Native Views

Different Perspectives on the Fossils

This area was once inhabited by the ancestors of some of the tribes known to be traditionally affiliated with Florissant Fossil Beds. Visitors ask: did tribes know about the fossil trees or the plant, insect, and animal fossils beneath the ground? The descendants of some of these people tell us that their ancestors likely observed these fossils, but that their cultural beliefs would not have led them to use or excavate stumps or fossils.

 

"Well, the Utes I think like anybody else, use
whatever they could find, whatever is available,
whatever works, you know. If the petrified
wood is of the right quality, maybe they made
projectile points, maybe scrapers."

Terry Knight, 2018
NAGPRA Representative, Ute Mountain Utes



"These [fossils] are old people things, leave
them alone because you don’t know anything
about them."

Alden Naranjo, 2018
NAGPRA Coordinator, Southern Ute Indian Tribe



"First you just talked about how, ‘Don’t pick it
up; it is a fragile resource', and yet when you
discuss Charlotte Hill and her avocation, it
seems like you’re glorifying her for picking up
fossils and making this a world-famous site,
almost also excusing the behaviors of the early
tourists.”

Cassandra Atencio, 2018
NAGPRA Coordinator, Southern Ute Indian Tribe