Doc Tate Nevaquaya facts for kids

Joyce Lee "Doc" Tate Nevaquaya (July 3, 1932 – March 5, 1996) was a talented Comanche artist. He was known for playing the flute and painting. Doc Tate came from Apache, Oklahoma.

He helped bring back Native American flute music. Many people think his work saved this art form. He learned to make and play Comanche flutes. He also wrote new flute music. Even so, Doc Tate always said he was a painter first. Painting was his main art throughout his life.

Doc Tate Nevaquaya's Early Life

Joyce Lee Nevaquaya was born in 1932. His hometown was Apache, Oklahoma. His parents, Victoria and Lean Nevaquaya, were both Comanche. Sadly, his parents died when he was only 13.

After that, he lived with his grandparents. They taught him traditional Comanche ways. He also grew up in the Native American Church. He went to meetings often.

He was named after Dr. Joyce, the doctor who helped deliver him. That's why "Doc" became his nickname. The name Nevaquaya means "well-dressed" in the Comanche language.

Doc Tate finished school at Fort Sill Indian School in 1951. He then went to Haskell Institute from 1951 to 1952. There, he met his future wife, Charlotte.

In 1953, they moved back to Apache. They had nine children together. Doc Tate worked many different jobs. He was a teacher, minister, dancer, and more. He always kept up with his art. His love for art inspired his children. Many of his sons became great flutists, painters, or dancers too.

His Art Career

Doc Tate Nevaquaya was famous for his flute playing. But he always saw himself as a painter first. He started painting in the 1950s. His wife, Charlotte, encouraged him. She saw his talent early on.

He never went to art school. He learned to paint all by himself. He used watercolors, acrylics, and tempera paints. His style was called the Oklahoma Traditional Style. He often used earthy colors.

Doc Tate knew a lot about Comanche history and culture. He wanted to show the beauty of his people. He also painted other tribes. He often talked about art with other Comanche artists. He even made funny cartoons sometimes.

Special Art Projects

Doc Tate Nevaquaya created many important artworks:

• He wrote and played Flight of the Spirit. This was for the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1991.
• He designed two coins for the Oklahoma Diamond Jubilee in 1982.
• He made a Comanche shield in 1973. It honored the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
• He painted a buffalo hide for the Fort Sill Centennial. The Comanche tribe asked him to do this.
• He built and decorated a full-sized Comanche tipi. It is now at the Southern Plains Indian Museum.

Where to See His Art

You can find Doc Tate's art in many places:

• Clarkson University Art Gallery in Potsdam, New York
• Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center in Lawton, Oklahoma
• Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma
• National Museum of the American Indian in Suitland, Maryland
• Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma

His Music Career

Doc Tate Nevaquaya played a big part in bringing back the Southern Plains courting flute. He first heard flute music when he was seven. He found his first flute in a pawn shop as a teenager.

As an adult, he learned to make his own flutes. He also learned to play traditional Comanche flute music. He became a well-known performer. He could sing, dance, and write music.

The NEA explains the courting flute. It is a wooden instrument. It has a special block to change the sound. This flute was used by many Native American tribes. For the Comanche, men used it to play solo songs for courting.

Over time, these traditions changed. The courting flute was used less often. Artists like Doc Tate were very important. They helped bring the instrument back. He created a "modern courting song style." This allowed musicians to create new music. But it still kept the old Plains Indian musical forms. He taught this art to his sons. They continue the tradition today.

Doc Tate released two music albums:

• Indian Flute Songs from Comanche Land (1976)
• Comanche Flute Music (1979)

He gave talks and workshops about his flute playing. He traveled all over the country. He was on TV 25 times. This included shows like "On the Road with Charles Kuralt."

In 1986, he received the National Heritage Fellowship. This is a very high honor from the U.S. government. It celebrates folk and traditional arts. In 2006, he joined the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame.

Famous Performances

• He was the first Native American to perform at Carnegie Hall in 1990.
• He played at the Codetalkers Decoration Ceremony in Oklahoma in 1989.
• He performed at the United Nations Mission in New York in 1985.
• He played at "A Night of the First Americans" in Washington, D.C., in 1985.
• He recorded Comanche Flute Music for Folkways Records in 1979.
• He performed at the National Folk Festival in 1973.
• He performed the Comanche Tu-Wee Dance at the Smithsonian Institution in 1970.
• He went on a Goodwill Tour of England in 1970.

Awards and Honors

Doc Tate Nevaquaya received many awards for his work:

• The Governor's Arts Award named him an Oklahoma Treasure in 1995.
• He was chosen as the Red Earth Honored One in 1993.
• He won the Artist of the West Award in California in 1994.
• He was the first Oklahoman to win the National Heritage Fellowship Award in 1986.
• The Comanche tribe declared the second Friday in October as Joyce “Doc” Tate Nevaquaya Day in 1986.
• He received the LaDonna Harris Award in 1986.
• He was named Outstanding Citizen of Diamond Jubilee Heritage Week in 1982.
• He won the Indian of the Year award in 1975.
• The "Doc Tate Scholarship Fund" was created at the University of Oklahoma in 1970.
• He received the Outstanding Indian Artists Award in 1969.

His Passing

Doc Tate Nevaquaya passed away on March 5, 1996. He was 64 years old. He died from a heart attack in Lawton, Oklahoma.