Many Moons Ago

Members of the Southern Ute Royalty greet spectators along Main Street in Durango, Colo. during this year’s annual Snowdown light parade, Friday, Feb. 3 2012. Little Miss Southern Ute Eufemia Pardo (left), and Little Miss first alternate Yllana Howe (right) bundle up against the cold on their float titled: “Once upon a time ... how the Nuche ‘Utes’ came to be.” This year’s Snowdown theme was “Once upon a Snowdown” referencing fairy tales.

Robert Curtis Lucero tries to lure a Lake Capote trout using a fat worm. Over 100 individuals entered the six-hour fishing derby sponsored by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

Southern Ute Tribal Councilman Mike Olguin presented D.J. “Eagle Bear” Vanas (Odawa Nation) with a gift from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to thank him for his motivational workshop “How to Build a Strong Nation” to help raise levels of performance of employees in the workplace. The workshop was held at SunUte Community Center on Jan. 25, 2002.