Saturday was a special day of performing and sharing for members of the Ute Indian Tribe. September 20th was the University of Utah’s annual Ute Proud football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. A game is dedicated each year where players wear specially designed Ute Proud helmets and members of the Ute Indian Tribe perform traditional dances and songs at halftime. This year’s halftime was especially meaningful as the performers not only did the traditional powwow dancing and Bear Dance, but they also presented the Ute creation story for the first time. The University of Utah received the tribe’s support to use the name “Utes” in athletics in 1972. A Memorandum of Understanding formalizing its use was created in 2003 and is revisited every five years. “The Ute Proud game is an important opportunity for our campus and community to learn about the Northern Ute people, whose homelands we live, work and study upon,” said Samantha Eldridge, director of the U’s Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement. “Sharing their songs and traditions on such a visible stage honors the living culture of the Nuuchu and strengthens our relationship with the Ute Indian Tribe. It’s a reminder that athletics can serve as a powerful platform for education, respect and cultural pride.”
