Southern Ute Museum takeover leaves tribal citizens worried

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) – Southern Ute tribal members are concerned about the fate of the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum and the artifacts of their ancestors after the Southern Ute Tribal Council announced it is canceling the museum’s nonprofit status and taking over management.

The tribal council said the steps are necessary because the museum has not met its financial goals for five years.

Tribal Council member Amy Barry said the museum is now conducting an inventory to find out what is on loan and what the museum bought. Some tribe members have already reclaimed their artifacts.

Pearl Cassius, a tribal elder and formal tribal judge, said he had reservations about the decisions.

“My artifacts, I never put them in the museum because I don’t trust what’s happening here,” Cassius said.

Tribal Council member Amy Barry said the museum is now conducting an inventory to find out what is on loan and what the museum bought.

Artifact collections must be given back to their owners or renegotiated if it loses nonprofit status, according to the Durango Herald.

The council has asked tribal member Linda Baker to handle inventory and guide the museum through the transition.

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Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com