by Caitlin Switzer

Montrose, Colorado [Summer 2004]
 

THEY WERE AMONG THE FIRST peoples of the Americas, and they take great pride in their longstanding heritage. This summer, soldiers of the Southern Ute Tribe will be celebrated beginning in August at Montrose’s Ute Indian Museum, home to one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of items belonging to the Ute tribes of the American Southwest.

“We will honor our peoples who have gone and served,” Ute Indian Museum Director CJ Brafford said. “This is their country, and they are warriors. They are proud to have served the United States, and to save the lands for our country.”

Also taking place this summer will be the Museum’s Third Annual Chipeta Days Celebration, scheduled for the second week in August. The celebration is held in honor of the wife of Chief Ouray. Her grave, alongside that of her brother John McCook, rests in a shady, tree-lined spot beside the museum called the Ouray Memorial Park. At this year’s  celebration, a bronze sculpture honoring the lives of Ouray and Chipeta will be unveiled, Brafford said.

Among the one-of-a-kind items housed in the museum is a beaded buckskin shirt made by Chipeta for Chief Ouray, who wore it to Washington for treaty negotiations.

Also featured at the Ute Indian Museum are dioramas, changing exhibits, and programs that recreate Ute history and culture. A native plants garden graces the museum’s outdoor area, as does a display honoring the Dominguez and Escalante expedition of 1776, which came through the region and camped near the spot where the museum now stands.

On July 24, native dancers from Hawaii will perform for museum visitors, and will host free workshops in lei making and Hula Dance. “They performed last year at Disneyland,” according to Brafford.

The museum’s gift shop offers a wealth of beadwork, silver jewelry and sculptures, as well as Indian books and Ute pottery. Visitors are urged to call for ongoing cultural classes for both children and adults.

The Ute Indian Museum is located at located at 17253 Chipeta Drive in Montrose. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the winter months. Summer hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning in May. The museum can be reached at (970) 249-3098.