75th Anniversary Of The North American Indian Exposition, 8/7/2006

Yep, this was the 75th American Indian Exposition and it was really too hot for me to be out taking pictures; but I made a special effort this time. Unfortunately, I missed some good pictures. So, what I'm planning on doing is just updating it next year, with better pictures and some I missed. I took, right at 200 pictures, so the ones you are seeing have been culled down to the most interesting or educational. This blog remains. ( The picture above is the Gouge Family. Their oldest son, David, was two years younger than Nathan and was his lead singer in two of his bands.) We love this family and consider them some of our best friends. The Gouges are from the Caddo Tribe.



The Exposition is held annually in Anadarko, Oklahoma, in the South-Central part of the state. The celebration dates back to 1927, when Kiowa Indians always had great displays at the Caddo County Free Fair. In 1932, the Kiowa Fair, broke away from the Caddo County Free Fair. Some small grants from the federal government helped the Kiowa's keep their traditional exhibitions going.

When we first moved here, our librarian wondered what we could do to celebrate November as Indian Heritage. I suggested an "Indian Heritage Fair."




Some teachers poo-pooed the idea saying, "Indians wouldn't show up with displays unless they were payed."

First it was going to be in the library. Then we didn't have room, so we moved it to gym. On the day it was planned, we had Indian displays that took up 3 sides of the gym, and dancing and a drum on the side that was left. We had 20 surrounding schools come and visit and Channel 9 in Oklahoma City came down. Over 2000 students attended. The presenters were estatic, and the celebration became a yearly thing, until our building was razed, and I was assigned to two different schools. Even then, our superintendent asked me to do one more, so his PHD advisor could see how important culture was to American Indians.



By 1939, the Exposition Fair had been incorporated with its own elected governance. The Anadarko Daily, always presses a special edition for the fair and this year's shouted in red letters, "Welcome, Visitors To The 75th Annual American Indian Exposition." It also has a picture of a young boy, Dixon Palmer, I think, who had been taught how to dance by his grandfather and his great grandfather.




Each year The Expo honors an Indian, generally a Hollywood Star or a professional singer. Yep, Crystal Gale has been here as well as Willie Nelson, to pick up their awards. This year, it is honoring Michael Greyeyes, who stared in Crazy Horse and the film Smoke Signals. Greyeyes' heritage is Plains Cree. His mother is from the Sweetgrass National and his father Muskeg Lake.



Every since we moved back to the Anadarko area and being hired as an elementary counselors, I have taken lots of pictures of each parade and then posted them in the schools. Used to cost a little cash, but, now with the digitals, the pictures cost little. Students love to stop by and look at the pictures to see if they can spot themselves.





We usually sit in front the town's one movie theater. This is the same theater that my oldest boy and his friends spent a lot of time skate boarding on the sidewalk's slopes. Now retired, a lot of the younger students don't recognize me, but most do.



When our kids were going to school, they were always part of the Anadarko Warrior Band, but this year, only the Tiny Tot Cheerleaders were present. Believe me, that picture will go up on one of the Sunset Elementary walls.




This year, my granddaughter was one of several in her extended family, on their own descendant float. Believe me, you will spot her. Iris's family's name on her grandma's side is Bohay. But the float went further back than that, even.


Tribes have designated princesses each year and during the Indian Expo Parade, they sit atop cars, covered with Indian blankets.

The Princess on the left represents the Delaware Nation. These are huge pictures when I take them, and it is easy to read who they are and who they represent in the initial picture. Cutting them down to 25 or 30% doesn't help for the 'ol eyes, does it.



There are designated princesses and then there are real princesses. McKagan is a real princess. She always will be. Even if she is never designated as one. McKagan is Marcella and my princess. This is the first year that this young lady has ridden on a horse. I was really surprised. The picture does her justice, but at the same time, it doesn't. The full picture is gourgeous. If you have read all of my blogs, you have heard of this young lady. I hope you are as proud of her as we are. Good luck McKagan in school this year!


We have a lot of American Indian forest fire fighters. They work in the summers on forest fires across the United States. There is good money to be made, but it is a hard and dangerous job. The earn every penny they make, with winters off.

