Posted
December 3, 2013
For
more than 70 years, Te Ata Fisher brought to life the stories and
folklore of indigenous peoples to audiences in the U.S. and Europe.
More
than 70 years! No wonder Te Ata was named Oklahoma's first “Official
State Treasure” - and no wonder she was inducted into Oklahoma's Hall
of Fame!
Te
Ata was born on this date in 1895 in the Chickasaw Nation (in what
was then called “Indian Territory”). She was born Mary Thompson,
a very boring non-Chickasaw-sounding name, huh? “Fisher” is her
married surname, and “Te Ata,” which means “Bringer of the
Dawn" (or Morning), is the native name she adopted.
Te
Ata began to develop her talent for acting in college, and she became
a professional actress, performing on Broadway and other places. As you can imagine, she faced difficulties because she was a woman and because she was Chickasaw - and most especially because she was a Chickasaw woman! However, she took what made success difficult - what seemed to be a liability - and turned it into an asset! She began to perform one-person shows in which
she shared native legends, myths, chants, and rituals. She wore
authentic traditional costumes, and she used tribal
drums and rattles, music and dance. Te Ata also wrote some of this
folklore in books for children.
And her shows were a hit! Te Ata performed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and
the King and Queen of Great Britain; she performed in England and
Scandinavia as well as all across America; she taught about a variety of indigenous peoples while entertaining her audiences.
Te
Ata died just a few days before her 100th birthday. She
received many awards and honors while she was alive and has earned
many more since her death in 1995.
Watch
these cool videos about Te Ata.
Don't
miss this one!
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