Chickasaw Cultural Center facts for kids
The Chickasaw Cultural Center is an amazing place in Sulphur, Oklahoma, close to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. It's like a huge campus, covering 184 acres, where you can learn all about the Chickasaw people. You'll find cool museum buildings with interactive exhibits that show the tribe's history, traditional dances, and even the Chickasaw language.
Outside, there's a real-life traditional tribal village that looks just like it would have in the past. There's also a special garden that honors important members of the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame. This center is one of two big museum campuses run by the Chickasaw Nation. The other one is the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.
How the Center Started
Back in the 1960s, the leader of the Chickasaw Nation, Governor Bill Anoatubby, had a big idea. He wanted to build something to keep the Chickasaw culture alive for future generations. At that time, the Nation wasn't quite ready to start such a huge project.
Later, in 1980, a study looked into whether a Native American theme park could be built in the area. It found there weren't enough people living nearby to support it. But the idea of a cultural center didn't go away! In October 2000, the Chickasaw government asked over 1,200 of its members for their ideas on creating a cultural center.
U.S. Representative Tom Cole, who is also a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, helped make a special land deal. This deal was between the Chickasaw Nation, the city of Sulphur, and the National Park Service. It was approved on September 28, 2004, which was a big step to get the perfect spot for the Center. Just two days later, on September 30, 2004, they held a special ceremony to mark the start of construction.
Building the center began in 2004 and took six years to finish. It cost about $40 million to build. Finally, it opened its doors to the public in 2010.
Exploring the Campus
The Chickasaw Cultural Center campus is full of interesting things to see and do. The buildings and other structures were designed by an architecture group called Frankfurt Short Bruza (FSB), who have worked on many projects with the Chickasaw Nation.
Inside the Buildings
- Chikasha Poya Exhibit Center: This is the main building where you'll find most of the indoor exhibits. It's packed with interactive displays that tell the story of the Chickasaw people.
- The Holisso Research Center: This building is like a giant library and archive for the Chickasaw people. It holds a huge collection of tribal records and family histories.
- Anoli’ Theater: This is the biggest theater on the campus, seating up to 350 people. It shows Native American films and has a super-large, high-quality screen, making it one of the largest theaters in Oklahoma.
- Spiritual Center: This area is used for teaching about the religious traditions and beliefs of the Chickasaw people.
- Sky Pavilion Visitor Center: Here you can get information about the center and find a souvenir shop to pick up something to remember your visit.
Outdoor Adventures
One of the most exciting parts of the Cultural Center is the traditional Chickasaw village. It's been carefully rebuilt to look exactly like a village from the past. You can often see cultural re-enactments and daily Stomp dances happening right there in the village.
The campus also has an outdoor amphitheater for performances, a sky bridge that gives you a great view of the recreated village, and hiking trails to explore. You'll also see plants that are native to Oklahoma and Mississippi, and a statue created by the famous sculptor and former Oklahoma state senator, Enoch Kelly Haney.
