Chipeta
Encyclopedia
Chipeta or White Singing Bird (1843/4–1924), was a Native American
woman, and the second wife of Chief Ouray
of the Uncompahgre Ute tribe
. Born a Kiowa Apache, she was raised by the Utes in what is now Conejos, Colorado
. Advisor and confidant of her husband, Chipeta continued as a leader of her people after his death in 1880.
She used diplomacy to try to achieve peace with the white settlers in Colorado
. She often represented the Utes as a delegate to lobby the US Congress. In early 1880, she and her party were almost lynched
by an angry mob of white people in Alamosa, Colorado when they tried to board a train for Washington DC. It was only a few months after the Meeker Massacre
and the whites held all Utes responsible. The Ute delegation was on its way to negotiate a treaty regarding reservation resettlement. They had also been called to testify at a Congressional inquiry into the Ute uprising. Years later, Chipeta also met with President William Taft. She was highly respected by both the Ute and white people.
In 1859, she married Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgres, becoming his second wife. She came to act as his advisor and confidant, often sitting beside him at tribal council meetings. Described as "beautiful", she played the guitar and sang in three languages. Chipeta was also renowned for her exquisite beadwork. Although Chipeta never bore children, she adopted four and raised them as her own.
Chipeta sought to live peacefully with the white settlers in Colorado. Tensions were rising as the settlers drove off game the Utes needed to survive. In addition, the government, through the White River Indian Agency, was pressing the Utes to take up farming, give up racing their horses, and convert
to Christianity
. The Ute resentment boiled up in an uprising
in September 1879, marked by the Meeker Massacre
at the Agency, where the Utes killed 11 white men and took three women and two children captive. In a related battle at Mill Creek, the Utes pinned down forces from Fort Steele for several days before reinforcements arrived.
The Uncompahgre did not take part in the uprising. Chipeta helped negotiate the release of the captives, aiding General Charles Adams
of the Colorado Militia, a former US Indian agent. One of the captives was Josephine Meeker
, adult daughter of the late Indian agent
Nathan Meeker
. Adams held an inquiry into the events in Colorado.
On January 7, 1880, Chipeta and Chief Ouray husband led a delegation of Utes to Washington DC to negotiate a treaty regarding reservation resettlement. They also had been asked to testify before a congressional inquiry into the Ute uprising. As Chipeta and the other Utes attempted to board a train at Alamosa, they were almost lynched by an angry mob of white people, who believed them associated with the Meeker Massacre.
On March 7, 1880 Chipeta was welcomed as a delegate by Secretary of Interior Carl Schurz
at the US Capitol. She testified before a Congressional inquiry into the Meeker Massacre. At the hearing, she took the witness stand and answered, through an interpreter, the 10 questions put to her.
The Utes ratified a treaty with the US government; however, they were forced to leave Colorado and resettle on a reservation in Utah. Both the White River and Uncompahgre Utes were forced out. Following passage of the Ute Removal Act of 1880, Chipeta and other Utes were removed to the Uintah Indian Reservation
in Utah
, where Chief Ouray died that same year. After his death, the reservation was renamed to honor him. Chipeta continued as a leader of the Utes and was highly respected as a wise woman. She was often mentioned in the press.
, their former territory.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
woman, and the second wife of Chief Ouray
Chief Ouray
Ouray was a Native American chief of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute tribe, then located in western Colorado...
of the Uncompahgre Ute tribe
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
. Born a Kiowa Apache, she was raised by the Utes in what is now Conejos, Colorado
Conejos, Colorado
Conejos is a census-designated place, a U.S. Post Office, and the county seat of Conejos County, Colorado, United States. Conejos has the distinction of being the only unincorporated county seat in the State of Colorado. As of the 2010 Census, the CDP had a population of 58. The community is...
. Advisor and confidant of her husband, Chipeta continued as a leader of her people after his death in 1880.
She used diplomacy to try to achieve peace with the white settlers in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. She often represented the Utes as a delegate to lobby the US Congress. In early 1880, she and her party were almost lynched
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
by an angry mob of white people in Alamosa, Colorado when they tried to board a train for Washington DC. It was only a few months after the Meeker Massacre
Nathan Meeker
Nathanial C. Meeker was a 19th-century United States journalist, homesteading entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the federal government. He is noted for his founding in 1870 of the Union Colony, a cooperative agricultural colony in present-day Greeley, Colorado...
and the whites held all Utes responsible. The Ute delegation was on its way to negotiate a treaty regarding reservation resettlement. They had also been called to testify at a Congressional inquiry into the Ute uprising. Years later, Chipeta also met with President William Taft. She was highly respected by both the Ute and white people.
