Utah's Black Hawk War Legacy

The writer is Indigenous Day Award recipient Phillip B Gottfredson, author My Journey to Understand Black Hawk's Mission of Peace.

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."

It should be deeply troubling to everyone that discrimination is institutionalized; it has become the norm to trivialize, mock, and downplay the history of Native American people in Utah and across America. To be clear, the true history of Utah's Indigenous peoples has been deliberately left out of school curriculum, which sends a clear message to our children that genocide is justified when under the guise of religion—an utterly outrageous notion! Despite claims to the contrary, prejudice and discrimination are byproducts of Settler Colonialism, which introduced racism long ago and is a relic of slavery. Over time, it has become deeply entwined within the fabric of our Nation and communities; much like a noxious weed, it has crept into the institutionalized structures of power, rendering it natural within our social landscape. See Utah Schools Ignore True Indian History

Timpanogos Perspective

In 2003, I set out on a quest to learn the truth about Native Americans. In all of the histories written about the Black Hawk War in Utah, writers frequently use racial slurs when describing the Indigenous inhabitants of Utah as "savages and heathens." But not just in Utah, across the nation, Native Americans are depicted in the worst way. Though I had read countless accounts and listened to old-timers who told me stories passed down from their ancestors. It was pretty convincing, but embellished, to justify stealing Native Americans' ancestral homeland.

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 had with them. I remember Perry Murdock telling me one 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.

I will always cherish the decades I lived with Native people. Best years of my life. And I am not ashamed to say it just felt natural to assimilate into their culture. Not only do I love them as I would my own family, I have deep empathy for the unimaginable trauma they have endured, and for no other reason than they are "Indian."

Life On The Uintah Valley Reservation

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. "They don't listen." Tribal members of the Timpanogos told me, "they continue to arrest our people. They take children, property, whatever they want." Additionally, the Timpanogos have been fighting for federal recognition for over 20 years. They have met every requirement the Department of the Interior has imposed on them, yet they have not been included on the list. why?

From my own experience, I have found these atrocities to be factual. And the shocking reality is that we never hear about this off the reservation. I lived with the Indigenous people on the Uintah Valley reservation for many years. 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? 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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints needs rescind Brigham Young's Extermination Order.

Give the Timpanogos Nation federal recognition!

Respect their sovereignty.

Acknowledge: It was our ancestors who invaded their country and wrecked their lives.

Acknowledge: It was our government and our ancestors who made treaties with Indian Nations and broke every one of them.

Acknowledge: It was our ancestors who stole their children, and placed them in boarding house schools with graveyards, then punished them for speaking their own language, physically abused them, and forbade them from practicing their religious beliefs. Carlisle’s founder, Capt.. Richard C. Pratt championed a disastrous approach to educating Native Native Americans that aimed to “kill the Indian, and save the man.”       

Acknowledge: It was President Lincoln who set aside 5.6 million acres of land for the Timpanogos, known as the Uintah Valley Reservation, and it was the State of Utah who took back 4.3 million acres of that land, the best of that land, and put it in public domain, and did it without any authorization from congress or compensation, they stole it. See Misidentify of Timpanogos & Ute Tribes

Acknowledge: It is we, not Native Americans, who have dug up the graves of their ancestors, and sold the contents for profit, and put their bones on public display as a mere public curiosity. See The Robbery of Black Hawk's Grave

Acknowledge: We have looked the other way and said nothing and remained silent saying, "it's not my problem."

1. Teach true and honest Native American history in our schools. Break the cycle of misinformation and disinformation.

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.

Contact us. Invite Phillip B Gottfredson to speak to your group or organization. Join us on Facebook and Substack

See The Timpanogos are Snake Shoshone, not Ute!