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Show After the Spanish brought the horse to the Americas, the Ute people began using horses for transportation. The Utes became great riders and hunted large game on their horses. Ute men went on buffalo (bison), deer, or elk hunts and came back to camp with food for months. But that is not all a buffalo, deer, or elk could be used for. The hides of the animals could be made into clothing and shelter. Before the hide could be used, it had to be treated. This treatment is called tanning, and the tanned hide is called buckskin. The women of the Ute tribe did the buckskin tanning. It is a difficult process with lots of steps. Today a Ute woman teaches her daughter or granddaughter to help, and when that girl grows up she can teach her own family. To tan the skin, first they scrape the hide away from the meat. Then they soak the hide so the hair can be removed. After the hair is taken off, they boil the brains from the animal and rub the brains on the hide. This is why the process is called brain tanning. The hides dry in the sun with the brains rubbed into them for a few days. Then the hides are soaked again and stretched. The hides need to be left over a fire so that the smoke can work through them before they are done. Once the buckskin is ready it can be made into dresses, pants, bags, shoes, or even teepees. Though most modern Ute people are much more likely to be seen walking around town in jeans and a t-shirt, they might have a pair of buckskin pants and a ribbon shirt in their closets for special occasions. Ute Buckskin Tanning Ute Girls in Buckskin Ute Leather Bag U TA H ' S I N D I A N S U TA H ' S I N D I A N S 37 |