Ute, Native North American tribe of the Uto-Aztecan language family of the California-Intermountain culture area (see Native American Languages).

The Ute were spread through central and western Colorado, eastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.

The tribe was subdivided into bands, of which the principal were the Tabequache, Muache, Capote, Wiminuche, Yampa, and Uinta.

They lived entirely by hunting and on wild fruits and roots.

Trading with the Navajo and Paiute, they obtained blankets and baskets. From the Mexicans and by raids on other tribes, they were able to procure herds of horses, sheep, and cattle.

Their usual type of dwelling was a brush shelter, later supplanted by a small tepee.

The Ute made their first treaty with the United States government in 1850, and by subsequent treaties were limited in range until all bands, except the southern Ute, were removed to the present reservation in Utah.

In 1902, claiming that they could not live on their reserve, the southern Ute moved up to the headwaters of the South Fork of the Platte River. They were subsequently moved by the government to Fort Mead, South Dakota, and within a year returned voluntarily to their reservation.

The Ute are believed to have numbered fewer than 10,000. In 1990, 7273 people claimed Ute ancestry in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, whose name is derived from the name of the tribe.

"Ute," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.