Expedition Oklahoma

Chickasaw Cultural Center 2013

My Son wanted to go to the Chickasaw cultural center for his 15th birthday.  He also went to the Chickasaw Cultural center on his 14th Birthday.   I didn't start reading and researching into the history of the tribes until my Archaeology of North America class last fall.  So, I've went to this museum quite a few times since it has been open.  We often go to Sulphur, it's not an hour away and one of my kids favorite places to go.  We went last Sunday on a day when I pretty much felt sick and anxious about the work that I am doing for school. I wasn't in the mood to be here.  

I approached writing a Thesis on Native American issues with a culturally assimilated background carefully.  I felt that if I didn't know about my own heritage, how could I write about others?  I wonder how many tribal members lost their heritage as American Indians, their cultural ties because of the Governmental Removal and Assimilation process.  There are plenty of people who are tribal members who know nothing about their heritage.  That is why places like the Chickasaw Cultural center are important.  This is an important place not only for the Chickasaws, but the Choctaws. So if you are a Choctaw you should go here and visit, because much of the ancestral history is shared.  But, at the time of Colonization the Choctaws sided with the French, so our heritage is written and shaped by the French 17th century perspective, although European France in the 17th century was everything Europe envied, in the arts.  

Editing these photos holds another purpose for me, I'm not just playing on the computer while I should be working. I have to make a powerpoint for a class and I'm trying to get these edited to incorporate into it.  

I photographed more of the displays this year.  My interest is greater.  My Son has been teaching himself the Choctaw language this year, independently to a degree. He has been my language instructor.  I'm amazed at his knowledge, I'm also amazed at how much he has taught me. I struggle with language courses and I really have a hard time learning new languages.  But, I have learned a lot of Choctaw- which of course helps with Chickasaw.  

Even if you have little interest in Native Culture and history, this museum is worth going to because it is incredibly beautiful. The architecture alone is incredibly gorgeous, it is sleek and has beautiful lines.  I can't describe what it feels like to walk inside and view this beautiful building.  

It also holds a four story tall movie screen, which I still have not had the opportunity to go see a film in the theater!  

The almost 15 year old didn't want to pose for any photos.  

But he could smell food.  He wanted to eat (his favorite hobby).  

He thought the grape dumplings were pretty great. 

Filled with light, copper, and pine.  

Yes this is leaning.  Read below.  

My ancestors stayed with Chata, now, doesn't this story remind you of the story of Ancient Rome? 

Which now I have found the "Travels of William Bartram" and downloaded it and am looking for this quote.  The internet is amazing. 

Onchaba is the Chickasaw word for mounds.  Now, to my area of interest.  The Mississippian cultures and their impact all over the eastern United States. I'm also looking at how they are being incorporated in contemporary art and literature in comparison to the body of work created by anthropologists.  

Moundbuilder symbols which I didn't notice the last time I visited, were obvious and everywhere within the facility.  

This work is a piece by Joshua Hinson on display in the museum.  

You've probably had about enough photos on this post. 

One last thing, crushed shell was used in pottery which has been found all over the eastern United States, all the way up rivers in Nebraska, studying material goods like pottery and just "stuff" that was left behind as trash is what lets us know the interconnectedness of ancient societies.  

This is important and think about how many objects associated from funerals that you see in museums.  Think about why it should ever be acceptable to display someone's burial on display? 

The mound the Chickasaws built in Sulphur.

The view from the mound.  I shouldn't have wrote this post but I had to take a break from the paper. I just want to cry. I just want to be done with this.  I guess I have the images I need for my power point.  

 

 

 

 

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okpuni

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 Maybe, after centuries of destruction... not all knowledge should be known by all.  It should be kept in the minds of those who honor it. 

 

 

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W.D. Mayo Lock and Dam near Spiro Oklahoma

I just finished visiting the Spiro mounds, hoping to gain the inspiration I needed to continue working on my thesis.   I wanted to find the river that this great Mississippian empire was built on.  I knew the mounds were near the river, just directly behind the archaeological site.  The rivers in my part of the state just don't look the same.   We go four wheeling in the Red River.  

You won't be going four wheeling in the Arkansas River.  This is a lock and dam and barges go through here until they get to the port.  Yes, there is a port in Oklahoma.   Didn't you know this?  Probably not if you're from the arid west like I am.   

I was just at Spiro, looking at the little canoes and boats that they *the ancient Mississippians carved and traveled for thousands of miles down these massive river systems.  

