Ute/Nuche Tipi

The Ute or Nuche communities of this region in the 1800s included the Uintah on the Tavaputs Plateau, the Uncompahgre around Grand Junction, and the Sheberetch in the location that we call Moab.

Most often the stories were told during the winter months. As snow drifted in under the tipis through little gaps, children scrambled to cover the drafts. By the fire sat the elder, the storyteller. His listeners sat in a circle, bundled tightly in warm buffalo or rabbit robes, waiting eagerly for him to begin what could be a long night of stories.

The Museum's Tipi: One of the favorite new attractions in the Hall of Archaeology is the functionality of the Ute/Nuche Tipi. It has been turned into an interactive exhibit as you can now go inside and enjoy it from a different perspective. You may listen to Native American flute music, read a book, or look at the artifacts.

It was built by Dr. Don Burge and represents the type of dwelling used by the Ute/Nuche People after they began using the horse and adopted many attributes of Plains Indians.