This tribal seal pin is beaded with a red, white and blue U. S. flag motif. It shows the interplay between traditional art and the Ute/USA relationship.
The tribal seal is a symbol of tribal government and sovereignty. The Ute tribes place it on a variety of items, but those items are not for sale. They are given to and used by tribal chairmen and council members. They are sometimes given by chairmen and council members to others to commemorate sovereignty and the government-to-government relationship between the tribe and other government entities.
Tribal Seal Symbolism. Leader in the center: the Ute band. Sleeping Ute Mountain: their mountain. Grazing livestock: important parts of Ute livelihood. Golden eagle: Sun Dance. Tipis: their home. Map of Four Corners: area near their reservation land in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.