Red Heart, Red Land, Red People at Oklahoma Capitol

S.P.I.R.I.T.
(Society to Preserve Indigenous Rights & Indigenous Traditions)
P.O. Box 12542
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73157


November 13, 2008, Oklahoma City, OK – “Red Heart, Red Land, Red People” Celebration set for November 15, 2008 at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

The Society to Preserve Indigenous Rights and Indigenous Traditions (SPIRIT) is hosting a celebration to raise awareness about Native Americans part in Oklahoma history and future. “Red Heart, Red Land, Red People” will begin at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at the South Steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol. SPIRIT has lined up speakers, singers, musicians, drum groups and bands for a full day of entertainment and cultural sharing.

This celebration is set to commemorate the day that Oklahoma became a state. It has been totally planned and executed by American Indians from this state. While state and federal agencies as well as other organizations are holding activities to mark Native American Heritage month and day, SPIRIT is celebrating being Indian everyday of our lives. There will be petitions and speeches to abolish the Land Run in public schools, to free Leonard Peltier, to abolish Columbus Day and to demand that the true history of American Indians is taught at all levels of education.

Of notable talent scheduled to speak and perform is Mitch Walking Elk; Oklahoma born and raised, Mr. Walking Elk is a singer-songwriter, musician, recording artist, political and environmental activist and cultural educator. An enrolled member of the southern Cheyenne & Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma he is also part Hopi and Choctaw. Mitch has performed throughout the United States, toured Europe eleven times and performed in Canada, Mexico City, Japan and Colombia South America. He also is the winner of the 2005 Indian Summer Festival Music Awards Best Blues recording for the title song; "Time For A Woman".

Ms. Julia GoodFox of the Pawnee Nation will speak on the topic of "Truth, Condolence, and Reconciliation". She is calling for the formation of a truth-commission in Oklahoma regarding Native Peoples as part of decolonization. Ms. Alice WhiteCloud a Ponca/Cheyenne member of the Tulsa Coalition Against Racism is scheduled to speak about Indian Mascots. Dwain Camp (Ponca) is to speak on the American Indian Movement.

Musician Brent Blount will perform both on flute and saxophone. Three drum groups consisting of Colbert and Hill (Chickasaw and Choctaw) Southern Boyz (Kiowa) and BearClaw (Kiowa). Participants are invited to take part in stomp dances that will take place during the day and led by Felix Gouge a Muscogee Creek Nation elder.

The latter part of the program will feature three great Native American bands that play contemporary music, SoundChief, FeatherWing and Old Indian Trick. Formed in 2001, O.I.T. or Old Indian Trick, is a rock band based out of Oklahoma City. Originally started as a cover band, O.I.T. has been playing clubs and bars across Oklahoma as well as casinos and private parties. The band has a unique quality because all the members are Native American from Oklahoma. The members are: Audie Ahhaitty (Kiowa), Mike Lamebull (Cheyenne/Arapaho) Terrell Tanequodle (Kiowa/Creek) H.C. Ynguanzo (Kiowa) and Don Wilson (Choctaw). The musical influences of the band range from the Beatles to eighties heavy metal to country to R&B to Gospel to Traditional Native Music. O.I.T.’s original music is strongly influenced by their native roots as well as contemporary issues.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a lawn chair, a sack lunch and be prepared for a full day of celebrating with Native Americans at “Red Heart, Red Land, Red People”. For more information contact Brenda Golden at (405) 949-0893 or (405) 570-7752 and David Hill at (218) 790-6035.