How impressive, seeing this great river, certainly gives me a better idea of why a great city could have developed just south of this river!  The first time I visited the Spiro Mounds we did not do any exploring other than driving too and from.  I had no idea this dam was behind the mounds. Here is an earlier post of the Spiro Mounds from June of 2010.   In June of 2010, I was not a graduate student working on a Masters Degree in Native American studies.  I didn't know I would be a graduate student yet (despite that being one of my goals). I didn't know that a few years later I would be returning to visit with this place on my mind for my thesis.  I'm grateful for the series of events that led me to my return to the Spiro Mounds and in finding this dam.  

The Dam put the Spiro site into more perspective than the archaeological park.  To understand anything you must have context.  The means of transportation and travel are important.  

 

One of the fundamental problems with America.  We have a Government that is not truly "We the People" we have a Government that says "This is the Government's Property"  despite that the Government is supposedly of and by the people.  Take some time and think about this.   

The man working at the Dam came out to speak to me.  I enjoyed visiting, he told me this Dog is pretty much the boss at the W.D. Mayo Lock and Dam.  

He was hard at work.  

I took another road in between the Spiro site and the dam to get a closer look at the river and found an abandoned campground, which was eerie.  Compared to the ancient well upkept mound builder site, the campground was overgrown and forgotten.  Much as Spiro was.  But, I imagine underneath this campground more of Spiro and Missisippian heritage is buried deep under the earth. 

The abandoned restrooms.  

Grafitti

This was shot with my fisheye lens, kind of creepy.  

I heavily edited this shot... 

That's all I have to say about the Arkansas River and Dam.  

 

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Ft. Towson

A little about Ft. Towson it was established early in the history of the Choctaw Nation on the Red River, not too far from present day Idabel and Hugo.   It is the site of a one time military fort.  It is one of the earlier forts in present day Oklahoma, established in 1824, it was held as a bastion against the neighboring Mexican border.  

Oklahoma Historical Society on Ft. Towson

Just the ruins of an old military post.  

Ft. Towson at the Digital Library of OSU Near the Kiamichi and Red Rivers the old Ft. Towson. It was used heavily during the Mexican war, for a center for troops.  Famous historical figures once graced  its grounds such as Jefferson Davis, Sam Houston and Davey Crockett to name a few.  

Nothing but piles of rocks and the story that history tells us.  

Why are we as humans fascinated with the past?  Why are we fascinated by the pile of rocks that people left behind of their dwellings hundreds of years ago?  What drives us to preserve the past?  What will we lose if we don't ?   I've never "thought" about Ft. Towson, I've never contemplated where it was, until the day I went to it.  I know it now.  But it doesn't mean a lot to me. I'm not passionate about this old Fort, created by our Government.  

Unlike Doaksville which you can access through the back of a cemetery af ew miles away, an important place for the Choctaw people, this place.  This Fort Towson, is getting a brand new visitors center.  The State of Oklahoma (probably backed by some federal funding)- is building a brand new visitors center.  Why?  Why not build a visitors center near Doaksville, why doesn't the Choctaw Nation own Doaksville?   

At the time Ft. Towson was abandoned photography was in its childhood.  We had black and white photos.  When Ft. Towson was founded, a drawing or a painting was the only way to see it or remember it.   

The old wells fascinate me.  The process people had to go through to get clean water to drink, by hand.   

We can't get so caught up in preserving the past that we miss the future.   Perhaps photography is the same thing, we photographers preserve moment by moment of the past.   It is hard to focus on the future.  

I'm trying to build my Facebook following so I will ask you to "like" it here if you want to continue to view my posts.  Expedition Oklahoma on Facebook

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Doaksville

According to Oklahoma Place Names Doaksville was "An important early-day settlement in Choctaw County, adjoining Fort Towson post office operated under the name Doaksville from November 11, 1847 to June 12, 1903.  Named for Josiah Doak, prominent early-day resident" (Shirk, 71).  

I went looking for Ft. Towson Cemetery. I did not realize that Doaksville was "hiding" right behind it.   This is one of the most interesting places that I've visited in Oklahoma, in the couple of years that I've been working on my page.   I certainly did not expect to find another archaeological park, filled with ruins of a 19th century  Choctaw settlement.  

My Daughter, who was the reluctant traveler on my journey that day.  Was not pleased to be taken on a quest to run around south eastern Oklahoma.  She would have been pleased to be home with her laptop and wifi.  But, when we found this cemetery and read the historical marker that you could access this place hidden behind the cemetery only by climbing the wall; she was in for the adventure.   She immediately found the way to old Doaksville through the back of the cemetery.  