Background
Chipeta, "White Singing Bird" in the Ute (Shoshonean) language, was born into the Kiowa Apache tribe in about 1843 or 1844. She was adopted and raised by the Uncompahgre Utes of present-day Colorado. She learned their traditional ways and became a skilled artisan in beadwork and tanning, as most women were.In 1859, she married Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgres, becoming his second wife. She came to act as his advisor and confidant, often sitting beside him at tribal council meetings. Described as "beautiful", she played the guitar and sang in three languages. Chipeta was also renowned for her exquisite beadwork. Although Chipeta never bore children, she adopted four and raised them as her own.
Ute leader and wise woman
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The Ute resentment boiled up in an uprising
White River War
The White River War, also known as the Ute War, or the Ute Campaign, was fought between the White River Utes and the United States Army in 1879, resulting in the forced removal of the White River Utes and the Uncompahgre Utes from Colorado, and the reduction in the Southern Utes' land holdings...
in September 1879, marked by the Meeker Massacre
Nathan Meeker
Nathanial C. Meeker was a 19th-century United States journalist, homesteading entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the federal government. He is noted for his founding in 1870 of the Union Colony, a cooperative agricultural colony in present-day Greeley, Colorado...
at the Agency, where the Utes killed 11 white men and took three women and two children captive. In a related battle at Mill Creek, the Utes pinned down forces from Fort Steele for several days before reinforcements arrived.
The Uncompahgre did not take part in the uprising. Chipeta helped negotiate the release of the captives, aiding General Charles Adams
Charles Adams (Colorado)
Charles Adams, born Charles Schwanbeck , was a United States Army officer, US Indian agent, diplomat and businessman. In 1879 he secured the release of five hostages taken captive by the White River Utes after the Meeker Massacre, and held an official inquiry into their treatment...
of the Colorado Militia, a former US Indian agent. One of the captives was Josephine Meeker
Josephine Meeker
Josephine Meeker , was a teacher and physician at the White River Indian Agency in Colorado Territory, where her father Nathan Meeker was the United States agent. On September 29, 1879, he and 10 of his male employees were killed in a Ute attack, in what became called the "Meeker Massacre". ...
, adult daughter of the late Indian agent
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
Nathan Meeker
Nathan Meeker
Nathanial C. Meeker was a 19th-century United States journalist, homesteading entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the federal government. He is noted for his founding in 1870 of the Union Colony, a cooperative agricultural colony in present-day Greeley, Colorado...
. Adams held an inquiry into the events in Colorado.
On January 7, 1880, Chipeta and Chief Ouray husband led a delegation of Utes to Washington DC to negotiate a treaty regarding reservation resettlement. They also had been asked to testify before a congressional inquiry into the Ute uprising. As Chipeta and the other Utes attempted to board a train at Alamosa, they were almost lynched by an angry mob of white people, who believed them associated with the Meeker Massacre.
On March 7, 1880 Chipeta was welcomed as a delegate by Secretary of Interior Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General in the American Civil War. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.His wife,...
at the US Capitol. She testified before a Congressional inquiry into the Meeker Massacre. At the hearing, she took the witness stand and answered, through an interpreter, the 10 questions put to her.
The Utes ratified a treaty with the US government; however, they were forced to leave Colorado and resettle on a reservation in Utah. Both the White River and Uncompahgre Utes were forced out. Following passage of the Ute Removal Act of 1880, Chipeta and other Utes were removed to the Uintah Indian Reservation
Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation
The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is located in northeastern Utah, USA. It is the homeland of the Northern Ute Tribe, and is the largest of three Indian reservations inhabited by members of the Ute Tribe of Native Americans. It lies in parts of seven counties; in descending order of land area...
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where Chief Ouray died that same year. After his death, the reservation was renamed to honor him. Chipeta continued as a leader of the Utes and was highly respected as a wise woman. She was often mentioned in the press.
Death
Chipeta died at the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in 1924. The following year, the Utes arranged to reinter her and her husband's remains in Montrose, ColoradoMontrose, Colorado
The City of Montrose is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 15,479 in 2005. The main road that leads in and out of Montrose is U.S...
, their former territory.
Further reading
- Cynthia S. Becker and P. David Smith, Chipeta: Queen of the Utes, Lake City, Colorado: Western Reflections Publishing, 2003
- H. Bert Jenson, "Chipeta: Glory and Heartache", The Outlaw Trail Journal, n.d., Salt Lake City, Utah, on Utah State University, Unintah Basin Education Center Website