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Show Ute Lands 21 In this vast and varied territory lived comparatively few Ute People. Thus, there was usually food enough for all. The Ute People were hunters and gatherers. Some were also fishermen. Few of the Ute People were farmers, but many ate corn, beans, and squash which they obtained through trade with the Pueblo peoples. The wild game on the Ute uplands was rich â€" deer, antelope, buffalo, elk, bear, mountain sheep, and a great variety of smaller animals. The several streams and lakes were full of trout and catfish. The valleys had abundant plant life â€" the fruits of many trees and bushes, choke cherry, wild raspberries, the ees or squaw-berry, nuts from the pinion pine, and the roots of dozens of plants. There were also plants which could be used for medicine. During times of trouble, the quality and quantity of food were reduced, but the Ute People survived. The People knew how to use alternate sources for food. If game became scarce, fruits, berries, roots, and fish were available. The Ute People were scattered out over the land in family groups or bands. In their search for food and shelter, each band traveled over a wide area, usually in a route from the desert or plains lowland in winter, to the mountains and plateaus in summer. However, these were not aimless wanderings. Each band traveled within a certain familiar area, an area so well known and so loved that many bands were known by land-names. That is, they called themselves by the features of the areas in which they traveled and the foods by which they lived. The Sevier Lake Utes called themselves Pah Vant which means "close to water." The band which resided at Utah Lake was called Tumpanawach or "fish-eaters." The band living near the Yampa River Basin was called Yamparika or "carrot-eaters." In some localities such as the valley of the Utah Lake, the lower Sevier River, and the Uncompahgre Valley, streams and forests provided an abundance of fish, game, and seeds. In these areas the Ute People did not have to travel far to obtain foods; therefore, year-round encampments became established. Each family group lived independently of others. However, even though the distances were very great between the bands, the Ute People were willing to travel far, especially after some acquired the horse, so they could meet together. Sometimes these meetings were because of military necessity. More often they were social |