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Show 10 Lifeways As hundreds of birds began to blacken the sky, women knew the gathering season had begun. Families would leave their winter villages and go out into moist hills and desert valleys. Many of these plants and seeds were dried and placed in baskets which were stored in pits dug in the ground and then covered with earth. Chokecherries were mashed and sun-dried, while the sunflower seeds were often ground and cooked and then dried for storage. To gather the many varieties of small seeds, the women would make finely-woven winnowing baskets onto which they would beat the plants. During the gathering season, the men kept busy either helping with the gathering or hunting small desert animals. Every night the men set deadfalls to catch a few rats, squirrels, or birds to supplement the diet. They also used the method of setting fire to a brush enclosure and killing the animals as they emerged. The Ute women gathered and dug for cactus leaf and various barks, the seeds of the bench grass and of the yellow grass, somewhat resembling rye. They gathered rabbit-brush twigs, which were chewed, and various roots and tubers: the soft sego bulb, the rootlets of the cat tail and the tule. The tule was sun-dried, powdered to flour, and kept through the winter. The time of summer harvesting was especially good for the Ute People. The seeds, berries, and roots were plentiful and everyone seemed happy. It was a time when families could get together for hunts and festivals and gossip about their winter adventures. Fall was probably the best and most important time for the Ute People. The summer had been spent gathering and eating, but fall meant winter was coming and seeds had to be stored, meat had to be dried. Clothing had to be made and repaired as did utensils such as parfleches, pouches and bags, baskets and water jugs. This was also the time of great buffalo hunts. Many families would get together, feasting and preparing for the hunt. The strong, brave hunters would ride out to find and bring back as much buffalo meat as they could carry. Since the men had to travel quite a way, they left the old, the women, and the children behind to continue their search for seeds and berries. When the men finally returned with the buffalo meat, there was another gathering with gambling, singing, and courting. These hunts were very im- |