To the people of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe,
I was deeply saddened to have listened to your announcement about the shooting of your young tribal member child. I am praying to my own ancestors, yoeme, that this child’s Spirit traveled safety to siena (The Flower World), where he will be forever safe with the Deer Dancer. I have lost all of my own family members to violence, so I understand and feel deeply just how much this loss of life hurts. I am sorry you must feel this right now. I can tell you that the pain does indeed subside with time, a lot of time – years.
As the leader of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, you, Chairman Heart, must be strong and resolute in yourself and must rely upon those deeply held and strong cultural values of the Ute people. It will be the cultural values of the Ute – and the lessons taught to the early Ute by the Bear – that will make your tribe stronger through this terrible time of pain.
Be strong.
Julie C. Abril
Bayfield
