Background Origin

• The state of Utah gets it's name from the Ute Indian tribe which originated from seven divisions of nomadic tribes. They originally populated a large portion of Colorado and some areas of Utah and New Mexico before settlers began to appear on their land. The Ute were not friendly with these settlers, mostly Mormons, and often raided their camps. Eventually, President Abraham Lincoln stopped the raids by ordering the tribe onto a reservation.
  
  

Homes

• Though the Ute Indians live in modern houses and apartments now, their original homes were much more rustic. The Ute Indians lived in what are known as wickiups, which are made from willow trees and formed into a round or cone shape. Ute Indians from other regions lived in tipis which were also cone-shaped and covered in buffalo hide. Tipis are only constructed by the Ute indians today for celebration or enjoyment.
  
  

Clothing

• The clothing of the Ute Indians was made from animal skins. The women wore dresses made from deer skin. The men wore loincloths and a type of leggings made from deerskin and buckskin shirts. The shirts were decorated in beads, elk teeth and shells and were trimmed with leather fringe. Native men and women wore moccasins or went barefoot. The Ute men were influenced by local plains tribes and began wearing feather headdresses in the 1800s.
  
  

Religion

• The Ute Indians worshiped many deities that represented animals and elements of nature. Their highest ranking deity was a bear, which was passed down through tribal myths for generations. The Ute Indians believed they were closely related to the bear, and each year they would have what was known as the bear dance, which was a ritual dance conducted by what were thought of as very powerful shamans.