Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/67357
F ront Runners Medicine Man "Johnson" was part of the Tabeguache Band of the White River Utes. native nostalgia THE ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY CELEBRATES OUR VALLEY'S ORIGINAL PIONEERS, THE UTES, WITH A NEW EXHIBITION. E very summer locals and tourists hike the precipitous Ute Trail and shop for backcountry gear at the Ute Mountaineer. But it is important to remember that the Ute Native Americans are our town's original inhabit- ants. Now living primarily in Colorado and Utah (the state's name is derived from the Utes), the tribe is believed to have inhabited our area for more than 1,000 years. The above image of "Johnson," a medicine man who was part of the Tabeguache Band indigenous to the valley, captures the strength and pride of his people. The Utes are cele- brated in an exciting exhibition opening June 12 at the Wheeler/Stallard House, Seasons of the Nuche: Transitions of the Ute People. Held in partnership with the Memnosyne Foundation, the exhibit spotlights how the Utes "strive to retain their culture as they adapt and persevere in the American West." Curated by Lisa Hancock of the Aspen Historical Society and Brenda Martin, who holds a PhD in cultural anthropology, the exhibit examines winter, spring, summer, and fall in relation to Ute culture. "The circular aspect of life is key to native culture," Hancock says. Visitors will experience a Ute timeline and artifacts on loan from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Museum of Northwest Colorado. "My favorite artifact is the cradleboard," Hancock says. "The Utes carried their infants in slightly different boards, with willow sun shades. They're precious." The multimedia presentation includes video footage of the traditional Bear Dance, and revisits the forced assimilation of Indian boarding schools and the devastation felt by the Utes when forced onto reservations. "Other than our place names today in town, there isn't a lot of contact," Hancock says, "and we're hoping this is one of the issues the exhibition will address." AP 12 aspenpeak-magazine.com photography by aspen historical society collections