The 2024 Tulsa Native American Day celebration will take place on Monday, Oct. 14 at Dream Keepers Park with festivities starting at 9 a.m.
Now in its eighth year, this year’s Tulsa Native American Day celebration theme “is ‘Voices’ so let our voices be heard,” according to the event’s Facebook page.
This is the third 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.
The “Voices” celebration theme also comes during a year when Native and Indigenous people, artists, musicians and actors received recognition and award nominations for their works and performances in arts and entertainment, notably the Apple Films feature film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” based on the David Grann-penned book with a focus on the Osage Reign of Terror, which was released in theaters last year.
Osage singer and Oscar-nominated composer Scott George is this year’s Tulsa Native American Day Parade Marshal, with the parade starting at 11 a.m. The parade will include floats and ride-alongs featuring other participants, including tribal dignitaries, government officials and departments, Native-owned businesses, area school bands and musical groups and other Native-focused organizations.
George received a 2024 Academy Award nomination for his music and lyrics of “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People),” which is featured in the closing dance scene of the KOTFM film directed by Martin Scorsese. His nomination was for Best Original Song along with nine other Oscar nominations the film received.
George has been traditionally singing around Indian Country for more than 40 years. He is well known in Osage country as he has served on many Drumkeeper committees for decades, as both a singer and head singer during the Inlonshka dances.
Celebrated on the second Monday in October and at the request of the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission, The City of Tulsa made the switch in September 2017 from Columbus Day to observing Native American Day with unanimous support from the city council that year.
The Osage Nation recognizes the observed holiday as Osage Day and all ON government offices will be closed that day as well.
This year’s featured artist for Tulsa Native American Day is Carly Treece (Muscogee Nation and of Cherokee ancestry). Follow “Tulsa Native American Day” on Facebook for information on vendor space registration and further updates on the celebration events and activities.