One of the reasons I created this page was as an Oklahoma History teacher I realized that I didn't quite have the awareness of Oklahoma and its places to be comfortable teaching it.  The text book I taught out of was just boring and couldn't hold my attention, how could I be expected to be an effective teacher without knowing Oklahoma.  So  I decided to learn it.   I quit teaching, but I'm still learning.   

In 1831, according to Angie Debo in The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic, it was estimated that the population of the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi was 19,554 (Debo, 69).   Rougly 18,000 emigrated during the trail of tears but the number does not recognize the amount of deaths on the walks.   By 1843 the population was estimated to be at 12,000, ion case you were wondering why it was called the "Trail of Tears." (70).  Not only did the Choctaws sign the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in which they were ceded all of this land (don't forget the land that they were given were already occupied by other people -  the Kiowas- The Comanches- squatters who'd moved in already)  -  they were almost immediately expected to give up a portion of the land to the closely related tribe of the Chickasaws.  

The Choctaws signed the Treaty of Doaksville in 1837, which the Choctaws were paid a half a million dollars to cede half of their recently gained territory to the Chickasaw tribe.  Who also suffered horribly during their own forced removal.   

I did not know this:  "The Choctaw capital was changed back and forth several times from Nainih Waya to Doaksville, Skullyville, Fort Towson, and Boggy Depot" (Debo 76).  Doaksville located a mile from Ft. Towson was the largest town in the Choctaw Nation in its early history, by 1832 it had a post office.  By 1850 it was the Capitol of the Choctaw Nation.

Oklahoma History - Doaksville  

On January 11, 1860 the Choctaw Constitution was adobpted at Doaksville (Debo 151).   

Doaksville is also written about here: Digital Library at OSU- Doaksville

Some of the ruins you can see if you venture down to Doaksville. 

Bricks in the ruins of Doaksville. 

It seems telling to me that the Government of the State of Oklahoma, chose to build a huge visitors center by the ruins of the old Fort Towson, yet this great addition to our state's tribal history is hidden behind a cemetery wall. In some ways I believe this is better than having it be trampled through.  In another sense I feel like tribal history is not told while the military history is glorified.  

A couple more shots from the cemetery before I go. 

Sipokni is the Choctaw word for Old... 

We come here to see the forgotten ones.   Our loved ones we never knew.  Where we came from.  

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Ft Towson Cemetery (Old Doaksville)

A few weeks ago I was on a quest, actually it was a totally unplanned quest- but it happened. I was halfway across the state when an appointment got canceled and decided to explore. I decided to go exploring without a map.  How on earth did I get in my car and not have an Oklahoma map in it?   I had a map of DFW metro area, Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska, but no Oklahoma map.  Which is crazy, afterall this page is "Expedition Oklahoma."  Yes, I have maps on my phone but those are only for specific navigational instructions and they often get me turned around in the wrong direction.  That is why you have the very brief "Swink" posting- I was going in the opposite direction. It doesn't help that the maps on the iPhone are horrible.   

Why did I go to a cemetery?  Well this cemetery is of particular importance because it is where my Great-Grandfather Willie Willis is buried in an unmarked grave. It was once marked with Indian Pottery.  He died as a young man in 1904, before my Grandfather was born in 1905.   He was a full blood Choctaw and we only have one image of him.   I look into his face to see something of myself. I wonder what kind of personality he had.  We know he liked to play baseball.  We know he had family who owned their own general stores.   We know he was a very young man when he was struck and killed while expecting a new child who he would never meet.  He was born in 1878.  He died in Antlers, Indian Territory. His father was Marcus and his Grandfather was "Ste-Me-Liche-Be" according the the data that the family has.  They lived in Alikchi. Willie Died August 15, 1904.  Sam (my Grandfather) was born January 11, 1905. 

This is from a letter my Step-Grandfather wrote to my Mother about the family history: Willie's (pictured above) Mother died in 1882 (when he was four - how heartbreaking), a couple took him and his brother to Paris Texas to raise him.  After his father died he came back to take over the store he had owned with his brother.  He sold his interest and moved to Ringgold with his wife Gracie.  My Mom has compiled copies of all of the historical documents of her Grandfather for me. 

I don't know where he is buried in this cemetery.  My daughter (who is also named Grace) immediately went to a section of people with the surname of Willis (which seems common in Choctaw country).  

