White Mesa



White Mesa Ute Board

White Mesa is a small community located 12 miles south of Blanding, Utah, wherein 380 people reside. The governmental structure consists of a seven-member board. One out of these people sits on the Tribal Council in Towaoc, Colorado where the tribal headquarters is located.

White Mesa Ute Council was established in 1978 with a nine-member board that has had the responsibility of overseeing program services for the citizens. For generations we have struggled to make changes. Our being so isolated from our headquarters has been a difficult situation and a hindrance from day one. Our heritage has served us well and our independence became our strength.

The goal of the Board has been and is to help the people of White Mesa to become educated and self-sufficient by providing program services for their needs. Education, HeadStart, CHR, Social Services, Recreation, Senior Citizens, Community Development, Cattle Company and a Convenience Store. These programs provide employment for community members. In the earlier years when White Mesa Ute Council was just getting off the ground, we had only a few program services but gradually we became larger and employed more people. Our education programs did not have any students graduate, that was non-existent.

Today we have students graduate from high school and even more we have students, parents enrolled in the higher education programs. The Board invested in a scholarship program that some of our community members serve on as the Scholarship Committee. Our Headstart Program graduates a large number of students almost every year.

The Recreation program has recreation for youth and adults alike. A boxing team which consists of youth and young adults travel to boxing matches each year. A youth basketball team is ongoing each year with both male and female participants that travel to tournaments with community members who serve as coaches all involved enjoy being together. A Senior Citizen program provides meals three times a week to all the elderly including shopping trips all of which the elderly enjoy. The Convenience Store employs a few of our community members and has been an asset. It is within walking distance for both young and old to do their shopping when they run out of small items. The board members have extended their services to help school, city, and county needs and events.

The administration's greatest task is to assess the changing conditions regarding resources while keeping in touch with the needs of the community, then to complete the requirements for funding to meet the needs.

White Mesa has been designated as a voting precinct by San Juan County after three years of planning over 75% of the community members vote in the elections.

Our annual festivities begin on or around the Labor Day weekend with our "Bear Dance." The Bear Dance is a social dance which the people celebrate to welcome the coming of Spring. But as the Bear Dance season ends, we are the last Ute community to celebrate the event signifies "Thankfulness."

Other events are a Softball Tournament that is scheduled, starting Thursday and ending on Sunday. Ten women's and men's teams enter the tournament from surrounding communities.

The Hand Games or Stick Games last two days furthermore the annual Powwow is the most colorful dance the people enjoy. Dancers enter all facets of the competition, Country and western dancing are three night events where live bands come in to play for the events. The people come out to enjoy the entertainment.