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Show IV. INDEX OF RESOURCES A. Flora of the Utes. Uinta Basin, and Great Basin Berries, seeds, roots, nuts, fruits, barks, and greens were, and still are, of great importance in the subsistence, technologies, medicinal therapies, and ritual practices of Great Basin Indian populations ( Opler 1971: 258,262; Fowler 1986: 92; Stoffle et al. 1990: 416- 7; Halmo et al. 1993: 142- 3). In this regard, the Utes of Utah and Colorado are not an exception ( Janetski 1983: 65- 6). Historically, Lyman and Denver ( 1970: 86) and Smith ( 1974a: 64- 5) report that besides animal protein, berries and roots were the basic foods eaten by the Utes. Callaway et al. ( 1986: 341) indicated that 40 percent or more of subsistence came from gathering for the Eastern and Western Utes ( except for the Uncompaghre whose percentage was 35). The natural flora was the food of the Utes according to Pettit ( 1990: 27). This is confirmed from recent consultations with Utes ( 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 2.1; 3.1; 4.1; 4.2; 4.3; 4.4) on the Uintah- Ouray Reservation. Today, resource sites for many of the floral species that the Utes still depend upon are widespread throughout the reservation and adjoining areas. Yet, certain locations are described by consultants as favored or " choice" areas for particular crops. These choice locations are determined by a number of different factors, including accessibility and the concentrated abundance of resources on a site , the superior quality of the patch ( i. e., flavor, texture), and/ or its proximity to areas of spiritual significance ( e. g., the Sun Dance grounds) ( 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 2.1; 4.1; 4.2; 4.3). Among the Utes, the gathering of various plant species for food, medicinal or technological use do not appear to have been protected by any formal " trespass" limitations determined by individual or familial identities ( Opler 1971: 262; Callaway et al. 1986: 340). Two consultants ( 1.1; 4.1) indicated, however, that families not only have favorite locales for gathering particular crops, but also that they guard their knowledge of the places where they find especially valued plant resources. Some of the consultants were emphatic about not having certain important plant areas disturbed ( Appendix A. 1.1; A. 2.2; A. 2.4). One gave an example of how bad people felt when the BIA carelessly destroyed a valued area near Pole Creek some years back ( 1.1). Others ( 3.1; 1.2) mentioned how berry bushes had been destroyed in Whiterocks Canyon due to similar projects done by the BIA, and how these are only now starting to grow back. Another example ( 1.2) was a berry gathering area north of Bullock Reservoir that was decimated while work was being done on one of the canals. 33 |
