The first time I heard the term Native American, I was in the midst of learning English. Part of the assimilation program I was attending required everyone to also learn about America’s history. I loved it!
Due to my old-school Puerto Rican culture, it was practically mandatory for me to learn about my ancestors, the Taíno. When the opportunity arose to learn about Native Americans, I was all in.
Native American women, much like the Taíno women I grew up hearing about, managed their family’s housing, engaged in agricultural food production, raised children, and held political, social, and economic power.
Anacaona was one of the most influential female Taíno chiefs in history, and after learning about Chipeta, I couldn’t help but compare the two. In honor of Women’s History Month, I’d like to share the incredible story of one of the Ute tribe’s most remarkable women, Chipeta.
Born on June 10, 1843, Chipeta was a Taviwach Nuche who became the wife of Chief Ouray. Some historical accounts claim that Chipeta was the sole survivor of a camp attack, who was found by a band of Ute who took her in.
She grew up in the Rocky Mountains, the Ute ancestral homelands, where she learned beading, leatherwork, and cooking. By 15, Chipeta began caring for her sister, Black Mare, who was the wife of Chief Ouray.
After Black Mare passed away in 1859, Chipeta began raising her nephew and taking on domestic duties, including caring for Ouray. Chipeta’s motherly nature, friendship, and loyalty triggered Ouray’s marriage proposal. She was 16 at the time of their marriage.
They established a home south of Montrose along the Uncompahgre River. She became the only woman of her time allowed on the Ute council. She assisted her husband’s diplomatic efforts to maintain peace between the United States and the Utes during the same time as Colorado’s incorporation into the United States.
The Colorado gold rush of 1858-59 attracted thousands of immigrants, resulting in the competition for land and resources. Being one of the few Ute leaders to attend treaty negotiations, Chief Ouray was considered the representative of all Ute people in Colorado.
With Chipeta at his side, they tried to maintain peace between the Ute people and the US government. While Chief Ouray met with all the Ute men about new treaty agreements, Chipeta talked to the women and helped convince them of the treaty’s benefits.
Chipeta’s dream of keeping the peace was short-lived as the government often failed to live up to its end of the treaties. Most of Colorado’s Northern Ute bands were restricted to living on a reservation on the Western Slope.
The Ute had to report to Indian agencies to collect cash payments and limited supplies. Regardless of Chipeta’s endless attempts to keep the peace, things only got more challenging for all Native Americans.
In 1871, Congress declared Indigenous people all to be wards of the government and didn’t belong to sovereign nations, marking the end of any treaty with equal terms. Even when miners illegally entered the San Juan Mountains one year later, violating the Treaty of 1868, Ouray and Chipeta received no help from the government.
Though this triggered a series of unfortunate events between the whites and Utes, Chipeta retained her intelligence, judgment, empathy, bravery, and quiet strength. She continued to help anyone and everyone from both sides.
All the hard work Chipeta and Chief Ouray had done to keep their sacred lands had failed. Sadly, Chief Ouray passed away in 1880. By March 1881, many Utes were relocated to a reservation in Utah.
Throughout the remainder of her life, Chipeta helped many Ute women survive in various ways, including the dangers of many attacks and invasions. She became known as the “Queen of the Utes,” passing away on August 17, 1924.
Nine months after Chipeta died, she was reburied near the house she had shared with her husband near Montrose, Colorado. The site became a public memorial park built in 1939. In 1956, the site also became home to the Ute Indian Museum.
“I desire nothing. What is good enough for my people is good enough for me.” -Chipeta, 1916.
To learn more about Chipeta visit https://www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/digital-colorado/colorado-histories/beginnings/chipeta-admired-andrespected indian-leader/.
Discover more about the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose visit https:// www.historycolorado.org/ute-indianmuseum.
