Companion pieces to We Shall Remain

We shall remainThe PBS series looks strong, Verdoia said, but it didn't address the Great Basin's five tribes: Paiute, Ute, Navajo, Goshute and Northwestern Shoshone.

So KUED producers and the leaders of Utah's tribes decided to produce local companion specials. The five-episode national series, "We Shall Remain," airs on KUED at 8 p.m. Mondays, beginning this week.

After each 90-minute national installment, a 30-minute local special focused on a Utah tribe will air.The pieces in question:"We Shall Remain: The Paiute." 9:30 p.m. Once a thriving agricultural society in Utah and Western lands, this group suffered as others vied for the control of the West. The Paiute faced poverty and dependence. Today, the five bands unite to celebrate at an annual gathering, where they teach their young people about tribal cultures and tradition. (Airs on PBS World at various times, starting Tuesday, on digital subchannel 7.2.)

"We Shall Remain: The Ute." 9:30 p.m. For hundreds of years, the Ute bartered or negotiated with outsiders, and fought when necessary. Their homelands included what would become Utah, Colorado and parts of Wyoming and New Mexico. Today, the Ute fight to keep their culture and their language alive for their young people. (Airs on PBS World starting Tuesday.)

"We Shall Remain: The Navajo." 9:30 p.m. The Navajo homeland is the largest reservation in the United States. KUED profiles the culture and profiles the tribe's survival from its beginnings to its present status as "a nation within a nation." (Airs on PBS World starting Wednesday.)

"We Shall Remain: The Goshute." 9:30 p.m. This group survived since ancient times in what is now the Utah and Nevada deserts, which most considered uninhabitable. Today, the tribe uses its fortitude to face economic and environmental challenges. (Airs on PBS World starting April 21.)

"We Shall Remain: The Northwestern Shoshone." 9:30 p.m. It was the largest slaughter of American Indians in the Western history of the United States. On Jan. 29, 1863, between 200 and 500 Northwestern Shoshone camping by the Bear River lost their lives. Centuries of culture and tradition were wiped away, but the people did live on. Today, the group fights a new battle, to keep its traditional cultural practices and language alive. (Airs on PBS World starting April 21.)Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.