Chipeta: Ute Peacemaker (Now You Know Bios)

Chipeta was the wife, confidant, and advisor to Chief Ouray of the Tabeguache band of Ute Indians in the mountain regions of Colorado. After Ouray's death in 1880, Chipeta continued as a leader of her people through times of challenge and hardship until her death in 1924. Chipeta was respected as a wise woman by both Utes and non-Indian people.

Cynthia Becker is co-author with David Smith of Chipeta: Queen of the Utes, and she brings the exhaustive research of that work to this Now You Know Bio of an inspirational Native American woman.

Chipeta...never for a moment wavered in her loyalty to what she thought the right and from the first used all her influence for peace...She saw that war meant the murder of hundreds of whites and the extermination of her own people...
Margaret T. Adams, wife of Charles Adams, Los Pinos Indian Agent