Osage Nation Sesquicentennial Celebration
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The Osage Sesquicentennial Celebration convenes the great 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 𐓩𐓣𐓤𐓘𐓯𐓣 together to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Osage Reservation established in 1872. The event celebrates Osage resilience and recognizes major accomplishments that have sustained us as a Nation on this land. It is appropriate to recognize this historical marker to acknowledge where we came from, where we are today and where we are going in the future. The gathering includes 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 traditions and cultural ways that foster unity and respect for one another in order to empower our children to shape a bright future.
THE OSAGE NATION SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Saturday, October 22, 2022
Osage Nation Campus, Pawhuska, Okla.
CO-MASTERS OF CEREMONY: Archie Mason and Bruce Cass
HEAD SINGER: Norris Bighorse
HEAD COOK: Heather Little
ARENA DIRECTOR: Tim Lookout
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
9:00 AM: Early Bird Coffee (Veterans Memorial)
9:30 AM: American Legion Post 198 Color Guard | Flag Raising (Veterans Memorial)
10:00 AM: Blessing/Opening Remarks (Main Stage)
10:15 AM: "Coyote & the Bear" Book Reading & Book Signing (Main Stage)
10:45 AM: Poetry Reading by Elise Paschen (Main Stage)
11:15 AM: Wahzhazhe Puppet Theater (Main Stage)
Noon: Lunch
- Visit Food Vendors to purchase your own lunch. Food vendors include:
- Tocabe, an American Indian Eatery
- Ah Tha Tse ''We Eat'' Catering
- Burn Co Barbeque
- Meat Pies by Shana
- Sister Shakers Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
1:00 PM: Special Performance by Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet (Main Stage)
2:30 - 4:30 PM: Afternoon Dance (Dance Arena)
5:00 - 7:00 PM: Traditional Osage Meal (provided)
7:30 - 9:30 PM: Evening Dance (Dance Arena)
9:30-10:30 PM: Closing Remarks and Fireworks provided by Osage Casino & Hotel
RSVP
The Sesquicentennial Planning Committee is encouraging RSVPs in order to support our Wahzhazhe community during this memorable event. We will be hosting multiple activities throughout the day including a community feast. This information is vital for planning efforts. Individual names are not required. Please enter one name and the expected number of guests attending with you. Your family/friend group can check-in using the registered name on the day of the event. Your participation is greatly appreciated. Click here to RSVP.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Who is invited to the Sesquicentennial Celebration?
The Osage Sesquicentennial Celebration is a gathering for Osage tribal citizens and their families.
Where is parking?
There will be designated parking areas with signage directing folks where to park. Golf carts will be available to assist.
Where is the event taking place?
All events and activities will take place on the Osage Nation Campus in Pawhuska on the Osage Reservation.
If I RSVP’d do I need to bring anything to show this?
No, RSVPs were to assist the committee with accommodations.
If I did not RSVP, can I still attend?
All Osages and Osage family members are invited to attend regardless of the RSVP status.
Is there a cost of admission?
The Osage Nation appropriated funds for this celebration, which will cover admission and the evening meal. Lunch will not be provided, however there will be food vendors on site selling food and beverages.
There will be independent vendors on site selling goods and materials. We encourage all attendees to support these vendors through purchasing goods.
Who can participate in the dances?
The Sesquicentennial Dances are social dances. All Osages are encouraged to participate in both the afternoon and evening dances.
What can I expect for the dances? Should I bring traditional clothing?
The Sesquicentennial Dances are social, not ceremonial dances. All Osages are encouraged to participate. Traditional clothing (shawls, moccasins, etc.) is encouraged, but not required. Women are asked to wear a shawl. The afternoon dance will be a round and war dance with tail dancers from each district. The evening dance will be a war dance. The masters of ceremony and arena director will support guiding dancers in and out of the arena area. Benches will be available for dancers. Please bring your own water and chairs.
What is the dress code throughout the day?
This is a casual social gathering. There is not a formal dress code. Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing is encouraged.
Where can I change clothing for the dances?
There will be an area designated with a tent for dancers to change. There will also be a designated space to bring your own (small) pop up tent. Note: Osage Nation is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please secure your personal items.
Should I/we bring a chair(s)?
Yes, bringing your own chair is highly encouraged. Seating will be available, but limited.
Should I/we bring refreshments?
