Mae Timbimboo Parry

Women in the Arts » Folk Art

Leader and matriarch of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation. An empathetic speaker and determined lobbyist, Parry was a tribal representative to the White House Conference on Indian Tribal Affairs where she petitioned the federal government to pass the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Parry is also credited for gaining recognition for the phrase “Bear River Massacre” in reference to a tragedy in which the U.S. Army attacked and killed hundreds of Shoshone men, women, and children. (The incident was previously known as the “Battle of Bear River.”) Parry was one of the first winners of the Utah Women’s Achievement Award and was Honorary Utah Mother of the Year in 1986.