Author and Historian Phillip B Gottfredson
Utah's Black Hawk War legacy illustrates the arcane logic of settler colonialism, contrasting with Indigenous worldviews. Mormon leader Brigham Young, in 1849 ordered the extermination of the Timpanogos Nation, wgich led to their forced removal, assimilation, and significant losses of life, resources, culture, language, and freedom. It also resulted in boarding schools with graveyards. This extermination order still stands after 160 years of continued subjugation and erasure. See The Timpanogos Nation.
Many scholars familiar with Mormon settler colonialism in Utah remain indifferent. This has contributed to erasing from history war crimes, massacres, mass graves, slavery, and genocide from historical narratives, replacing them with a romanticized account centered on Gold, God, and glory.
Contrast that with Indigenous Americans' core message: connection, relationship, and unity. The belief that all people descend from the Creator is foundational. The destruction of Indigenous cultures should face international condemnation. Public genocidal acts should undergo historical scrutiny and judgment. Erasing and romanticizing the Christianization of Native American history has caused irreparable harm. As a result, many Indigenous communities in Utah feel profoundly disconnected from their heritage. Their histories remain marginalized in Utah's curriculum and broader American history. These outcomes reveal the mechanisms and consequences of settler colonialism.
For example, our schools, churches, and communities teach people to assume, "We've given the Indians every opportunity to succeed, yet they chose to live off the government and in poverty." This racist mindset distorts facts and strips Indigenous cultures of dignity, ignoring that they were made wards of the government under the twisted logic of religious dogma of Manifest Destiny, "kill the Indian and save the man."
It should trouble everyone that settler colonialism is institutionalized. The true history of Utah's Indigenous peoples has been deliberately excluded from the curriculum and disguised as divine intervention to cover up the truth, sending a clear message to children that genocide is justified when cloaked in religion. Despite claims to the contrary, prejudice and discrimination are central to Settler Colonialism, which gave birth to racism long ago and is a relic of slavery. Over time, it has become embedded in our Nation and communities, like a noxious weed, creeping into power structures and making them appear natural in our society. Recognizing and uprooting these entrenched systems is not just a matter of history; it's a moral necessity for a just future. See Utah Schools Ignore True Indian History
A group called "The Other 49ers" aptly said, "The Mormons brought with them a moral code, a new technology, and an economic system. Mormon's inability or refusal to accept Indian culture on its own terms is a conflict repeated countless times throughout the west. Coexistence, with each culture intact, was impossible; compromise seemed unattainable, for the cherished ideals of one culture were the unpardonable sins of the other. Mormons brought the ways of civilization with
them, in their minds. Contrary to their desire for an enlightened
sacred way of life, the world followed, and they gave into the kind
of discrimination that they ran from."
Native American Worldview
It wasn't until I attended the grand opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, that I began to question all the accounts I had read. Something was missing. I spent an entire week in DC, enjoying every minute I was there among thousands of Indigenous people from around the world. I met and talked to a lot of people, but I never found one who fit the description of a heathen or savage. What I did find was just the opposite. They were fun, loving, kind, honest, and humble people. It wasn't until 2015 that I finally met the Timpanogos Nation people in Utah, marking a pivotal point in my 20-year journey of living with Native American people. People who forever changed my life in a good way.
I will never forget the very emotional and candid conversations. I remember Perry Murdock telling me one summer afternoon, sitting in my RV outside his house, "We want our children to have a good life. We don’t want them to live in fear, hating each other. We want them to respect our ancient ways, and pass on our sacred teachings to their children. We want them to be proud of our ancestors, Wakara, Black Hawk, Arapeen, Tabby, and understand that they died for us. They lived for us. We are still here because of their love," said Perry Murdock, Council member of the Timpanogos Nation.
As I continued to learn from the Timpanogos what it means to be Indigenous to Utah, I often heard them speak of the discrimination they face daily. Initially, my response was to say that they have the same opportunities for a decent life as anyone living in America. Unfortunately, saying that drew some angry responses. And the more time I spent with them, listening and observing, the more I realized how ignorant I was about their lives. I was ignorant because of the biased one-sided history I was taught in school, and reading the numerous Black Hawk War historical monuments throughout the state that are, quite frankly, racist. That and 50 years of western movies that were the rage, the good guys were always the white man, and the losers were always the Indians. But we never felt any shame or remorse, we believed we were a chosen nation.
I lived with Indigenous people for over 25 years; I found the truth I was looking for in the worldviews of the Timpanogos and Indigenous peoples throughout North and South America, and I learned what true freedom looks like by following seven basic Indigenous teachings: Honesty, Love, Courage, Truth, Wisdom, Humility, and Respect. I found my true self. I learned how to walk my path ‘in a good way’, with purpose, and for the good of all. I learned to love myself and others. I am proud to say I voluntarily and willingly assimilated into Native American culture, the best years of my life.
