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Tulsa Celebrates Its Second Native American Day

Tulsa’s second celebration of Native American Day on Monday saw more events and more participants.

This year’s festivities included a parade, film screening, and traditional songs and dances at and around downtown's Guthrie Green. Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd said the holiday is a good opportunity for many different tribes to gather in one place.

"Even before statehood and even for us back in Georgia and Alabama, tribes would get together at different locations and just have the time to just kind of relax, socialize, trade and things like that," Floyd said. "And so, in a sense, you know, when I look at this, I think, 'OK, this is like the modern version of that.'"

Last year, Mayor G.T. Bynum and the city council established the second Monday of October as Native American Day to recognize Tulsa’s heritage. Roughly 30,000 Native Americans live in Tulsa.

Kaw Nation Chairwoman Lynn Dunson said she’s excited to see the contributions of indigenous people being recognized.

"But there are some pockets in Oklahoma and the nation that still do not accept native people for what they do contribute. I don’t want to say 'racism,' but there is still a little bit of that, that goes on," Dunson said.

Dunson said events like Native American Day can help correct misconceptions about native people.

Students from several Green Country schools also attended this year's Native American Day events. Floyd said with the growth, the tribe may consider making Tulsa’s Native American Day a holiday.

"Then that allows our people who work for the nation to be here, and I think that adds more fullness to the day as well," Floyd said.

That process would require the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to notify the federal government.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.