The 7th annual Tulsa Native American Day celebration takes place Saturday, Oct. 9 at Dream Keepers Park with day-long events starting at 9 a.m.
This year’s Native American Day takes place with “Weaving a Legacy” as its theme, according to announcements for the event hosted by the Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission.
Celebrated on the second Monday in October and at the request of the city’s Indian Affairs Commission, Tulsa made the switch in September 2017 from Columbus Day to observing Native American Day with unanimous support from the city council that year.
On July 27, the Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission issued the following social media announcement: “Parade is at 11 a.m. and we are excited to announce that (FX’s ‘Reservation Dogs’ Co-Creator and Executive Producer) Sterlin Harjo is our Parade Marshall this year! Join us for a fun-filled day celebrating our culture and heritage!”
The announcement with Harjo as Parade Marshall comes as the groundbreaking series started its third and final season this month and is available for streaming on Hulu.
This is the second year for Tulsa’s Native American Day Celebration taking place at Dream Keepers Park located at the intersection of South Boulder Avenue and 21st Street, which was formerly known as Veterans Park.
Harjo (Muscogee Creek/ Seminole) “has created and directed five feature films: three narrative dramas and two documentaries,” according to his FX professional bio. “His most recent documentary feature, Love and Fury, chronicles the work and intersection of over a dozen contemporary Native American artists. Love and Fury was acquired by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY and released on Netflix in December 2021. The film premiered at the 2021 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and was an official selection of the Seattle International Film Festival, Virginia Film Festival and deadCenter Film Festival.”
As for the final season of “Reservation Dogs,” Harjo discussed the series ending with Variety magazine. “The critically acclaimed FX series, which (returned to Hulu on Aug. 2), is a dramatic comedy about a group of Indigenous teens finding their place among family and friends as they grow up in Oklahoma. But the thing about coming-of-age tales, Harjo notes, is that eventually the characters come of age,” according to the magazine.
“It’s a story that had an ending,” Harjo told Variety. “It’s a story about people going through transition, and specifically kids going through a very transitional moment and grief. I just don’t think that lasts forever. I think that we’re meant to be with them during this transitional time. To me, the show’s too important to drag out.”
Harjo is also a founding member of the Native sketch comedy troupe, The 1491s, which includes Osage graphic design artist Ryan RedCorn and Dallas Goldtooth (Dakota/ Navajo), who also appears in “Reservation Dogs.” RedCorn also served as a writer for “Reservation Dogs.”
Follow “Tulsa Native American Day” on Facebook for information on vendor space registration and further updates on the celebration events and activities.
