Larry Cesspooch

Larry Cesspooch is a contemporary storyteller who incorporates film, music, traditional artifacts, and animation into his stories. He grew up on the Uintah & Ouray Ute Reservation in Northeastern Utah. Cesspooch, in Ute, means “white belly,” the first name of Larry Cesspooch’s great-grandfather, who was born with a white birthmark on his stomach. Larry Cesspooch’s own first name in Ute is Eyee-Pooch, meaning “young man.”

Cesspooch served in the U.S. Navy as a radioman in Vietnam, Hawaii, and Texas. He attended the Institute of American Indian Arts for his AA, and the Anthropology Film Center for his BA, both in Santa Fe, N.M. on both G.I. Bill and tribal scholarships. After returning home from his military service in 1979, Cesspooch created the "Ute Tribe Audio-Visual," one of the first tribal production groups in the United States, which has produced over 600 films on Ute culture, language, and history for the Utes, including “The Ute Bear Dance Story,” which screened at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Cesspooch also worked as an editor for the Ute Bulletin tribal newspaper, and as the Ute Tribe public relations specialist.  

In 2002, Cesspooch established his own production studio, "Through Native Eyes Productions." He remains one of the Ute spiritual leaders, frequently delivering talks about spirituality, and specific Ute cultural customs. He currently maintains one of the sweat lodges on the Ute Reservation, and conducts both spiritual blessings and Native wedding ceremonies. 

Work

To watch Larry Cesspooch's videos and his storytelling, visit his entry in Storytelling

Additional Info

  • Region: Northern Utah
  • Genre: Nonfiction
  • Tags: Ute, Native American