This book is an account of the Ute Indians who were native to what is now the southwestern United States along the border who immigrated to the area around Utah and Colorado a millenia ago. The Utes are not a unified body but rather bands of different indians who spoke a similar language based on the Uto-Aztecan dialect. The story of this book touches on various events in history such as the Dominguez-Escalante expedition which was the first Spanish expedition into Colorado and Utah, the alliance of Utes with the Pueblo Indians during the revolt of 1680, the tribal conflicts between the Utes and the Comanches, Kiowa, Pawnee and Navajoes and the eventual decline with the arrival of the American anglos shortly after the events of the Mexican War of 1846-48.
The second part of the book goes into depth on the trials and tribulations as the white man approached. Once streching from from the Wasatch Range to the Front Range around present-day Denver, Ute territory was reduced over the years via treaties and depredations from white squatters to a small area of Utah and a strip along the Colorado-New Mexico state line. The book discusses various famous Utes such as Ouray and Chepeta who were instrumental in bringing their people into modern times.
The narrative is very typical of once proud indians in America who were reduced to receiving rations and dependent on other government handouts. Such treatment of people should serve as a lesson for those who think one's salvation comes from government. It is my hope that Native Americans can break free from the overbearing hand of government. Some people on the reservations think that the BIA stands for "bossing indians around."