It is strange when you have a surname which you know isn't the correct  name historically.  When you know your name was handed out by someone at an agency.   

I didn't take a lot of time in the cemetery.  We did not realize that you could get to the historic ghost town of Doaksville through passing through the back of the cemetery.   My daugher was on a quest to find the entrance. 

I want to write more on Doaksville and Ft. Towson but Doaksville is more of a personal journey.  

It is the people who are in the unmarked graves who are forgotten, those in the unmarked cemeteries.  Whereever we are still laying our dead to rest someone might look them up and remember or say their name.  

These are all graves, their markers are gone or have been stolen.  

My thesis is focusing on the ancient Choctaw people.  This is actually helping me focus, working on photos within the Choctaw nation. It helps me continue my research while getting my "hobby" of posting on my page out of my system.   

These are all dated and difficult to read.  But, clearly building a visitors center for Fort Towson is getting a lot of funding.  Afterall..military Forts trump towns of the indigenous people who were forced to relocate to this area at the hands of greedy white southerners.  Not that those weren't my ancestors too.  

I seek out the oldest graves in a cemetery, because it fascinates me to think of what kind of lives these people must have led out west in Indian Territory.   Know I can envision the place where Willie was laid to rest.   

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"Located in eastern Choctaw County, 4 miles east of Fort Towson.  Post office established August 14, 1902.  Named for D.R. Swink, local merchant.  One mile northeast of swink stands Oklahoma's oldest house" (Shirk 230) 

I didn't have my trusty place names book with me when I went through this "wide spot on the road." If I had I would have looked for Oklahoma's oldest house.  

So, I don't imagine there is a lot of information out there about Swink, Oklahoma.  

I'm going to link you to the Amazon page where you can purchase the "Oklahoma Place Names" book.   Oklahoma Place Names on Amazon

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Looks like a good place for fishing.  This is a drive through posting.  We spent about 10 minutes here, and then continued on to find our next destination. 

Not a busy day at Raymond Gary State Park.  

The birds were having a nice peaceful day..

One more shot...  

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Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Hugo Oklahoma

Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Hugo Oklahoma

Hugo has been on my list of places to visit for a long time now.  Why?  Because I'd heard of Mt. Olivet Cemetery and it's unique monuments which are placed in recognition of the larger than life personalities who were laid to rest here.  This cemetery is "the circus cemetery."  It features the resting places of "The Showman's Rest" - the area of the cemetery filled with circus performers who have passed away. 

These graceful elephants mark the portion of the cemetery dedicated to the performers.  Hugo, which gained its name from Victor Hugo; is known as Circus City, USA and was (is) the winter home for the Carson and Barnes Circus and the Kelly-Miller Circus.  

What struck me is the artistry on the stones; perhaps homage should be paid to the craftsman who created such unique tributes to those who have passed on to the other world.  

I love the stones with pictures on them, it gives these gardens of the dead an aspect of humanism to remind us that these are someone's loved ones who are at rest.   

Something I would never do.   

Here is another posting I found about this cemetery for you to read: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10433

Another short posting on Mt Olivet http://www.examiner.com/article/mt-olivet-cemetery-hugo-is-final-resting-place-for-many-circus-performers

Of course this is also the final resting place for the legendary bull rider Lane Frost who tragically lost his life at a young age.  

Some more information on Lane Frost The Challenge of Champions: The Story of Lane Frost & Red Rock

Tribute to Lane Frost

I enjoy (probably more than most events) going to the rodeo to watch the bull riders and the adventure and action of the rodeo.  It's adrenalin and excitement, but to watch the tributes to this Man who lost his life doing what he loved is moving.   We go to watch, but we don't want to see this tragedy happen in front of us.  http://www.lanefrost.com/8seconds.htm  Here is the official Lane Frost website and what it says about the movie 8 Seconds, which has documentary elements but is also fictionalized to some degree.  

This made me think of the video for one of my favorite songs...  

Gary Allan "Get Off On The Pain"   

 

This is a very interesting place to visit,  dedicated to individuals who lived to entertain.  

Stop by Hugo Oklahoma...there is more to the town than the cemetery.  

 

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Running Uphill

Life is running hills.   I know plenty of people who don't like to walk hills, let alone run them.  I like being strong enough to run hills.  I may not be able to run a consistent 10 minute mile, but I can run a hill after a few weeks of training.   Today, I'm tired.  I guess it's a constant series of ups and downs, nothing profound.  Just another quote, just another runner, just another person saying something to the universe online. Just another voice that not every one will hear in the white noise that is the blogosphere.   

