SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE’S OFF-RESERVATION USE RIGHTS
HRA assisted attorneys for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe by investigating the Tribe’s historical uses of lands in southwestern Colorado that were ceded under an 1873 agreement with the United States. HRA historians conducted a thorough review of archival collections at the National Archives and Records Administration, microfilmed records, and published government documents, as well as conducted oral interviews with Tribal elders who were knowledgeable about traditional uses of these lands. Upon completion of this research, HRA prepared a written report that helped the Tribe secure an amended resource-utilization agreement with the State of Colorado that authorizes Tribal hunting, fishing, and other traditional use activities within the 1873 ceded area.