nature’s body. Also, I learned about how our ancestor made food out of mother nature’s grass, weeds, and berries.
– Mamie Burch
Helen Hunt Falls & Fine Arts Museum
What I have learned today was how to make a tipi, it was hard, but we know that we could do it. We were down the road from Helen Hunt Falls. My favorite part of my day was seeing all of what Mother Nature gave us. I love the view of the mountains and of the waterfall that was my favorite part of my day.
– Tylee Pinnecoose
My Favorite part was when we went on our hike at Helen Hunt Falls, we took pictures with my friends and smelled tree’s, the Ponderosa Pine tree smelled like vanilla and others smelled like cherry.
– Toph Pinnecoose
My favorite part about today was hiking. I got to smell the Ponderosa, and it smelt like carmel.
– Ethan Barry
The best thing I learn today was when we went to Helen Hunt Falls and we can tell apart the different trees and how they are used. You can tell them apart by the smell and the pine needle size. Also, my favorite part was going to the fine arts museum and looking all of the artwork.
– Jazmin Carmenoros
My trip to Colorado Springs was a blast of fun, going to the Fine Art Museum. My favorite thing of the trip was seeing the art pictures and this giant orange glass and that’s it.
– Kylan Velasco
My day was good and what I liked about today is when we went to Helen Hunt Falls and had to remember what we learned for the past two days, my most favorite part was answering for everybody at the nature center when we built a Ute Indian house.
– Nathan Maes
I learned that the tree that we were looking at, that the bark can be equivalent to nine cups of milk. I had good time and it was at Helen Hunt Falls and we went to the museum and I got a free sticker.
– Daymian Aguilar
My favorite thing was the hike and what the Ponderosa trees were all were used for. The trees had a sweet smell to them.
– Jaela Velasco
Today I learned that you should never ever cross over the tipi poles because that is like cutting short somebody’s life off. Also, we were at Helen Hunt Falls learning about trees. I learned to tell the different trees apart by the pine needles.
– Mamie Burch
The best part of today was when we went to Helen Hunt Falls. We got to see the waterfall and bless ourselves off with the water. I learned that tipi in Ute is “nu-gahn”. My favorite part of that was when we got to build a tipi.
– Adin Barry
My favorite part of today was when we put up the tipi at the Nature center. We got the poles and the number one rule was “don’t walk over the poles.” There was a lot of steps to setup a tipi, but we finished it, and it was only up for seven minutes before we had to take it down. The tipi needs 12 poles, but ours was like 12 feet and you need nine poles for that.
– Autumn Harlan