Honor Tribal Sovereignty
The 10th District Court ruled in 2015 that the Uintah Reservation is a sovereign nation and that the State of Utah has no legal jurisdiction over it. "They don't listen." Tribal members of the Timpanogos told me, "they continue to arrest our people. They take children, property, whatever they want."
The glory of the sword is all these so-called 'white and delightsome' silver-tongued devils understand because that is the culture of settler colonialism. Additionally, the Timpanogos have been fighting for federal recognition for over 20 years. They have met every requirement imposed by the Department of the Interior, yet they have not been included on the list. Why...?
From my own experience living on the Uintah Valley reservation for many years, I found these atrocities to be factual. And the shocking reality is that we never hear about this stuff off the reservation. I became fully aware of the corruption. I'm referring to the State of Utah, the Division of Indian Affairs, the BIA, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah Ouray Reservation, who do nothing; why? Follow the money. Over 35 million barrels of oil come off the reservation each month. Do people know this? Not many, but all you need to do is ask the Department of Energy. And who gets the money? The oil companies, the Utes, and the State of Utah. One thing is for sure, the Timpanogos Nation, who are indigenous to Utah, get zero, nothing, not a damn red cent. The fact is, the Ute Tribe turned off the water to Mary Murdock Meyer's home because she is the Chief Executive of the Timpanogos Nation. And over the past year, two attempts have been made on Mary's life. Was this in the news? Hell no! Oh, and in case you didn't know, the Timpanogos are not Ute. And the Uintah Ouray Reservation does not exist. See The Timpanogos are Snake Shoshone Not Ute
Religious organisations do not have automatic legal authority over tribal lands in the United States. Tribal nations have their own authority over their lands. Federal laws like the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) protect Native religious practices and often require federal agencies and others to respect these practices on both the reservation and public lands. Religious groups can operate on reservations, but their authority is limited to their own rules and does not take precedence over tribal or federal Indian law, which recognises Tribes as self-governing. However, as I stated earlier Indigenous people are wards of government, and federal laws limit the use of the land they occupy.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should formally rescind Brigham Young's Extermination Order. Their sovereignty should be respected. Did you know their lack of federal recognition is just an excuse to discriminate against them? This needs to end! Federal recognition is not required, it is a matter of choice. "The Timpanogos Nation is indigenous to the Utah Territory. Since time immemorial, they have been Indigenous to the Great Basin long before the Utes or Mormons came. The Department of the Interior clearly states that federal recognition does not determine a tribe's authenticity or existence; rather, it confirms the existence of a nation-to-nation relationship between an Indian Tribes and the United States government."
As American citizens, we have a responsibility to acknowledge the actions of our forebears, who stole their lands and disrupted their lives. The government entered into treaties with Indian Nations and subsequently broke everyone of them. And according to Article VI, Clause 2 (The Supremacy Clause) of the United States clearly states these treaties are the supreme law of the land.
Settler colonialism gave our predecessors justification to remove Native children from their families, place them in boarding schools, punish them for speaking their languages, subjected them to abuse, and prohibited the practice of their religious beliefs. Carlisle’s founder, Capt. Richard C. Pratt, promoted an approach to Native American education that sought to “kill the Indian, and save the man.” We must also recognize that many have remained silent and failed to address these injustices.
It should be acknowledged that President Lincoln set aside 5.6 million acres for the Timpanogos, known as the Uintah Valley Reservation. The State of Utah later reclaimed 4.3 million acres of this land, including the most valuable portions, and transferred it to the public domain without Congressional authorization or compensation.
It should be acknowledged that non-Native individuals have exhumed the graves of Native ancestors, sold the contents for profit, and displayed their remains publicly as curiosities. See Black Hawk's Grave
The late Utah historian Will Bagley, a friend and mentor to me, said, "there is nothing about the Black Hawk War in Utah that celebrates our noble ancestors."
In conclusion, while all these injustices were going on, I'm a 19 year old man, standing on street corners in England and knocking on doors, preaching the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because I was born and raised in the church, and taught honesty. I was taught 'Thou shalt not steal, or bear false witness,' and that we are all children of God. My message to the church is this: get off your high horse and ‘walk your talk.’ What you call 'Zion' was stolen from the Timpanogos, Goshute, Shoshoni, Paiute, and Ute, people whom you call 'Lamanites.' This and other significant reasons is why today, I say, I don't belong to any organized religious intitutions, group or organization.
How can I help Indigenous people, and leave behind a legacy to be proud of?
1. Demand true and honest Native American history in our schools. Break the cycle of misinformation and disinformation which leads to rascism, and subjugation.
2. Demand that our government honor the treaties made with First Nations. Over 365 treaties were signed with Native Americans and not one has ever been honored.
3. Help build that bridge between our cultures and tear down the wall of hate and lies that separate us. Be the change you want to see in the world. There is a lot we can learn from Indigenous people, if we would only listen.
See Truth in Education
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