This is definitely not a job for me. Even when we were considering starting a local, volunteer fire department, where we live, 20 years ago, I knew then that I would never be able to be a fireman. At that time, my back hurt all the time, but it hadn't affected my sleep. It's a whole different ball game. 12:52 am. Notice the child picking up candy that is being thrown out. The parades some times last as long as two hours. This year's was about an hour and 15 minutes.

Pictured is one of several floats on Casinos. This one was the most expensive with a blow-up float. It was over 100 degrees out, and they were throwing out the gold-covered chocolates. Not a good idea.



McDonalds' locations are controlled by the corporate offices. That means they will never over-saturate an area, such that the McDonalds won't make a profit. One Mc Donalds per 20, or 30,000 people is the way it used to be, with one exception. That exception being, along interstates in relatively small towns. Actually, the Oklahoma Tournpike Association has given a contract for McDonalds to operate at their food areas. In Oklahoma, there is no commission determining where or when Gambling Saloons will become over saturated. We have 2 in Anadarko, a town of less than 5 thousand. True, we used to have a lot of Texans come up here, but now, there are two Casinos between here and Lawton and one huge one in Lawton.

Like small town empty school houses that litter Oklahoma, the Economic Law of Supply and Demand will end up leaving empty, smaller, less profitable gambling places closed.


This is the Otoe-Missouri Tribal Princess. The Ponca Tribal Nation was represented as well, in the parade. The Otoe-Missouri Tribal Headquarters is above Stillwater, near Red Rock. It is a confederated tribe.

Now, here is what I want you to do. I want you to go and study this site and surprise Mr. Cec, because he will be surprised where this awesome website is kept up.

http://www.north-ok.edu/mmdc
http://www.north-ok.edu/sb/six_tribes/6c_otoe_1_4.htm

I cannot over-emphasis, as I have worked on this project, the great strides that have been made in making tribal histories and cultural studies available on the World Wide Web. Even after your class is over, and believe me, I will miss you, I will continue to keep up these blogs. It was a great idea, to start with, and, after I became aware just how much is on-line about our American Indians; and it makes me proud. Thanks Dena!



As you can tell, Indian History is "powerful." A student can get a degree in it at The Universative of Sciences and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha and has an awesome program at my school, The University of Oklahoma. There is so much at OU for those interested in American Indian Studies, the best way to study it is by going to the front page.

Now run a search on Indian Studies. Here is just one scholarly page, describing the professionals involved, like Dr. Kidwell.

Back when I went to OU, which was in the '60s, there was an area of study. One of my friends, Kirk Kickingbird, I assumed, was getting his degree in the study. But I am probably wrong. I know he studied at the University of Hawaii one summer, and then went on to law school after graduation. Do a google on Kirk and it will give you 336, important hits.



Iris's step grandpa, Rick and her uncle are active in their tribe and involved in the dancing that you can see are the large poster.

This is Iris's, step-grandpa. Her real grandpa is PAPPA DALE, and her other grandpa lives in California. Notice in the back, you can see a good picture of the Warmsprings Apache traditional dress in this particular dance. We have been to their ceremonies, where they use fire. No pictures are allowed.

Rick works at the large Lawton Casino, which is 40 miles away. He used to work for the City of Anadarko. Their family eats traditional American Indian foods as well as American food, lots of pizza, and Mexican food.



The parade is long and sometimes, slow and then fast, so it is hard to get the information on each Princess. I'm thinking Pebeahsy is Kiowa, but don't hold me to that.



Notice the Indian blankets. No need for lots of work on flower floats or tissue floats. Just Indian blankets and shawls work great.



Of course, my favorite pictures are of children, either pre-schoolers or elementary. They love to be in the parades. One year, Holli, pulled in just in time for her Saturn to be used with Iris sitting on top. At first, it looked scary to the people that such a little girl was sitting alone on top the car; but then they noticed her legs dangling in the car and a pair of hands holding on to them.



The Oklahoma heat begins to take it's toll by the end of the parade. Lots of water is supplied for those who are riding atop the cars.




The candy has long been tossed out, when the last few cars drive by.




After the last Indian floats, then comes the political floats. I did take one more, though, and it will up to you to decide if this animal belongs in an American Indian Parade. Look! The boy who is riding appears to be riding. Sorry, pal! That's not a Native American "ANIMULE!" But it is a part of America's heritage.

(C) Dale Hill (2006)
SDFGHK