Oklahoma Storytellers
Gordon Yellowman, Sr.
My name is Gordon Yellowman, Sr. and my Cheyenne name is (L), which means ‘Yellow Hawk’. I’m a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, but I’m also a traditional leader among the Cheyenne people in regards to membership. I serve as a traditional chief to the Council of Forty-Four, the traditional peacemakers of the Cheyenne people.
Dennis Zotigh
Greetings! My name is Dennis Zotigh. I belong to the Kiowa, Santee Dakota, and San Juan Pueblo tribes. I am an American Indian Research Historian for the Oklahoma Historical Society. I am also a consultant and lecturer. I’ve been involved in projects with the National Public Radio, National Geographic Magazine, ABC and NBC Television, the British Museum, and Nash Museum (National Museum of the American Indians).
Presley Byington
My name is Presley Byington and I’m within the Choctaw tribe here in the state of Oklahoma. I live in Idabel Oklahoma. It’s back there in the southeastern corner about 20 miles from Arkansas and about 20 miles from Texas.
Moses Starr
My name is Moses Starr and I’m a southern Cheyenne of Oklahoma. This morning I just want to tell you a little bit about the tribes on the Plains and the way that they lived a long time ago before the Englishmen or the Spanish came over.
Katherine Dickerson
Hi, my name is Katherine Dickerson. My Kiowa name is Tah’Po-Mah – named after my great grandmother. I am a registered member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma. Haungooah, English translation Silverhorn. The Kiowa is located in the southwest part of Oklahoma with rocky rough terrain, rolling hills, windswept bluffs, and wide-open plains spread out from the Wichita mountains as far as the eye can see. Silverhorn was noted by the Kiowa tribe as a master illustrator – an artist born in 1860. Silverhorn illustrated everyday life on the plains of the Kiowa. Whether it be sacred ceremonies, warfare, or telling the ever-popular Sayn Day stories. He was also preserving what was then by drawing illustrations. Silverhorn’s son, my grandpa, James Silverhorn, was also a master craftsman along with his brothers. James Silverhorn was also a religious leader of the Kiowa tribe. There’s a long line of artisans in the Silverhorn family.
Kricket Connywerdy
Ah ho. Thank you for allowing me to share some stories with you. My name is Kricket Rhoads-Connywerdy. I am Kiowa and Caddo and I am a member of the Caddo Nation. The Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma and I’m a Henry on my Caddo side and a Keah Bone on my Kiowa side. Keah Bone means savior in Kiowa. From what I understand, my ancestor went and when they were having a battle the people would fall on the battleground and he would go out and bring them back to safety when they weren’t able to reach it on their own. So that’s how we got the name Keah Bone, which means savior.