Showing posts with label Centennial Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Centennial Events. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 20074 Centennial Events
3-DAY CENTENNIAL MINI TOUR. After twelve months of leading up to Oklahoma's 100th anniversary, Thursday through Saturday, November 15, 16 and 17, 2007, saw the culmination of all of this state's grand hoopla which sort of began at the Thanksgiving 2006 Macy's Parade in New York City. Three days of events focused on Guthrie, the state's first capitol, and Oklahoma City, its last! Lots of internet and other resources tell the tales ... I'll tell of only four on my 3-day mini tour and in the following sequence:
Centennial Sunset Ceremony
SUNSET CEREMONY. Not surprisingly, not all Oklahomans have relished in Oklahoma's Centennial experience — Native Americans whose lands were dispossessed by the White Man's Intrusion into the land originally inhabited by the Wichita and Caddo Indians before the United States government forcibly removed many other tribes into Oklahoma Territory from all over the United States, and, after that, by the opening of Indian Territory to land runs for white settlement — their successors would reasonably have less cause for celebration. Some Native Americans registered their views in a protest at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City. According to an Associated Press article reported at MSNBC, Chanting “no justice, no peace,” American Indians and their supporters marked the state’s centennial Friday with a march on the state Capitol to denounce the events that led to Oklahoma’s statehood.Be that as it may, on the eve of statehood, November 15, a Sunset Ceremony was held on the steps of the venerable Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie. Earlier in the day, a train, the “Centennial Express,” transported legislators from downtown Oklahoma City to downtown Guthrie to participate in the day's events. Gena Howard, master of ceremonies for the event and the executive director of the Native American Cultural and Education Authority (which is constructing the American Indian Cultural Center in Oklahoma City), is quoted in a November 16 Tulsa World article as saying, "What was once a collision of cultures in a new land has today become a collaboration." The ceremony was intended to "honor the past, those who have perished, and those who have paved the way and are not forgotten."The event included several Native American speakers who addressed the crowd which included many members of the Oklahoma Legislature and the state's Lieutenant Governor, Jari Askins, and, of course, white man Doug Dawg who was present to observe and choronicle his wife's participation in the event. The same article quotes Russell Tall Chief ... Russell Tall Chief, who is Osage and the director of the Jacobson House Native Art Center in Norman, drew laughter and applause when he told the group that he knew both the "cowboy" and "Indian" versions of the two-step.And such was the spirit of those present in Guthrie on November 15. The images below show some of the mingling of white, black, and Native Americans who attended the sunset event. Masonic Scottish Rite Temple   Looking West  Two Ladies   Native American Flute  Guthrie's Mayor  Indian Drummers & Chanters  Two More Ladies & Their Cool Hats    Sun Sets In The West  Gina Howard  Gina Howard & Mary Jo Watson   Closing Prayer & Ceremony   Centennial Spectacular, Bricktown Version
CENTENNIAL SPECTACULAR, BRICKTOWN VERSION. Following the morning's Statehood Parade and events in the territorial and 1st state capitol, Guthrie (see the November 17 Oklahoman article for more about that), the Ford Center in Oklahoma City hosted a "Centennial Spectacular" replete with appearances by Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Shirley Jones (of course, Laurey in the movie version of Oklahoma! — she sang Oh What a Beautiful Morning and People Will Say We're in Love), the Flaming Lips, All American Rejects, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks (who didn't sing), the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Canterbury Choral Choir, Leona Mitchell, Shayna Steele, and others. See this November 17 Oklahoman article for more about the Ford Center events. The article notes that a large stage, topped with a huge state seal, occupied the entire south end of the Ford Center, and that three "giant" screens above the stage showed video birthday cards from state stars who couldn't be there in person. I've added several actual videos at the end of this article.  