I'm having a mental block about creating a few slides for a slide show. I'm tired I don't feel like reading and I realize that I have a precious few weeks to finish off the semester and make myself go absolutely insane like I do at the end of every semester in Graduate school.   Yet here I am battling to upload transcripts to line myself for the competition to get myself some more education.   

Am I privileged ? Yes, does that matter? Does it matter if one person's situation is better than another.  Are you allowed to complain if someone thinks that you're thinner, or healthier or in a better position economically?  Are only those who've had absolute hell in their lives allowed to become memoir writers and write about their alcholism and their crazy families?   Who are you writing to?  Where is your voice?  Are we allowed to laugh at the dark humor we find in people's negative experiences?   Hell yeah we're allowed to laugh.   We're allowed to laugh at things that aren't politically correct, that don't please your family.  Who are we allowed to alienate when we write.  I've done that, I've alienated my family and loved ones when I was upset and wrote something they didn't like.   Why?  Because it was the truth through my eyes at the time and I couldn't create the understanding I wanted.    Because I wanted to bring people together and not tear them apart while at the same time not selling out my soul for my beliefs and emotions.  

 I was thinking about literature and writing and music and poetry and criticism.   Everyone is a writer and everyone is a critic.   Everyone is a writer now, pissing away their lives one tweet or one facebook status at a time.  One by one, all day long continually.   What some people mocked, they now enter willingly and addicted.  They log on and check to see what everyone else is doing in their inconsequential lives.  But, they don't consider themselves writers.   They don't consider our society of narcissists, they just take part in the machine that is life, the system that controls our addicted braincells.  They share, share, share the memes.   Herd mentality drives them to express mass anger at politicians and divide themselves based on their lack of understanding of the futility of the massive bloated government that lords over us telling us that we are free (we aren't).   

So, I write.   Does who I am please you?  Does it matter to me, the anti-social, self confessed introvert.  Does it matter to anyone.   I'm fascinated with the academic world of literary criticism (and art criticism).  So someone sits down to write their story, their life and there is this group of elite, educated folks who sit around and write about what other people write.  They aren't writing their own stories (or perhaps they are).  But they sit around and pass judgement on someone else's life or fiction or stories.  They lay theory and context down into their lives.  They argue whether their writings are good for society, or whether their stories are appropriate.  They argue about stereotypes and perpetuating them.  They criticize.   We have a field of study devoted to criticize, yet the critics all hold within their hearts that secret envy, or desire to be the person they tear down with their words.   They look at a picture or a painting and imagine deep meaning -  what if there was no deep meaning put into an image or a moment.   What if there is science in knowing you can get "the shot" knowing the lines, and angles create a composition that pleases everyones eyes.  It's not created out of emotion, it is what it is.   Meaningless, yet people take away beauty and meaning from other people's works.  They draw connection to celebrity, to song, to literature,  they value sports.   

Photography, like literature and music is a convincing lie.   Photography is where I take an image as I see it and improve it, I romanticize it.  I use technical knowledge and a observant eye.   I think writers are infinitely observant, they can write these images in their literature.  Musicians can write their emotions in a song.  I can take an image, the same one you may see when you're out with a point and click camera or your phone.  I can take it home and make it like you remember it. I can take a moment and glorify it.   If I choose, or I can make it ugly and dark.   

How hard is it for me to sell you my pretty little vison of the world? How hard would it be for you to convince you I've had my share of heartache and pain the last few years that you wouldn't want to step into my shoes.  Am I allowed to talk about the things that hurt me in the past without digging it back up and bringing it to life like the ever present zombies in our popular culture, it would come to life and eat my brain.   Am I allowed to say that I'm still driven by being called stupid as a kid. 

So this post is kind of ranting.   Well, you want to know me. I'm like that.  You want to hear the voice behind the photography, not just an amalgamation of bizarre quotes that I like.  

Writing is like red lipstick on a woman, it's powerful it is made to draw you in.  Capture you in it's hypnotism.  A good writer makes you want more.  A good writer makes you crave them and their words, the magic they work with their words.  They make you want to absorb their soul within yours.  Good writing is like a photograph,  a photograph that makes you want to go there and step into the photographers world, to see in their mind to be them, because you are intrigued and relate at the same time.   It's a mystery that you can never solve.