American Indian Exposition
american indian exposition held annually first full week august caddo county fairground anadarko oklahoma one oldest largest intertribal gathering united state sponsored fifteen tribe apache arapaho caddo cheyenne comanche delaware fort sill apache iowa kiowa osage otoemissouri pawnee ponca sac fox wichita representative fifty tribe participate given year exposition began allindian fair first held successor craterville park indian fair held near cache oklahoma group people calling southwest indian fair swif met caddo county free fair discus dissatisfaction craterville park demonstration indian culture felt ethnocentric whiteoriented felt indian participant treated merely figurehead leader swif wanted separate dance performance county fair wanted caddo county free fair board give creative management freedom production incorporated american indian exposition stated purpose promoting retaining indian cultural life handicraft art craft farming seend livestock skill providing yearly showcase exposition feature weeklong program dance contest parade pageant indian princess beautiful baby sporting event softball well art craft contest fairground also provides camping accommodation participant nearby southern plain indian museum american indian hall fame indian city usa exposition held title miss american indian exposition came existence young woman imogene carter selected represent aie event reintroduced many time requirement undergone several change aie board retired title could reassess qualification requirement january aie reinstated aspect program opened competition young american indian woman wished enter previously competition limited actual tribal princess promote education title holder would expected serve mentor young woman winner year would receive scholarship winner competition marquela pewewardy year old whose mother kiowa whose father comancheshe plan enroll oklahoma university graduate elgin high school library congress anadarko indian expo anadark chamber commerce archived wayback machine encyclopedia oklahoma history culture american indian exposition