Telling the Real Tribal Stories James Pepper Henry, Executive Director of the First Americans Museum, Dressed in Tribal Regalia
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 ionok.com Telling the real tribal stories James Pepper Henry, executive director of the First Americans Museum, dressed in tribal regalia Shangri-La adds Anchor Activity Center State Fair begins Sept. 16 OKC Town Hall series kicks off Sept. 16 Kanela & Company merges with McGraw Realtors First Americans Museum OKLAHOMA Lifestyle … Culture … Entertainment 2021 OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR September 16 - 26 Tickets On Sale Now! Adult Outside Gate Admission 3 ways to buy tickets $8 advance, regular $12 OKC Fairgrounds Box Office, Offer ends September 15 405-948-6800 or okstatefair.com CARNIVAL RIDE ARMBANDS You can SAVE $15 when you purchase an advance carnival ride armband. Advance prices are good through September 15, 2021. *Each armband will have a $1 activation fee added. Monday – Thursday: $20 advance/regular $35 Friday – Sunday: $30 advance/regular $45 Disney On Ice tickets purchased September 16 – 20 before September 15 include outside gate admission! Thursday, September 16 .........7:30 p.m. Friday, September 17 ..............12:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 18 .........11:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 19 ............2:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Monday, September 20 ..........7:30 p.m. CHICKASAW COUNTRY ENTERTAINMENT STAGE September 16 ......... 7:30 PM .........The Oak Ridge Boys September 17 ......... 7:30 PM .........Sawyer Brown September 18 ......... 8:00 PM .........Jackyl September 19 ......... 7:30 PM .........BeatleMania Live! September 20 ......... 7:30 PM .........We The Kingdom September 21 ......... 7:30 PM .........Gary Lewis & the Playboys Concerts September 22 ......... 7:30 PM .........Elvis Extravaganza FREE with September 23 ......... 7:30 PM .........Jameson Rodgers outside gate September 24 ......... 7:30 PM .........Ginuwine admission September 25 ......... 8:00 PM .........Skid Row September 26 ......... 7:30 PM .........La Fiera de Ojinaga The Official Soft Drink of “OKLAHOM’S PREMIER FAMILY ATTRACTION” the OKC Fairgrounds publisher : Don Swift assistant : Joni Yeager editor : Tim Farley editiorial assistant : Darian Woolbright videographer : Jeremy Gossett director of photography : Michael Downes web site developer : Patrick Moore with Set Sail Media web site developer : Nina Jones, Data Design Inc. illustration : Rosemary Burke graphic design : Wendy Mills Advertising Sales Don Swift Photographers Jeremy Gossett Hugh Scott, Jr. Tracy Reece Jerry Hymer Advertising Consultants Peter Preksto Contributors fashion : Linda Miller social issues : Garland McWatters community : Lauren Wright contributing writer : Sandi Davis contributing writer : M.A. Smith contributing writer : M. J. Van Deventer contributing writer : Kristen Marckmann OKnStyle - ion OK 3240 West Britton Rd Suite 101 Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-607-0930 405-816-3338 12 COVER STORY 12 Telling the real tribal stories: First Americans Museum to host grand opening Sept. 18-19 by Tim Farley TRAVEL 22 Shangri La Resort opens new indoor-outdoor activity center by Tim Farley 48 Chickasaw area destinations 22 DINING 38 Chicken-N-Pickle: Great place for healthy food, fun exercise by Tim Farley 52 Foggy Bottom Kitchens by Tim Farley BUSINESS 55 Gov. Anoatubby leads groundbreaking for Chickasaw Community Bank in OKC 86 38 Kanela & Co joins McGraw Realtors EVENTS 30 New attractions coming at the 2021 Oklahoma State Fair 44 OKC Town Hall lecture series kicks off September 16 66 Happening in the Myriad Botanical Gardens 76 Kurt Russell, George Strait and Robert Duvall Among the 2020 and 2021 Western Heritage Award Inductees 8 ion Oklahoma AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 55 ART 70 OVAC Announces Thrive Grants Awardees PEOPLE 82 Dawn Tree:expressing joy and hope her way by Garland McWatters DESIGN 58 The Classic Kitchen Redefined 82 by Jo Meacham, Urban Kitchens FASHION 76 Fashion White… Always a favorite by Linda Miller SPORTS 62 OU Football 2021 Schedule 63 OSU Football 2021 Schedule 64 Tulsa University Football 2021 Schedule 65 OCU Bronchos Football 2021 Schedule 30 IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Publisher’s Note AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 ion Oklahoma 9 PUBLISHER’S NOTE Welcome to ion Oklahoma Magazine. 