{"id":13793,"date":"2026-01-27T03:01:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T10:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/hurd-honors-tribal-chairman-manuel-heart-for-27-years-of-leadership\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:41:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T03:41:16","slug":"hurd-honors-tribal-chairman-manuel-heart-for-27-years-of-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/hurd-honors-tribal-chairman-manuel-heart-for-27-years-of-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurd honors tribal Chairman Manuel Heart for 27 years of leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ute
Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart addresses attendees during an event honoring him at the Ute Mountain Ute Casino. He reflected on decades of tribal leadership and public service. \u201cAll of this work I did would not have happened without the support from my wife, who is the most patient than anyone I know,\u201d he said Monday.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

After a hushed room observed a traditional blessing from Terry Knight, a decorated Towaoc leader, U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd explained why he came: \u201cWe\u2019re here for a specific purpose, which is to honor 27 years of dedicated service.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monday at lunchtime at the Ute Mountain Ute casino, the Republican congressman from the state\u2019s 3rd Congressional District honored Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart for decades of service in tribal government.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably longer than that, but 27 years of formal, dedicated service,\u201d Hurd said, adding, \u201cChairman Heart, thank you so much for your model and expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd speaks about tribal sovereignty, water, economic development and his working relationship with former Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart during a recognition Monday. \u201cI've heard it said that sovereignty, tribal sovereignty, is economic development,\u201d the congressman said.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Hurd\u2019s recognition carried a personal tone. During his speech, he tied Heart\u2019s career to his earliest moments in office. He told the roughly 30-person crowd that the first government to government relationships he formed were with Southwest Colorado\u2019s tribal leaders.<\/p>\n

He said he called Heart for guidance when he was first named chair of the House Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee, crediting the chairman\u2019s role and expertise in shaping priorities for the reservation. On Sept. 19, Hurd formalized Heart\u2019s retirement honor during a legislative session by entering remarks into the official Congressional Record so it could be \u201cpreserved in the National Archives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

That same September day, an American flag flew over the U.S. Capitol in dedication to Heart and was later handed to him at Monday\u2019s event.<\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd gives Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart a copy of remarks entered into the Congressional Record.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chairman
Chairman Manuel Heart receives the American flag from U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd on Monday that flew over the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 19 in honor of him. \u201cChairman Heart, on behalf of a grateful U.S. Congress and from me personally, I wanted to present this flag to you in recognition of your service,\u201d Hurd said.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>
Heart reflects on early council years<\/div>\n

Heart accepted the folded flag with thanks, gesturing in several directions and pointing first to the east, then west and north.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you guys,\u201d Heart said when taking the flag. \u201cSunrise, the warm side, sunset,\u201d he was saying, pointing west and \u201cto the north when the winter comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

He then added, \u201cThank you so much. I appreciate it from my heart. I used to write all my own speeches for a lot of things that I was facing or that were challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, Heart began a speech on the long arc of leadership, offering advice and gratitude for friends, family, supporters, political colleagues and other government leaders. He closed by reiterating support for current tribal council members. Members of the Southern Ute tribe also were in attendance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to start off by thanking Terry Knight for the opening prayer and my blessing for all of us, not just me, but for each and every one of us,\u201d Heart said.<\/p>\n

\"Terry
Terry Knight, a former Ute tribal leader, performs a traditional blessing using feathers on Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart during a retirement recognition in Towaoc. \u201cElders used to say, you have to do something if you are that kind of person. For the many years he served, you have to understand both sides, and I have seen how he has done that,\u201d Knight said.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cFor me, I was elected in 1994,\u201d he began. \u201cAt that time I was 34 years old, and it was my first time becoming a tribal council member.\u201d He described early frustration over securing a needed backhoe for the Public Works department.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe worked on water lines, sewer lines, the main infrastructure for the tribe,\u201d he said, connecting it to ongoing needs: \u201cToday, we face a lot of infrastructure needs and a lack of funding to get them replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a demanding role.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tribal council is a huge responsibility, taking care of the tribal members and the land,\u201d he said, offering gratitude to his family, especially his wife of over two decades, for their sacrifices due to his work commitments. Some weekdays, he recalled, council meetings went all evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have to come home, change, suitcase and then take off again. She\u2019d be at home feeding my horse, getting things ready at the house,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

From water rights to education, Heart recounts defining work<\/div>\n

Heart was elected chairman in 2005. Since the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe adopted its constitution in 1940, only 11 people have held the position.<\/p>\n

His speech moved into work defining his chairmanship, aspects Hurd highlighted as well such as securing tribal water rights and furthering education development in Towaoc. Heart sat on government committees and testified before the U.S. Congress on issues near and dear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater has been one our priorities,\u201d Heart said. \u201cWhen I was chairman, we had five priorities: health care, education, economic development, water and housing. These are our challenges, but we\u2019re always underfunded.\u201d<\/p>\n

He placed the region in a larger crisis. \u201cWe all recognize today that we are facing a 25-year drought here in the Colorado River basin,\u201d Heart said. \u201cWe do not have enough snow supply to meet the demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed by thanking the attendees, namely his wife, children, brothers and sisters, for coming to Monday\u2019s ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat it comes down to is the hard work in our personal path in life. When a person succeeds in life or in a career, they have all that support from family and our colleagues that we work with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Heart urges protection of Bears Ears, opposes more mining<\/div>\n

Later, in a one-on-one interview with The Journal<\/em> about an upcoming trip to Washington\u2019s Capitol Hill, Heart described his aim to speak with legislators. This time, after retirement, he is urging national monuments be protected and shielded against further uranium mining.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey gave me a call and asked if I wanted to go out and be a part of their team,\u201d Heart said, referring to an invitation in early February connected to Bears Ears National Monument from a Washington group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to meet with freshman congressman from Colorado and Congressman Hurd will be one of them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\"Chairman
Chairman Heart listens during the recognition ceremony Monday lead by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd.<\/span>Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Heart described Bears Ears as a place already reshaped by federal decision making, and his goal of preserving other cultural landmarks and heritage sites from being damaged.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrump reduced it by 80%, so he can do uranium mining,\u201d Heart said. He was referring to the administration\u2019s decision to shrink the monument\u2019s protected area, opening land to gas and oil, mining and other development.<\/p>\n

He said he is headed to Washington with a full packet and aims for preservation and protection: \u201cKeep the monuments the way they are designated, have more local control or tribal control and a management plan.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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