24 Facts About Chipeta

Chipeta or White Singing Bird was a Native American leader, and the second wife of Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgre Ute tribe.

An advisor and confidant of her husband, Chipeta continued as a leader of her people after his death in 1880.

Chipeta used diplomacy to try to achieve peace with the white settlers in Colorado.

Chipeta, known as "White Singing Bird", was born into the Kiowa Apache tribe in about 1843.

Chipeta was adopted and raised by the Uncompahgre Utes in what is Conejos, Colorado.

Chipeta learned their traditional ways and became a skilled artisan in beadwork, tanning and making garments, like dresses, shirts, moccasins, and leggings from the tanned hides.

In 1859, Chipeta married Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgres, becoming his second wife.

Chipeta adopted four children and raised them as her own.

Chipeta is generally thought to have never bore children, one account is that she had one son who was stolen by a band of Kiowas.

Ouray took out his knife in order to kill the traitor but Chipeta grabbed it out of the sheath before Ouray could grab it, thus saving her brother's life.

Chipeta continued as a leader of the Utes and was highly respected as a wise woman.

Chipeta married a White River Ute in Utah at the Ouray Agency, named Accumooquats.

The name Chipeta is often claimed to be a Ute name meaning "White Singing Bird" it is more likely a misspelling by English language speakers for the Spanish nickname Chepita, a common nickname for Josefina.

Chipeta came to act as his advisor and confidant, often sitting beside him at tribal council meetings.

Chipeta rescued a white woman and her children from hostile Utes after a four-day ride.

Chipeta sought to live peacefully with the white settlers in Colorado.

On March 7,1880, Chipeta was welcomed as a delegate by Secretary of Interior Carl Schurz at the United States Capitol.

Chipeta testified before a Congressional inquiry into the Meeker Massacre.

Ouray died in 1880, after which "Chipeta was betrayed by the government".

Chipeta was very respected by member of the tribe and was always allowed to meetings of the council in which no other Ute woman was ever accepted.

When entertaining guests, Chipeta would prepare and cook meals herself with her own utensils without any help from other women.

Chipeta lost most of her livestock in her later years.

Chipeta was at Bitter Creek in Utah, when she died from chronic gastritis on August 9,1924.

Chipeta was buried in a shallow grave and it was feared that her grave would be washed away in a few years.