2021 is the beginning of our 11th anniversary in the publishing business of an online digital lifestyle magazine and news-entertainment website www.ionok.com. It is and has been our mission as storytellers to share the stories about people and the tremendous progress Oklahoma is making as a state. Our six printed editions published annually can be downloaded FREE from our website or printed copies can be ordered on demand and mailed to your home or office. ion Oklahoma Magazine has grown to more than 46,400 subscribers located primarily in four counties and 79 zip codes of central Oklahoma. Today, Oklahoma has been experiencing a certain noticeable growth among young people between the ages of 18 - 30. The cost of living in Oklahoma is one of the most affordable in the nation. The unemployment rate in Oklahoma is one of the lowest in the nation. The job opportunities for young tech entrepreneurs are plentiful. In 2021, the NextGen Under 30 Award Recognition Program is celebrating its eleventh year and on August 20, 2021 we announced the NextGen Class XI of Honorees. Please visit www.occc.nextgentalksok.com which was our premier event from the NextGen Leadership program. NextGen TALKS Oklahoma was created and inspired by the very successful TEDx Talks programs. NextGen TALKS Oklahoma showcase the NOW, NEXT, and NEXTGEN Leaders in Oklahoma who want to share their experiences, successes and contributions in making Oklahoma a great state for everyone to live and follow their careers and dreams. At ion Oklahoma Magazine we plan to publish many of the quality lifestyle stories from Oklahomans who are best representing the “Oklahoma Spirit.” We want to hear from you, our readers, and your stories, so please email your ideas, thoughts and success stories. oklahoma Sincerely, Donald B. Swift, Publisher, www.ionok.com “Like” us on facebook facebook.com/pages/IonOklahoma-Online Follow us on twitter @IonOklahoma 10 ion Oklahoma AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 ion Oklahoma 11 COVER STORY Telling the real tribal stories First Americans Museum to host grand opening Sept. 18-19 BY TIM FARLEY egends and stories of Oklahoma’s Native American tribes will be told for the entire L nation to see and hear when the First Americans Museum hits the spotlight next month during its grand opening in Oklahoma City. The museum, billed as a world-class facility that focuses on the 39 Native American tribes currently in Oklahoma, shine brightest Sept. 18-19 when the 175,000 square-foot center opens to the public. The museum, which took 25 years to plan, develop and build, cost $175 million and sits 12 ion Oklahoma AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 James Pepper Henry, the executive director of the First Americans Museum AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 ion Oklahoma 13 on 40 acres in eastern Oklahoma County. said. “The entire weekend will have a festival feel to it and Shoshanna Wasserman, deputy director of the First we want everyone to enjoy the demonstrations, the Americans Museum (FAM), said she’s thrilled about the entertainment and the knowledge they’ll gain. The weekend September grand opening and the revelations it will bring to will give people a glimpse of what’s here and we hope Oklahomans about the 39 federally-recognized tribes. people will come back over and over again. There’s so much “It’s amazing, but also terrifying because the last year has here you can’t take everything in with one visit. There’s a lot been challenging,” she said. “We will have some amazing of ways to experience this museum. There’s always things exhibitions including 135 cultural materials or objects from for people to do.” the Smithsonian. We’ve lived through so much with COVID The museum almost didn’t come to fruition when state and so many things have been impacted and that’s had a funding dried up in 2012. But along came a partnership ripple down effect with construction and materials. But after between Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and the tribes which all of that, we believe it’s going to be amazing for the public eventually led to continued construction and finally a to see.” completed museum. At the heart of the tribal influence were Two new “amazing” exhibitions will be unveiled at the Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby and Gregg grand opening including the complete story of the 39 tribes Wadley, businessman and a member of the Choctaw Nation. and how they came to Oklahoma. “Governor Anoatubby, through all these years, brought this “It will provide a real historical atmosphere,” Wasserman project to reality and Gregg Wadley has provided stellar 14 ion Oklahoma AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 Construction of the First Americans Museum in early 2020. leadership,” Wasserman said. hope every person who walks through here will be fulfilled For Wasserman, who has been associated with the with the stories that are told and the uplifting human museum project since its beginning, the museum has been values. This museum is elevating our (Native Americans’) her life’s work. stories, the tragic and triumphant moments.” “It’s the greatest thing I’ve been a part of,” she said. “I For the first time in 100 years, museum guests will get to appreciate what we have to share. It’s America’s history. I see objects that have been stored at the Smithsonian’s AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 ion Oklahoma 15 Ceremonial dancers. National Museum of the American Indian. The exhibit is called WINIKO: Life of an Object. Selections include more than 100 cultural materials collected from tribes in Oklahoma in the early 1900s. The NMAI objects left Oklahoma when non- Native institutions were rapidly acquiring materials from so-called “vanishing” tribal cultures. It is poignant that, 100 years later, an all- Native curatorial team has led the process of returning these objects to Oklahoma.