American Indian Exposition?

[dalelakin]

I am looking to see what other info I can find on this event found this website http://www.americanindianexposition.org/ not much info there though any ideas where to find some more info online?

[Larry OKC]

Sorry, but as you can tell from the sound of crickets chirping....

[Roadhawg]

I would send a letter requesting more info to:

American Indian Exposition
PO Box 282
Anadarko, OK 73005

[RadicalModerate]

Maybe a letter to "Indian City, USA" down around Anadarko?
(postcard shots available c/o google images)

Or perhaps a lead could be provided by accessing The Relatively Recent Archives of The City Fathers/Mothers in Choctaw (OK) in favor of turning "Miskelly State Park" (with a FREE! fishing hole) into some "Indian"-themed alternative maybe ten-and-a-half-or more years ago?

I'm thinkin' that tipis and wigwams aren't nearly as profitable as casinos . . .
but i wouldn't bet on it. unless the scheme involved a nigerian prince.

[Double Edge]

81st year. I attended some of the 44th and at least one other year before that. It might have changed somewhat but I doubt it.

August 6th - 11th - America Indian Exposition

Caddo County Fair Grounds

Anadarko Oklahoma 73005

Monday thru Saturday

Event Hours 10:00 am to 11:00 pm



Anadarko Chamber of Commerce



(405) 247-6651 fax (405) 247-6652

The oldest Indian owned and operated fair in the world. Attend ceremonial dances and competitions, feast on Indian food. Attend the greyhound and horseracing daily. Pageants presented during fair, also a carnival, parades, and arts & craft booths. Parades on Monday and Saturday, Downtown Anadarko, 10:00a.m.

http://www.anadarko.org/CalendarofEvents.aspx

[RadicalModerate]

So . . . Sort of like The State Fair of Oklahoma? Except without improvements? Or dog fighting? Sorry . . . Car racing . . .? Less ruffled feathers and so forth?

[Double Edge]

So . . . Sort of like The State Fair of Oklahoma? Except without improvements? Or dog fighting? Sorry . . . Car racing . . .? Less ruffled feathers and so forth?

Not really in my experience but it's been awhile. Much less business oriented; there was no midway back then and I don't see one listed now.

More like Red Earth but at an outside venue and more seemingly random stuff going on in addition to dancing competition. I think I remember seeing some horse racing but it might have been just riding or riding and roping. Do remember seeing snake dancing exhibition with live snakes back in the 60's when I was a kid, watched from bleachers in a grandstand and I'm pretty sure it was at that exposition.

Seems like a goodly number of native folk camped there too, some in Tee Pees.

[Double Edge]

A snip from the "history of" doc at the link in the OP:

Over the years, the American Indian Exposition has highlighted the creative expressions of its
representative tribes’ members. In the earliest years there were agricultural and home
economics exhibits. Entrants were awarded premiums for their winning entries. For several
years these were complimented by arts and crafts contests. Since the late 1930s many of the
country’s most accomplished Native American artists have exhibited and sold their work to
Exposition visitors. After 1956 the agricultural displays were discontinued, but the arts have
remained an integral component of the Indian Fair. While contest dancing has, for many
decades, been the key attraction, what would the Indian Fair be without its carnival and other
activities? Finally, recognition must be given to the hundreds of campers who return year after
year to celebrate together all that is uniquely American Indian. Families have camped in the
same location, many of them for seventy-eight years. Their camps symbolize what many
American Indians cherish most, a time and place where they can share the fellowship of friends
and family, tell their stories, celebrate their cultural heritage, and honor those who came
before and teach those who are newly arrived. We invite all of our visitors to celebrate with us
this 75th anniversary of the American Indian Exposition as we look forward to having many
more prosperous years.

[RadicalModerate]

So . . . Apparently it's more like a "pow-wow" for "the public" rather than a rundown (vaguely "culturalist") carnival attraction.
That's not a bad thing . . . Thank you, sir, for providing the background and correcting my misapprehensions/faulty memory alignment.

[Double Edge]

So . . . Apparently it's more like a "pow-wow" for "the public" rather than a rundown (vaguely "culturalist") carnival attraction.
That's not a bad thing . . . Thank you, sir, for providing the background and correcting my misapprehensions/faulty memory alignment.

Didn't I read that Indian City was closed now? IIRC, it was owned and operated by the City of Anadarko rather than Native Americans specifically. That seems like the story being told by the guide the last time I went.

Yes, more like a pow-wow with the public invited.

[Swake2]

Didn't I read that Indian City was closed now? IIRC, it was owned and operated by the City of Anadarko rather than Native Americans specifically. That seems like the story being told by the guide the last time I went.

Yes, more like a pow-wow with the public invited.

The public is always invited to Pow-wows.

[RadicalModerate]

Thank you for that bit of information.

however, I must say that--as a non-native american who was born here--i didn't want to test the veracity of that claim at the pow-wow that used to occur up on north Sooner, before Witcher was Witcher, nor did i feel like intruding on the one up there near Quapaw decades later around the fourth of july. there are wedding crashers and there might be family reunion crashers. i don't want to be in either of those tribes. =)

[Swake2]

Pow-wows are public for people from all tribes and for visitors to come together and celebrate and dance. You would be perfectly welcome to respectfully visit the Quapaw Pow-wow. There will be dances where you will be invited to participate if you want. There will be food and arts and crafts vendors. I'm sure they would love to have you.

There are other dances that are not public, but those are not pow-wows and you won't know they exist unless you are invited.

[Roadhawg]

It looks interesting and I wouldn't mind going to see it.

[Double Edge]

Pow-wows are public for people from all tribes and for visitors to come together and celebrate and dance. You would be perfectly welcome to respectfully visit the Quapaw Pow-wow. There will be dances where you will be invited to participate if you want. There will be food and arts and crafts vendors. I'm sure they would love to have you.

There are other dances that are not public, but those are not pow-wows and you won't know they exist unless you are invited.

I knew that about pow-wows. I think I perceived, perhaps wrongly, the Expo to be more outreach via exposure to the public at large when the primary difference might be the Expo is broader in scope with more activities than would typically be at a pow-wow, such as a parade down main street, horse racing and formerly at least, agricultural exhibits.

[Swake2]

I don't know about the expo specifically. I have heard of it, but don't really know anything about it.