Te Ata: Chickasaw Storyteller, American TreasureIn 1987, Te Ata (1895–1995) became the first person ever declared an “Oklahoma Treasure.” Throughout a sixty-year career, her performances of American Indian folklore enchanted a wide variety of audiences, from European royalty to Americans of all ages, and Indians from across the American continents from Canada to Peru. Richard Green’s beautifully written biography of Te Ata is based on extensive research in the artist’s personal papers, memorabilia, and the letters and photographs exchanged between Te Ata and her husband, Clyde Fisher. |
Contents
Prologue | 3 |
Listening to the Corn Grow | 7 |
Oklahoma College for Women | 27 |
Chautauqua Experiences | 45 |
Carnegie Tech and the Great White Way | 62 |
Command Performances in England | 81 |
Clyde Fisher | 99 |
From Lake Te Ata to the White House | 117 |
Te Ata entertaining the Roosevelts and the king | 209 |
Te Ata and Nannie Willis in 1939 | 216 |
Heart Loaded Down and Heavy | 218 |
Loon Island | 231 |
Te Ata and Clyde Fisher at Central Park | 236 |
Clyde Fisher and Albert Einstein | 244 |
Final Journeys | 246 |
Sun Dance of the Bloods | 258 |
CoasttoCoast Honeymoon | 135 |
Talking Leaves and Repertoire Building | 152 |
Performance program | 154 |
Te Ata with Sioux interpreter Frank Zahn | 161 |
Te Ata with sisters Avis and Selena | 168 |
Sailing Big Waters | 170 |
Peter and Madgalene Freuchen with Te Ata and Clyde Fisher | 179 |
Peruvian Expedition | 186 |
Te Ata reading on board the Santa Lucia | 188 |
Hyde Park and the Mississippi Homeland | 200 |
Thomas Thompson | 202 |
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Common terms and phrases
1939 Hyde Park 1946 Blood Indian American Indian AMNH artist Arts asked Ata 1946 journal Ata and Fisher Ata to CF Ata wrote Ata's Ataloa audience beautiful Bertie career CCHM ceremony chap chautauqua Chickasaw Nation Choctaw Club Clyde Fisher culture diary Dorothy Bennett dress Eagle Speaker eclipse Eleanor Roosevelt film folklore Frances Davis Freuchen friends Hayden Planetarium Helen Cole Hiawatha Hiawatha Estes Hyde Park Hyde Park folder Ibid Interview invited January July June Kieran knew land later lava lecture letter Lieurance living Long Lance looked Loon Island Margaret Ball Mary Middleton Mona mother Museum Natural History never October Oklahoma City Otto Paricutin photograph Pough Princess probably Remember September Skaarup songs story Sun Dance Te Ata Thompson Thurlow Lieurance tion tipi Tishomingo told Te Ata took tour tribal tribes Trip folder University of Oklahoma wanted White House wife woman York