The American Indian Center


The website I looked at was The American Indian Center in Oklahoma.  We have been reading about so many Indian tribes being forcibly moved to Oklahoma that I wondered if any tribes were indigenous to Oklahoma.  According to a brief history on this site the tribes considered indigenous to Oklahoma included the Wichitas, Caddos, Plains Apaches and the Quapaws. After the European arrival the Osages, Pawnees, Kiowas and Comanches migrated to Oklahoma displacing most of the people there.  Because of Anglo American pressures before 1830 the Delaware, Shawnees, and Kickapoos migrated to Oklahoma.  After the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Oklahoma became known as Indian Territory and tribes west of the Mississippi were forcibly settled there.  After the Civil War the Eastern immigrant Indians from Kansas and Nebraska were relocated in Oklahoma.  The last, Geronimo’s Apache followers were established at Ft. Sill as prisoners of war. 
A plus when checking out this site was to learn of the construction of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum which will be completed in the Spring of 2021.  It is a joint effort of the State of Oklahoma, City of Oklahoma City and the American Indian Culture Center Foundation.   Many other Indian tribes had been invited to share and contribute to the vision of this project. The Center will include Indian languages, arts, dance, music, literature, crafts and other traditions. 
The course readings thus far have given us insights into the injustices done to the American Indians but that is not the end of the story.  Many of Oklahoma’s Indian peoples are beginning to assert their sovereignty. Constitutions have been initiated and tribal governments established.  “There are currently thirty-nine tribal governments of which thirty-eight are federally recognized tribes and tribal towns in Oklahoma.”  (http://www.theamericanindiancenter.org/oklahoma-tribal-hsitory)  According to an analysis done at Oklahoma City University these recognized Indian tribes had an estimated $10.8 billion impact on Oklahoma’s economic output. The importance of this website is the fact that this project is the result of both cultures working together to preserve Indian values.


American Indian Cultural Center-Oklahoma. (date unknown).  Retrieved from  http://www.theamericanindiancenter.org/ October 9, 2018


Comments

  1. CKaneOctober 10, 2018 at 5:04 AM

    That is very interesting that they are making a museum that will showcase all of the traditions. And that is a big chunk of money that the tribes are bringing in the economy. The picture that you have added just shows how much Natives respect the land, it is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Malgorzata SiatkowskaOctober 14, 2018 at 7:56 PM

    I think that it should be more places like the Cultural Center in Oklahoma. An opportunity to learn the language, traditions, crafts etc. will only build the strong Indian community with the strong cultural identity. If you look around, if there is a Spanish, Russian, Chinese... community, there is usually a school there where children can learn their parents language, church to worship their god in native language, stores with traditional food and many more. Cultural Center is an excellent idea to integrate people and perhaps bring new members, not necessarily Indians, but anyone who wants to learn the culture of the Native Americans.

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  3. Prof. Nicole NesbergOctober 14, 2018 at 8:13 PM

    I look forward to going to this museum when completed. I've been to Oklahoma for conferences but am always looking for reasons to go back. N

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 20, 2018 at 11:21 AM

    The American Indian Center; this is indeed a beautiful museum, and a center where we can discover and experience the history being taught in this class. The museum seems to be very connected to the cultural history of the Native Americans.

    I was also caught up in the celebration they have in Oklahoma called Indigenous People Day. It was very beautiful, the dances, color and symbolic meaning for this celebration. According to time.com “Instead of honoring Christopher Columbus, the Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes Native Americans, who were the first inhabitants of the land that later became the United States of America. Advocates for the switch to Indigenous Peoples Day argue that Columbus did not “discover” America in 1492 but instead began the colonization of it. For decades, Native American activists have advocated abolishing Columbus Day, which became a federal holiday in 1937”.

    Reference:
    http://time.com/4968067/indigenous-poeople-day-columbus-day-columbus-day-cities/

    ReplyDelete

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