Sarafina Chackee and Kalynn Weaver stop to admire an old war bonnet in the National Museum of the American Indian while touring with the Close Up Foundation on Monday, Feb. 10.
Southern Ute elder, Eddie Box Jr., speaks with KSUT Tribal Radio Station Manager Sheila Nanaeto live in-studio, Monday, Oct. 19, which was simulcast on both KSUT Tribal Radio and KSUT Four Corners Public Radio. Box said a prayer and gave a ‘virtual welcome.’ Box spoke briefly of the history of KSUT and thanked those involved in the process of getting KSUT into the new building – the Southern Ute Tribe, KSUT staff, KSUT Board and the listeners. The new building bears his name as the Eddie Box Jr. Media Center.
After three years of work, KSUT has realized the dream of connecting the two sister tribes of Southwest Colorado through Tribal Radio, with a new FM signal broadcasting off of Hermano Peak on Ute Mountain. The signal went live on Thursday, May 14 at 100.9FM. KSUT would like to sincerely thank the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe for their cooperation and support in allowing KSUT Tribal Radio to broadcast from Ute Mountain.
Repairs began on the historic La Boca Bridge south of Ignacio, spurring temporary closure for crossing. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe replaced the aging bridge deck this fall, with repair crews onsite throughout much of October, and into November. The bridge crosses the Pine River on La Boca Ranch Road and provides access to Indian Mesa, and sections of northern New Mexico to the south.
The original wooden decking was fatigued to the point of potential hazard. While many sections had been patched and repaired over the years, the surface was uneven and heavily worn. Clear signage on either side of the bridge, urges caution and emphasizes weight limits for vehicles crossing over the Pine River.
The La Plata County Commissioners met on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to hear a proposal brought forth by County Commissioner Julie Westendorff to recognize Dec. 10, as Leonard C. Burch Day throughout La Plata County. Westendorff set the mood of the virtual Zoom meeting by naming the various endeavors and accomplishments of Leonard C. Burch, not only as Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, but as a community member and resident of La Plata County. The La Plata Board of Commissioners approved the proclamation to recognize Dec. 10, 2020 and subsequence years as Leonard C. Burch Day.
The La Plata County Commissioners met on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to hear a proposal brought forth by County Commissioner Julie Westendorff to recognize Dec. 10, as Leonard C. Burch Day throughout La Plata County. Westendorff set the mood of the virtual Zoom meeting by naming the various endeavors and accomplishments of Leonard C. Burch, not only as Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, but as a community member and resident of La Plata County. The La Plata Board of Commissioners approved the proclamation to recognize Dec. 10, 2020 and subsequence years as Leonard C. Burch Day.
Fabian Martinez signed on with The Southern Ute Drum to take on the responsibilities of organizing and archiving the newspaper’s decades old collection of printed newspapers, negatives and historic black and white photographs, which date back to the inception of the tribal newspaper in 1969. Martinez has a unique understanding of the Drum’s newspaper history as a tribal publication. His years of research starting with his first Drum internship, has provide him with in-depth knowledge of the newspaper archives.
Voices of Our Sisters, including, IHS Girls’ Basketball volunteer assistant coach Maria Rivera (far left) and Lady Bobcat JV/varsity swing player Helaina Taylor (second from left), perform a special Honor Song during the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women awareness event at the Ignacio High School Bobcats basketball games against Nucla, Saturday, Feb. 1, in the SunUte Community Center.
Eddie Box Sr. speaking at United Ute Summit in 1993.
Many Ancestral sites connected to northern Ute Bands are located in and around the Roaring Fork Valley. While many are known by Ute people descendant from the Subuagan, Parianuche, and Yampa, which were passed down through oral history, others are recorded, documented, and managed by federal land management agencies, including the United State Forest Service and BLM. The Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry is located north of Glenwood Springs, Colo., on a slope behind Iron Mountain, which is in close proximity to sacred Ute heritage sites, such as Yampa Hot Springs and Vapor Caves.
