Overview
Title: Impact of Native Americans on Colorado
Topic(s): Place name history, historic place names, Native Americans in CO, Native Americans in the military
Theme/Focus: How are Native Americans remembered/memorialized?
Location(s):Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain, Niwot, Left Hand Canyon, Pueblo
Essential/Inquiry Question(s): How do Native Americans still have an impact on Colorado today?
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Author
Morgan Peters
Historical Context/Background
Native Americans continue to impact Colorado in a variety of ways- culturally, politically, and economically. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate Native American impact on Colorado is to use placenames. Native American placenames fill Colorado’s maps, including places like Left Hand Canyon, Mt. Blue Sky, Mt. Antero, and counties like Arapaho, Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Montezuma.
Native culture has had a significant impact on how Colorado conducts itself. Today, more organizations recognize Indigenous contributions and aim to give Native people a voice while affirming Native sovereignty. For example, Native environmental stewardship is recognized more and more, and organizations like the Natural Resource Conservation Service work in collaboration with Indigenous peoples to preserve their resources. Additionally, Native Americans have a rich history in all four of Colorado’s National Parks, with Mesa Verde being a direct example of pre-Columbian Native culture.
Politically, Native Americans continue to impact Colorado. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a Native American who served in Congress from 1987 to 2005. Additionally, The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs exists to facilitate discussions between Colorado and its two tribal groups, the Southern Utes and the Ute Mountain Utes. This ensures Native Americans have a voice that can be heard by politicians. Additionally, Native Americans and allies continue to organize and advocate for movements like LandBack, a movement that aims to return portions of Indigenous territory (including the site of Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins,) and the MMIW movement, which raises awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Native American tourism has become a significant industry in Colorado. Many Native communities have opened cultural centers, historical sites, and guided tours to share their stories and traditions with visitors. This has provided a source of income for Native communities while also promoting cultural exchange and understanding. For example, the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose and the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum in Ignacio are important educational institutions that preserve and share Native history with the public.
Resources
Chief Niwot
Chief Niwot Statue
Left Hand Canyon
Description: Niwot, also called Chief Left Hand, was a Southern Arapaho leader who attempted to secure peace during the Colorado War, a prolonged conflict between Native tribes and settlers in the mid-1860s. He spoke English and often served as a translator during talks between settlers and Native peoples. Niwot was one of the leaders who agreed to cooperate with Governor Evans and relocate his tribe to Fort Lyon. It is believed Niwot was killed at the Sand Creek Massacre in November 1864. The city of Niwot is named after him, as well as Left Hand Canyon in Boulder, Colorado.
Possible Inquiry Questions:
- Why do you think Chief Niwot was known by multiple names?
Significance: This source demonstrates the impact Native Americans have in shaping the modern placenames of Colorado.
Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain
CW: Discussion of racially offensive naming conventions
Description: Mestaa’ėhehe was an Indigenous woman who worked to better relations between whites and Native Americans throughout her life in the mid-19th century. She was married to William Bent, the owner and operator of Bent’s Fort, and the mother of George Bent, one of the most important writers of Native American daily life through his letters.
Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain was named in 2021 in honor of her life and to honor Indigenous peoples through placenames. The former name of the peak, S**** Peak, is generally considered by Native Americans in the 21st century to be a racially offensive term used to degrade Indigenous women. Previously, over two dozen places in Colorado alone held this name; in 2022, these places were renamed to remove the slur.
Possible Inquiry Questions:
- Why is it important that Owl Woman has a mountain named after her?
Significance: Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain was renamed from an offensive slur for Native women, demonstrating our capability to update language and customs over time. Additionally. this demonstrates Native people’s impact on policy, as Native activists were the ones who pushed to have the mountain renamed.
Native American Women Warriors
Native American Women Warriors
Description: Photographs of four members of the Native American Women Warriors honor guard. There are currently over 24,000 active-duty members of the U.S. Military who identify as Native American, and over 183,000 veterans identify as Native American. Historically, Native Americans have served at a high per-capita rate in the U.S. military.
From the NAWW website: “Native American Women Warriors (NAWW) was founded in 2010 to recognize Native American women veterans who are or have served the United States armed forces. The Native American Women Warriors Association (NAWW) is dedicated to empowering Native American women veterans and ensuring their voices are heard within both the military and their communities. Our mission focuses on providing support, advocacy, and resources for Native women who have served or are serving in the armed forces, addressing issues such as health care, education, and cultural preservation”
Possible Inquiry Questions:
- How have these women blended military culture with their own?
Significance: This source is significant because it provides the viewer with a look at modern Native Americans and the ways in which they choose to express their culture and heritage. Additionally, it highlights the role of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces.
Hughes Stadium & #LandBack
Description: The LandBack movement is an Indigenous-led movement that advocates for Indigenous sovereignty over historically held tribal lands and the restoration of Indigenous practices in land management, self-determination, and equity. It is a form of restorative justice that aims to combat historical wrongs by directly centering Native peoples.
In Fort Collins, Colorado, LandBack advocates point to the site of former Hughes Stadium as an example for Colorado State University a land-grant institution, and the City of Fort Collins, to meaningfully empower Native sovereignty by returning the site to local tribes.
Possible Inquiry Questions:
- How can local communities advocate for nationwide movements?
Significance: The LandBack movement is a nationwide effort led by dozens of tribes and local leaders. Centering a local LandBack effort helps us to realize the impact people in our community can have in advocating for new policy.
