Wakara War

The Wakara or Walkara War was a low intensity conflict between Chief Walkara (Circa 1808-1855) and his Ute band and Mormon settlers in present day south central Utah. It is sometimes called the Walker War, for no other reason than white recorders of the history could not pronounce Walkara.

The conflict erupted in July 1853 near present-day Springville, Utah when one of Walkara's tribe was killed in an altercation with local settlers in a trade dispute. Walkara demanded that the killer be turned over to his tribe for punishment, but was refused.

Walkara proceeded to raid Mormon settlements in retaliation and the conflict spread. However, not all Utes were united in the controversy. In March 1854, Brigham Young, president of the Mormon Church, sent major E.A. Bedell, the federal Indian agent, to meet with Walkara and other Ute leaders. Bedell was to inquire if they would make a treaty with Young for the sale of their land. During the meeting with Bedell, Walkara stated that "he would prefer not to sell if he could live peacefully with the white people which he was anxious to do."

Shortly thereafter, the conflict died down. Walkara died of pneumonia on 28 January 1855. The story of his body being buried with his goods, including horses and young Indian slaves, has become the stuff of legend.

However, tensions remaining from the conflict and some who refused to accept the peace eventually resulted in another incident which precipitated the longer and more costly Ute Black Hawk War a decade later.

References

* Conway B. Sonne, "World of Wakara", (1962)
* Gustive O. Larson, "Wakara's Half Century", The Western Humanities Review 16 (1962).