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Stuart 'Stu' Murdock's Biography

Stu, the 'Ute Flintknapper' Murdock is a longtime member of the Puget Sound Knappers Association (PSK), joining this illustrious group back in the mid-90's. He is member of the Puget Sound Knappers Council of Elders where his voice is instrumental in providing guidance and cultural direction. Stu is also Chief of the PSK Clan of the Ear-of-Corn Society/Ooga Booga Tribe. He has hosted a number of PSK Knap-ins and is a frequent participant, along with his lovely wife Rose, at several PSK Knap-ins.

Stu was born on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Fort Duchesne, Utah. He is a member of the Mixed Blood Utes of the Uintah Band.

He grew up on the Reservation until he joined the Armed Services. After a tour of duty in the Vietnam War, he attended college in Logan, Utah. Later, he moved to Washington where he worked in the construction industry, eventually owning is own custom home building business

Stuart has worked in several artistic mediums through the years. He became proficient in silversmithing and oil painting. Stu also developed an interest in primitive and traditional skills - primitive bow and arrow making, pine needle basketry, natural fiber cordage, hide tanning, gunsmithing, and flintknapping.

Currently, Stuart has perfected the art of pyrography and combined it with his nationally recognized talent as a Native American flintknapper. The result of this combination are magnificent one of a kind knives. A sample of his art can be seen at: Stu Murdock Art Gallery

Stuart’s work is displayed in several museums and private collections. He is also a guest lecturer at Central Washington University. He provides seminars and demonstrations frequently. By doing so, it is his hope that others will become interested in learning about Native American culture.