TOWAOC – The booming beats of the Catching Eagle Drum Circle introduced Manuel Heart, the newly elected Ute Mountain Ute Tribal chairman, during an impressive swearing-in ceremony Friday morning.
Heart begins his second elected term at tribal chairman, and told an audience of 350 he is proud of the tribe’s successful democratic process.
“Change comes from the people,” he said, translating from his native Ute language. “As a tribe, we came together in the democratic elections, and I am proud and honored for this leadership opportunity.”
Heart won in a landslide victory over Gary Hayes Oct. 11, who served a seven-year term as chairman.
The gala event was attended by leaders from the Southern Ute, Northern Ute, Paiute, Jicallaria and Navajo tribes.
Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, Priscilla Blackhawk-Rentz, and Malcolm Lehi were all sworn in as new council members. The election featured 29 candidates and was reportedly the highest voter turnout in Ute Mountain history.