Yes, bringing your own refreshments is highly encouraged to supplement throughout the day.
Will there be security or medical staff?
Yes, there will be onsite security and medical personnel on site throughout the day. In case of an emergency, please go directly to the Osage Nation Emergency Command Vehicle to find help.
Will there be bathrooms?
Yes, there will be port-a-johns on site.
This is a social event to celebrate Osages and our accomplishments on this land. No weapons, drugs or alcohol will be allowed. Be good to one another.
Questions regarding the event, can be emailed to osage.communications@osagesnation-nsn.gov.
DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES & PERFORMANCES
"Coyote & the Bear" Book Reading, Signing and Giveaway | Please join the Osage Nation Language Department (ONLD) for a “Coyote and the Bear'' book giveaway and reading. The ONLD staff is excited to share a Wahzhazhe story that has been circulated for generations. The retelling is based on the version given by full blood Wahzhazhe speaker Jo Ann Shunkamolah and retold by Master Language teacher Herman “Mogri” Lookout. The beautiful illustrations are by Osage artist Joe Don Brave who will be available to sign the books at the event. In addition to the print edition, the book is available for download wherever you get your apps. The ONLD invites all ages to join in this debut reading and giveaway!
Community Art Project led by artist Anita Fields | National Endowment of the Arts Heritage Fellow Anita Fields will lead a community art project for all ages. With an art practice heavily based in clay, Fields will support the shaping of clay figures to replicate a community meal. The clay figures take a seat at the table, the place where we share the joys and experiences of life, giving us the dynamic presence of something larger than ourselves.
Poetry Reading by Elise Paschen | Elise Paschen is the author of The Nightlife, Bestiary, Infidelities (winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize), and Houses: Coasts. Her poems have appeared in Poetry, Best American Poetry, and A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, among other anthologies and magazines. Paschen is the daughter of Osage prima ballerina Maria Tallchief. She teaches in the MFA Writing Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During the event, Paschen will read poems inspired by her mother and by Oklahoma from previous books, as well as a current manuscript in-progress.
Wahzhazhe Puppet Theater Intergenerational Performance
- Performance Dates/Times:
- Friday, October 21; as part of the opening of “Mapping Sovereignty: 150 years of the Osage Reservation”
- Saturday, October 22; 11:15 a.m. during the Sesquicentennial Celebration; Osage Nation Campus, Pawhuska
Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet | Wahzhazhe is a contemporary ballet that tells the history of the Osage people from pre-contact years to present day. Every feature of The Osage Ballet has been thoughtfully designed with painstaking care. The world of the Osage comes to life in vivid color, a mesmerizing blend of historical accuracy and raw emotional symbolism.
VENDORS
It is our mission to bring together our community and highlight our talented and thriving artists and business leaders. Vendor applications closed on September 9, 2022.
- Ekowah Coffee
- Goods will include roasted coffee beans of different varieties, coffee-related merchandise, hot coffee, hot cocoa, and cold brew coffee.
- Osage Ballet
- Wahzhazhe Ballet t-shirts, DVDs, cds, sterling Wahzhazhe bracelets, note cards, and stickers.
- Spurs and Arrows
- Goods will include t-shirts, trivets, ornaments and jewelry.
- Waterbird Gallery
- Osage made ribbonwork earrings and beaded bracelets made in Fairfax. Osage made beaded lanyards and keychains made in Pawhuska. Books by Osage authors Charles Redcorn
"A Pipe for February" and Dennis McCauliffe "The Deaths of Sybol Bolton." Osage made choker necklaces made in Pawhuska, Ok. Osage original art by Loren Pahsetopah. Osage made shawls made in Pawhuska and Fairfax.
- Osage made ribbonwork earrings and beaded bracelets made in Fairfax. Osage made beaded lanyards and keychains made in Pawhuska. Books by Osage authors Charles Redcorn
- Janet Emde Family
- Osage crafts and ribbonwork.
- Joe Don Brave
- Art originals and reproductions.
- Star Bar
- Star Bars, a granola type toffee bar covered with pecans in toffee, chocolate, and cinnamon flavors, in three different sizes.
- Wendy Ponca
- Handmade clothing and jewelry. Hand printed cloth and hand dyed cloth. Beadwork and ribbon work.
- Wa Pa Ka
- Hand-fabricated jewelry.