Ute Chief: Walkara/Wakara, aka Chief Walker, aka Colorow

 Walkara was a Northern Ute Chief of the Timpanogo and Sanpete Bands.  He may also have Shoshone ties.  Walkara is the Shoshone word for Hawk.  He was known as a diplomat, leader, warrior and horseman.  He was the chief when the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints entered the Utah area.  He was born along the Spanish Fork River in Utah.  He liked to fish in Utah Lake.  He spoke English, Spanish and Native languages.  He was known as a great horse thief with his brothers, especially in southern California.  There he had conflict with Juan Antonio Cahuilla leader.  Mountain men would trade them whiskey for stolen horses.  

In 1847 the Mormons settled in Salt Lake which was between Ute and Shoshone territory.  Walkara objected to their having a permanent settlement and wanted to drive them out.  However his brother intervened, so the Mormons had peace with the Timpanogo.  Utes were advised not to steal from the Mormons, but some did resulting in retaliation from the Mormons and the death of six men at the Battle Creek massacre.  Walkara supported attacking Fort Utah, but he held negotiations with Brigham Young after which he invited Mormons to settle Sanpete County.  The Utes were helpful to the settlement which was some ways for the next closest settlement.  Walkara and his son were baptized in 1850.  The Utes had a slave trade using women and children and the Mormon community tried to stop this.  This lead to poor relations.  Additionally many nonMormons were traveling through the area and competing for resources.  This resulted in the Walker War of 1853.  The Utes were angry with both the Mormonee and Merikats (terms used to distinguish mormons and nonMormons.  James Alexander Ivie shot several Utes and one later passed away.  The Utes demanded compensation but Ivie felt it was self defense and refused.  The Utes, demanding the death of a EuroAmerican to compensate were denied, so a Ute shot and killed Alexander Keele.  This lead to open hostilities.  Towns were attacked.  Mormon communities became tighter and turned into forts.  Four men were killed driving a ox-wagon from Salt Lake to Manti.  Brigham Young and Walkara negotiated a peace in May 1854.  The underlying problems were not resolved and would blow up again ten years later in the Black Hawk War.  Walkara was rebaptized and many of his people were baptized at this time.  Walkara died in 1855.  

Pamphlet Review: Bob Gibson: Baseball Legend Born in Omaha

 Bob Gibson: Baseball Legend Born in Omaha by Jess Vermeulen. I found this in the special collections on the third floor of the Omaha Central Library.  There was another copy on display.

This little pamphlet gives a brief sketch of Bob Gibson frm his being born the youngest of seven children, playing sports at Omaha Technical High School, and then playing for Creighton University Bluejays in basketball and baseball.  The St. Louis Cardinals noticed him and signed hi in 1957.  There is a timeline in the pamphlet.  He pitched in the World Series in 1964 which they won,  1965 he won the golden glove award for the first of nine consecutive times.  In 1967 he went 3-0 in a World Series against Boston.  1968 he wins the first of two Cy Young awards and is the NL MVP.  1971 he pitches a no-hitter and wins his second Cy Young award.  1975 he retires with 3,117 strikeouts and 251 wins.He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.  He played all his Major League baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, 17 seasons, 56 shutouts, 3,117 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.91.  He died October 2, 2020.  He was 84.

Buffalo Soldiers

 Almost 200,000 Black Troops served in the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War.  40,000 passed away.  In 1866 peacetime units were formed.  Units were segregated and the Buffalo Soldier regiments where all Black regiments.  They made up the 9th and 10th calvary regiments and the 24th and 25th infantry regiments.  The Buffalo soldiers were given their name by Native Americans who referred to the bravery and their hair.  The soldiers themselves also adapted the name.  The first units were organized in 1866 and they served through the 90s.

The Buffalo units served in the Indian Wars generally, guarding trails and manning forts.  They built roads and guarded the mail.  Members of the calvary units trained cadets at West Point in horsemanship.  This was because of their skill with horses.  They are remembered through Buffalo Soldier Field and a campus monument.  Henry O. Flipper is a West Point graduate and the first African American to command Buffalo Soldier, the 10th regiment.  Charles Young, another West Point graduate rose to the rank of colonel in the 10th Calvary regiment.

Buffalo Soldiers also served in Cuba during the Spanish American war and climbed San Juan Hill.

Native American Artist: Marita Growing Thunder

 Marita Growing Thunder is a Native American artist, activist and designer from the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana.  She is an advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.  She comes from the Growing Thunder Collective which is a family of artists.  She practices quillwork and beadwork.  She promoted awareness for MMIW through her project Save Our Sisters.  

other native americans

Painted Cave: Chumash

Chief seattle

Shelley Niro

Harry Fonseca

N. Scott Monday

Leslie Marmon SIlko

R. Carlos Nakai

Princess Red Wing

Monique Mojica

Louie Gong

Mary Golda Ross

Twyla Baker

Nicolle Gonzales

Suzan Shown Harjo

Pushmataha

Marie Aioe Dorion

oconostota

colorow ignacio ouray walkara

Janet McCloud

oren Lyons 

Matthew King

Ute Elder: Unca Sam

 Unca Sam visited Washington D.C. as a Native American representative when the White River were forced out of Colorado after the Meeker affair.  Unca Sam was instrumental in getting $1,000,000 from the federal government for their loss.  He was a hunter, warrior, fur trader and diplomat.  His bust in on display at the Utah State Capitol Building.  The bust was done by Millard F. Malin.  After traveling to Washington he lived a long and peaceful like on the Uintah Ouray Indian Reservation where he passed away at 106 in 1938.  

Native American Biography, Aza Erdrich Abe. painter, Louise Erdrich daughter

 Aza Erdrich Abe is an accomplished artist.  On her mother's side she is of Ojibwa descent, Anishinaabe.  She also is of mixed white descent.  Her visual art is deeply rooted in Anishinaabe aesthetics and sensibilities, featuring intricate line work and woodcut-style aesthetics. She focuses on Anishinabee identity through her family life and personal growth.  

Aza Abe paints for the covers of her mother's books.  Her mother is the accomplished author Louis Aldrich.  

Asa and her mother

self portrait beadwork