Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Durant, OK) With 168,000 members and
a land base that covers more than 15,000 square miles of hills
and valleys, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third largest
Indian tribe in the United States. Since 1984, Choctaw Nation
has celebrated its heritage and the future of its nation through
an annual Labor Day festival, drawing more than 200,000
individuals each year from both around the United States and
internationally. For 2006, the Choctaw Nation received an NEA
Access to Artistic Excellence grant of $20,000 for its annual
free festival, and in specific, the Pow Wow, Living Village, and
Arts Show components that emphasize the tribe’s culture and
history. The Pow Wow provides both entertainment through dancing
and singing, and an understanding of the spiritual side of this
ritual. Visitors are exposed to the language, values, and
teachings of the Native-American community, and young American
Indians learn more about this important part of their heritage.
This traditional Pow Wow