But, tickets for this event have been sold out for quite a while ... I had none ... what to do, where to go? Not a problem ...  Bricktown Ballpark provided the place and a free one at that. No, you didn't get the live performances, only a simulcast broadcast on the video display down the 3rd base line. But, hey, it was free so who's to complain? The Oklahoman said that an overflow crowd attended at the ballpark, but that's not true. A good crowd, yes, "standing room only," no. We picked up our tickets at the ballpark ticket office on Friday morning and it's true that only "standing room only" tickets remained ... but when we arrived, there were plenty of seats available so apparently a lot of the distributed tickets did not get used. Here are a few pics of the crowd ...  Looking Southeast Along 3rd Base Line  Looking Northwest Along 3rd Base Line  Looking West Showing the "Tube" Snow Slope for "Downtown In December"  On 3rd Base Line Looking At the Video Display As you can see, the display looked small from a distance  The pics I took of the display didn't turn out well — They appeared much better than those shown below, even though smallish from the long distance   Strolling the concourse gave a sense of history ...   Several bands played after the Ford Center adjourned ... too many if one was just hanging around for the fireworks ...  There was plenty of time to walk around the ballpark for some views ...   Finally, around 10:45 p.m. or so, the fireworks began Click the "Play" button to watch the fireworks CENTENNIAL SPECTACULAR VIDEOS. With a BIG Doug Dawg thanks to BPOETA, here are some videos from the event: Carrie Underwood (thanks to VinmanCfans3 Native & American Fancy Dancers and Flying Eagle Toby Keith The Flaming Lips All American Rejects Vince Gill: Oklahoma Rising Finale Centennial Opening: State Arts Collection
OKLAHOMA STATE ART COLLECTION GALLERY. The long-awaited Oklahoma State Art Collection Gallery, operated by the Oklahoma State Arts Council, opened at noon on Saturday, November 17, at the State Capitol. Sadly, this event seemed to receive almost no pre-event publicity — but Doug Dawg thinks that it was one of the very finest Centennial events to occur! If mention was made in the Oklahoman other than a short "blurb" on November 15, I didn't catch it. Nothwithstanding the Oklahoman's lack of coverage, a very nice spread did occur in the November 18 Tulsa World, excerpts being the following: Treasure TroveSee the complete article for more. In this new facility, the State Art Collection, which began to form in 1971, certainly has a dandy home now! Located in the west wing of the first floor of the State Capitol in space formerly occupied by the Attorney General's offices, it presents a dazzling display of art which has been contributed to the collection since 1971 and which consists of more than 175 works of art (though not all are displayed in the inaugural exhibit). You can read more about the collection and facilities at the State Arts Council website. For now, though, watch the people, see the speeches (without actually having to hear them!), and take a walk with me through this wonderful new facility! Get there by entering the State Capitol (through the south entrance which puts you at the 1st level, or west entrance which is actually the basement). Go to the Rotunda and look up and you see the inside of the Capitol Dome ... as always, click on a pic for a larger view ...  From There, Look West ... The Dark Entrance Awaits the Opening Ceremony   Dignitaries and Ordinary Folk Like Doug Dawg Hanging Around Federal District Judge Robert Henry at Left  Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins and Attorney General Drew Edmondson  Betty Price, recently retired 24-year State Arts Council Executive Director Mary Jo Watson, Director of the University of Oklahoma School of Art Wanda Otey Westheimer, Long-Time Arts Patron & Benefactor from Ardmore  Several Speeches Commemorating the Occasion Were Made Most Were Brief and To The Point Oklahoma Centennial Executive Director Blake Wade  Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins (she's very cool, by the way)  Ribbon Cutting By Betty Price & Jari Askins  And The Gates Are Open!  A Walkabout in the New Gallery! Upon Entering, a Video Panel Can Help With The Story   Or You Can Just Lollygag Around ...                  Amber Sharples Curator of the Oklahoma State Arts Collection Put It All Together!  Is She Too Cool or What?  The Gallery is free and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. You'd be utterly crazy not to go!
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