By Tony Choate, Media Relations Specialist
Chickasaw Nation Media Relations Office
A book published by the Chickasaw Press has been named a finalist for an Oklahoma Book Award for the second consecutive year.
"Chickasaw Lives: Explorations in Tribal History" has been named a finalist in the Design and Illustration category of the annual awards presented by the Oklahoma Center for the Book.
Ada resident Joshua Hinson, a Chickasaw artist and cultural historian, produced the cover illustration.
Hinson said the inspiration came from the writing of Richard Green and a dream one of his friend's told him about.
Mr. Green asked Hinson to do the cover and sent the articles which were to be included in the book.
As he thought about what illustration he might create for the book cover, a friend told Hinson about a dream in which a Mississippian warrior emerged from a wall and went through several transformations, finally emerging as a modern Chickasaw.
"I worked with the dream she told me about and some of the things Richard had written," said Mr. Hinson.
His resulting art work depicts a Mississippian warrior, an eighteenth century warrior, a nineteenth century woman and a twentieth century woman.
He said the image of the modern woman was inspired by professional Chickasaw women in modern business suits.
Hinson said the shell necklace worn by the modern woman is there "so you still have this idea that there is that connection to that first figure even though it is a modern person."
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said the work of art tells a story.
"This illustration portrays the incredible journey Chickasaw people have taken through time while still maintaining a connection to our past," said Gov. Anoatubby. "It really provides a glimpse into the history Richard Green conveys through the articles inside."
Dr. Amanda Cobb-Greetham is administrator of the Chickasaw Nation Division of History, Research and Scholarship, which oversees the Chickasaw Press.
"We are thrilled that this book was chosen and especially delighted that the illustration was done by one of our own Chickasaw artists," said Mrs. Cobb-Greetham. "We think it is very important to help people understand that history, art and culture are intertwined."
Two of the three books published by the Chickasaw Press to date have received extensive recognition.
"Chickasaw, Unconquered and Unconquerable" was a finalist for an Oklahoma Book Award in the same category in 2007.
That book also won two awards in the 11th Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards competition.
The book was named a gold award winner in the Multicultural Non-Fiction Adult category at the national level and won a bronze award in the Mid-West Best Regional Non-Fiction category.
A second organization PMA, The Independent Book Publishers Association, named Chickasaw, Unconquered and Unconquerable a finalist for a Benjamin Franklin Award for interior design.
