What is "walkara"

Chief Walkara (aka Wakara, 'Wahkara' or Chief Walker) (c. 1808 – 1855) was a Native American leader of the Utah Indians also known as the Timpanogos and Sanpete Band of Native Americans. It is not completely clear what cultural group the Utah or Timpanogos Indians belonged to, but they are currently listed as Utes. He had a reputation as a diplomat, horseman and warrior, and a military leader of raiding parties, and in the Wakara War.

He was the most prominent Native American chief in the Utah area when the Mormon Pioneers arrived in 1847. One observer described Wakara in 1843 as: "the principal ruling chief... owing his position to great wealth. He is a good trader, trafficking with the whites and reselling goods to such of his nation as are less skillful in striking a bargain."

In 1865, some ten years after his death, the Timpanogos agreed to go live on the Uintah Reservation under Chief Tabby-To-Kwanah and merged with the Ute Indians to become the Northern Ute Tribe, so Walkara is often considered to be a Ute. The Shoshone and Utes did share a common genetic, cultural and linguistic heritage as part of the Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, but at the time, Walker may have been Shoshone and his name, Walkara, means Hawk, in Shoshone.