First National Center

[catch22]

All of those have a heavy Indian population on reservations similar to OK

Those tribes are indigenous to that region, and have a long history of belonging to the land while most of Oklahoma’s native population was relocated from the southeast. If anything culturally would align more with the southeast heritage than Mexican tribes in the southwest.

[soonerguru]

Those tribes are indigenous to that region, and have a long history of belonging to the land while most of Oklahoma’s native population was relocated from the southeast. If anything culturally would align more with the southeast heritage than Mexican tribes in the southwest.

The Panhandle of Oklahoma was literally Mexico at one time. The plains tribes, of which there are many that call Oklahoma home, certainly align with the Southwest.

[TheTravellers]

The Panhandle of Oklahoma was literally Mexico at one time. The plains tribes, of which there are many that call Oklahoma home, certainly align with the Southwest.

Don't the Plains tribes align with the Plains itself (hence their name)?

[ABryant]

Don't the Plains tribes align with the Plains itself (hence their name)?

They never called themselves anything besides what they called themselves. Individuals have their own identity.

[TheTravellers]

They never called themselves anything besides what they called themselves. Individuals have their own identity.

Well, yeah, I know that, just like the Vikings never called themselves Vikings, it's just a handy shorthand label for categorization/differentiation. I was just poking at the fact that "Plains" tribes lived/worked on the Plains (for the most part) and not the "Southwest" (for the most part). Good point, though...

[BlackmoreRulz]

They never called themselves anything besides what they called themselves. Individuals have their own identity.

What an amazing concept in todays political climate

[catch22]

The Panhandle of Oklahoma was literally Mexico at one time. The plains tribes, of which there are many that call Oklahoma home, certainly align with the Southwest.

Of course. And the panhandle definitely has a more southwestern feel because of that. I didn’t say EVERY tribe in Oklahoma, but most of our largest tribes were relocated from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Their ancestral roots are the southeast.

I will say, as someone who has not lived in Oklahoma for years -when visiting it does not have a southwest feel except for in the furthest western reaches of the state. The people do not reflect a southwestern desert attitude; but a down to earth heartland demeanor. Which in many ways is even better. I stand by my argument that culturally Oklahoma fits other regions better (but not perfectly).

Perhaps this is a problem of a young state, with a troubled history of crimes against humanity and the forced relocation of thousands of native people. The true identity hasn’t established itself yet. It doesn’t help that the state is in the transition zone between different geological and regional cultures. Perhaps instead of marketing Oklahoma has a southwest state, the new slogan should be “Oklahoma: It is whatever you want it to be” because in many ways, that is true. It’s a very diverse state.