A denial of Indigenous water is settler sovereignty: Teagan Autumn Johnson-Moore, Follow the Water: Colorado Ute’s History in Water Allocation and Dispossession, MA dissertation, University of Chicago, 2024 | settler colonial studies blog

A denial of Indigenous water is settler sovereignty: Teagan Autumn Johnson-Moore, Follow the Water: Colorado Ute’s History in Water Allocation and Dispossession, MA dissertation, University of Chicago, 2024

03Jun24

Abstract: This thesis explores sovereignty, settler-colonialism, and water rights in Indigenous spaces, focusing on the experience of the Colorado Ute tribes in southwestern Colorado. Drawing on historical analysis and contemporary scholarship, this study examines how the lack of water allocation until 1988 has impacted the sovereignty of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe (“SUIT”) and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (“UMUT”). It argues that the dispossession of water rights has served as a tool to undermine Indigenous sovereignty and perpetuating settler-colonial structures and policies. The research delves into nineteenth to twenty-first century water laws, settler-composed compacts, and regulations revealing how the legacy of dispossession continues to affect SUIT and UMUT. Through an exploration of legal documents, court cases, and scholarly perspectives, this thesis highlights the marginalized voices of Indigenous peoples in water governance and law while acknowledging and rectifying past injustices by advocating for water for the Colorado Ute tribes. By centering Indigenous sovereignty and challenging settler colonial narratives, this thesis aims to contribute to broader discussions on Indigenous rights, water governance, and decolonial efforts in Colorado.

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