Oklahoma We the People 2010-2012

FAIN: BC-50531-10

Oklahoma Humanities Council (Oklahoma City, OK 73102-2215)
David Pettyjohn (Project Director: March 2010 to September 2014)

To expand the Council's regrant program for projects that explore a wide variety of topics in American history and culture, with particular emphasis on projects which stimulate discussion between diverse groups, projects in rural areas, projects which address underserved audiences, and projects which use innovative program formats.

To continue its advancement of the We the People initiative, the Oklahoma Humanities Council (OHC) will place a statewide call for proposals that focus on themes and events in American history.

Associated Products

Five Tribes Story Conference (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Five Tribes Story Conference
Author: Five Civilized Tribes Museum
Abstract: “One of the goals of the Five Tribes Story Conference is to establish a sense of family among participants and attendees until the rolls are blurred” stated Co-host Tim Tingle in his opening remarks. The intent of the conference was to merge practice and theory in the interpretation of folklore, oral tradition, scholarship and literature of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole Tribes. The goal was to provide an enriching Southeastern Tribal environment, joining academic, interpretive, literary, art and performance disciplines. Cultural presentations, literary readings and panel discussions were followed by questions from the audience. The Five Tribes Story Conference serves as an inspirational springboard for working and future writers, poets, film-makers, painters and musicians. In addition to enjoying the visual arts, attendees had the opportunity to hear “stories-behind-the-stories” told by modern heroes of the Indian world. Evening concerts were a strong reflection of the conference goals by including authors, poets, musicians, language instructors, and storytellers portraying their common pursuit of conveying the Five Tribes stories. Ideas discussed during the day were brought to life with the evening performances.
Date Range: September 16-17, 2011
Location: Bacone College, Muskogee, Oklahoma

Pioneer Exhibit (Exhibition)
Title: Pioneer Exhibit
Curator: Edmond Historical Society & Museum
Abstract: The Pioneer Exhibit is a permanent exhibit in the main gallery of the Edmond Historical Society & Museum. It tells the story of pioneer families who chose to leave their established lives behind in other parts of the country to join the thousands who decided to participate in the land run of 1889. The exhibit also explores the Native American experience of the area. This exhibit depicts the home life and struggles that faced these individuals while setting up a home for themselves. The rich history is depicted by a replica front porch with windows looking into the home of a settler and includes numerous artifacts, photos and stories of local families who spanned generations in this city.
Year: 2011

The Circular Movement in Cheyenne and Arapaho Culture (Exhibition)
Title: The Circular Movement in Cheyenne and Arapaho Culture
Curator: Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, Oklahoma
Abstract: This project enabled us to focus on the impact of the “wheel,” specifically in the Cheyenne and Arapaho culture. By leading audiences to explore the fragments of “wheel,” which is infused throughout Cheyenne and Arapaho culture, audiences were introduced to this topic from the historical perspective. Furthermore, they understood contemporary interpretations of the “wheel” in the Cheyenne and Arapaho culture, how it changes and exists as other forms, and continues inspiring generations of Cheyenne and Arapaho people, and our entire society as well.The contributions of the humanities scholars, Dr. Henrietta Mann, Mr. Edgar Heap of Birds, Mr. Gordon Yellowman, and Mrs. Connie Yellowman, facilitated a comprehensive and profound look at the culture of the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. These scholars, who are nationally and internationally renowned for their expertise in Native American Studies, Native American History, Native American Art and Art History, and Contemporary Art, exhibited and presented the topic through different perspectives, including history, language, and traditional and contemporary art.
Year: 2011
Primary URL: http://www.swosuart.com/circularmovement/index.html
Primary URL Description: An online record of the exhibit and its supplementat programs.

Ghost Ranch and the Nearby Faraway Exhibition (Exhibition)
Title: Ghost Ranch and the Nearby Faraway Exhibition
Curator: National Cowby & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Abstract: Ghost Ranch is a photographic exhibition of Craig Varjabedian's eloquent and finely detailed black and white images of the iconic Ghost Ranch located in Northern New Mexico. Shot with a 5x7 inch view camera with vintage 1930s lenses, these photographs represent an exploration of love and adventure in the land made famous by Georgia O'Keeffe. Ghost Ranch is a symbol of the American Southwest - a place accessible yet not often fully explored or authentically depicted. The exhibition combines strong elements of art history, environmental studies, history, geography, and aesthetic studies in photography to illustrate the inspiration of O'Keeffe's priceless works and to portray infinite capacities of the land itself.
Year: 2011

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