Rachel Burch, Project Manager and Wall Painting Conservator works with Kiernan Graves, Wall Painting Conservator, together they will use all the written and photographic information gathered during the project to advise on which conservation treatments are recommended for the future preservation of Sam Ray’s historic murals.
The SunUte skate park, located east of the SunUte Community and adjacent to the SunUte Park rolled towards the Thanksgiving completion date. The Artisan Skateparks construction crew worked on the skate park, building forms, assembling rebar and pouring concrete; various sections of the skate park are nearly complete.
Members of the Sunshine Cloud Smith Youth Advisory Council (SCSYAC) join the Southern Ute Tribal Council for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the new skatepark at SunUte park. SCSYAC members: Elijah Weaver, Nate and Elliot Hendren and Lexy Young join Southern Ute Chairman Christine Sage and Councilman Cedric Chavez, to hold ceremonial golden shovels on the site of the new skatepark. Chairman Sage and Councilman Chavez offered words of praise and support during the groundbreaking ceremony, Friday, June 26.
Aislinn Ryder and Jakob Box dance together in an otherwise empty corral during the spring Bear Dance celebration ceremony held by the Bear Dance Chief, Matthew Box on Friday, June 12. The Bear Dance Chief wanted to see all the important aspects carried out, the things that need to happen in order to hold a Bear Dance ceremony under normal circumstances. Social Distancing was respected throughout the small Bear Dance ceremony, by dancers and singers alike.
The large “Chief” sign stands adjacent to the railroad tracks in historic downtown Durango, Colo., an advertisement for the Toh-Atin Gallery across the street. The sign depicts a Native American man, clad in blue jeans and vest, which many see as a caricature perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes. The debate over the future of the “Chief” is now in the community spotlight due to a set of petitions circulating on change.org; one in favor of keeping the historic sign, and other signaling that the “Chiefs” time is up — asking for its removal. The sign dates back over half a century, when it was first commissioned to advertise The Chief Diner on North Main Ave. In the 1980s the sign was purchased by Jackson Clark, owner of the Toh-Atin Gallery, and moved to its present location.
The project tagged #BeadYourState was an online challenge launched by Kooteen Creations. Once all selections were finalized, the individual pieces of beadwork were merged together to create a colorful and unique beaded image of the United States and Canada.
Southern Ute artist, Edward Box III beaded the State of Colorado, while also incorporating Ute symbolism into his design, for the #BeadYourState challenge. Voting took place online on the Kooteen Creations Facebook page.
Colorado Governor, Jared Polis signs House Bill 20-1021; Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) Membership
with the addition of representatives from Native American tribes with reservations in Colorado at the State Capitol
on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
A chainsaw crew from the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) was contracted by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Mountain Studies Institute to help remove two invasive tree species, Russian olive and tamarisk, along the Animas and La Plata Rivers. Corinna Mokotoff runs a chainsaw, cutting out Russian olive trees in the dense thickets along the Animas River, Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Councilwoman Marge Barry was among the tribal volunteers on hand to check in participants and keep things moving throughout each day of testing at the Sky Ute Casino Resort’s parking lot in Ignacio, Colo. During the drive through testing events. Southern Ute tribal elders were given priority for testing at the start of each day.
The Tribe worked in partnership with International Medical Relief out of Loveland, Colo. whose staff worked over the summer months to administer the COVID-19 viral tests each day on the Southern Ute Reservation. Partnerships and collaborations have made each of these free COVID-19 testing events a success, from trained professionals administering the test, to the PPE and other supplies provided to the volunteers and workers.
Symbolically flashing the peace sign, Christina Herrera leaves the Ignacio School parking lot for the last time as Senior Bobcat. The Ignacio High School commemorated the Graduating Class of 2020, within a ‘Circle of Friends’ and a memorable, first-of-its-kind parade down main street, which brought out the community to show love and support of the graduating class of Bobcats.
