Governor Bill AnoatubbyAnnual Meeting, Festival calling Chickasaws!
By Bill Anoatubby, Governor, Chickasaw Nation
Calling all Chickasaws!
It will soon be that special time of year once again when Chickasaws come together and celebrate our Annual Meeting and Festival. Remarkable as it may sound, this year marks the Chickasaw Nation’s 48th Annual Meeting and 20th Chickasaw Festival!
As tradition dictates, the Annual Meeting and Festival will be centered in the historic capitol city of Tishomingo, Oklahoma. There will be plenty of fun, activities and exhibits on the Chickasaw capitol building grounds, including cultural tours, cultural demonstrations and the Youthful Celebration; the unique and inspiring Chickasaw artists’ exhibition; and the Chickasaw Nation senior arts and crafts show and sale.
Also this year on the capitol grounds, Chickasaws and friends can enjoy a gospel singing from 2 p. m. to 4 p. m. on Saturday afternoon.
The week actually kicks off on Saturday, September 27 with the Chickasaw Junior Olympics at Tishomingo High School. The kids have fun competing in track and field events, and everyone is a winner.
Also on September 27, the popular co-ed slow pitch softball tournament gets under way. Chickasaws love softball, so be sure and enjoy the action. You’ll be sure to see lots of people you know because, it seems, almost everyone either plays or attends! The fast pitch tournament will be played this year on October 3 and 4. All softball is played at Murray State College and the Johnston County Sports Complex.
This year’s annual golf tournament will be played on September 27 at the exceptional Winstar Golf Course at WinStar in Thackerville, Oklahoma. This excellent 18-hole course has been rated one of the nation’s best new public courses by Golf magazine, and we know plenty of Chickasaw golfers are anxious to break out their clubs.
One of my favorite annual events is the Chickasaw Princess Pageant. This year’s pageant will be conducted Monday, September 29 at the Ada High School Cougar Activity Center. This wonderful event showcases the beauty, talent and cultural knowledge of many Chickasaw girls and young women, three of whom will be crowned our Chickasaw royalty for 2008-2009. Each of these contestants is a very special young Chickasaw.
All kids will enjoy the new Kids’ Fun to Learn Tent, open Tuesday, September 30 through Friday, October 3 at Pennington Park. Hundreds of school children from throughout the area will visit the tent and learn about Chickasaw artwork with hands-on instruction.
The year’s Chickasaw Cultural Evening will be extra special. The event will begin at 5:30 p. m., Friday, October 3 at our new Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. This will offer a first-time “sneak peek” at this wonderful new facility.
The Arts and Culture Awards will be Tuesday, September 30 at Fletcher Auditorium on the campus of Murray State College.
Saturday, October 4 is a big day for all Chickasaws. Registration begins at 8 a. m. at Murray State College. The Annual Meeting program begins at 9 a. m., during which I will deliver the State of the Nation address. We will all enjoy the traditional parade through downtown Tishomingo, then share food and fellowship with the traditional Chickasaw Lunch on the Murray State campus.
Throughout the afternoon Saturday, Chickasaws and friends in attendance will enjoy Chickasaw Dance Troupe demonstrations and lots of activities at Pennington Park. Be sure to take in the Chickasaw White House tour to Emet, Oklahoma. The original Chickasaw White House has been beautifully and accurately restored and is a site not to be missed.
If you are a regular attendee of the Annual Meeting and Festival, you are sure to enjoy this year’s gathering with all its great traditions and new features.
If you have not previously attended –please join us! You will not be disappointed, and you will renew old friendships and strike up new ones.
The 48th Annual Meeting and 20th Annual Chickasaw Festival offers a great opportunity to explore your heritage. You are sure to come away with a renewed appreciation for your tribe, and for your fellow Chickasaws.
