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547:(formerly the Oklahoma College for Women), has presented her with multiple honors. In 1972, she became the first inductee into the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Hall of Fame. In 2006, USAO renamed its auditorium in Trout Hall the "Te Ata Memorial Auditorium". In 2014, a statue in her likeness was installed in the center of the campus.
279:
Davis encouraged Te Ata to use Native
American stories as the basis for her senior performance at Oklahoma College for Women. Te Ata made her debut as an artist during her senior year of college performing songs and stories from several different tribes. The debut was well-received, and she was asked
539:
notes that her performances are preserved in a film, "God's Drum" (circa 1971), and on a video recording of a storytelling festival sponsored by the
Oklahoma City Arts Council, declaring "Te Ata Fisher's influence on the appreciation of Native traditions and on the art of storytelling is an enduring
373:
Te Ata's career spanned more than 60 years, and she collected hundreds of stories from different tribes. During her performances she told numerous stories, such as "There Are Birds of Many Colors" by
Hiamove, "The Creation of Mankind" told to her by her father, "How Death Came into the World",
271:, and graduated in 1919. During her time at Oklahoma College for Women, she worked as an assistant in the theater department for theater instructor Frances Dinsmore Davis. It was during this time that Te Ata was first introduced to the stage.
236:(New Zealand Aboriginal) word for "the morning". It was given to her by an unknown person. "Te Ata" is not a Chickasaw word nor phrase. Te Ata began her early education in a one-room tribal school; after two years she was sent to
295:, who had been in the audience at her senior performance. The tour gave Te Ata an opportunity to travel across the United States and fostered her talents as a performer. She undertook further training in theatre at the
509:, which won the Five Civilized Tribes' Best American Indian Musical Award in 2000. It premiered at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in 2006 and was performed at the Smithsonian Institution's
1213:
519:, which centered on the 1939 meeting of Franklin D. Roosevelt and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England; in the film, Te Ata performs for the king and queen as she did in 1939.
321:. She eventually decided to concentrate on her one-woman performances of Native American songs and stories. In 1928, while living in New York City, she shared an apartment with
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329:. She referred to McLendon as her "cousin", however it is unknown whether they were actually related or whether they knew each other prior to living in New York City.
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In addition to traveling across the United States, Te Ata visited
Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, England, Peru, Guatemala, Canada, and Mexico.
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208:", an old word meaning sycamore, birch, or cottonwood, and that, in order to further accentuate her name, she changed it to "Te Ata".
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360:
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Te Ata’s life and likeness have been featured in many books, plays and magazines. In the summer of 1924, Te Ata was featured in
880:
Large, Deborah. Chickasaw Nation Media
Relations Office. "Noted Chickasaw performer Te Ata featured in new Bill Murray movie",
987:
435:
728:
580:
Te Ata's uncle, Douglas H. Johnston, had been superintendent of
Bloomfield Academy from 1880 to 1895, the year she was born.
374:"Pasikola (Rabbit) was Disconnected", "Anybody Want a Wife?", "The Corn Ceremony", "The Blue Duck", and "Baby Rattlesnake".
484:
Her life and performances have been commemorated through several different awards. She was the namesake for Lake Te Ata in
237:
849:"Who Is Te Ata? Chickasaw Nation and National Museum of the American Indian Celebrate the Life of the Native Storyteller"
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659:
617:
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343:, invited Te Ata to perform at the governor's mansion. After Franklin was elected president, Te Ata performed at the
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Ataloa Lodge, named for
Chickasaw vocalist and friend Ataloa. Te Ata had many notable friends including First Lady
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260:
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on
October 26, 1995. Her legacy was continued through her family, which included former Oklahoma state legislator
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Green, Richard G. (1995). "Crossing Paths: Te Ata and
Eleanor Roosevelt in the Twenties and Thirties".
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in 1957 and named
Oklahoma’s Official State Treasure in 1987. In 1990, she was inducted into the
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stories. She performed as a representative of Native Americans at state dinners before President
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Notable American Women: a Biographical Dictionary, Volume 5: Completing the Twentieth Century
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Anything Goes: The Jazz Age Adventures of Neysa McMein and Her Extravagant Circle of Friends
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A Guide to Photographs in the Western History Collections of the University of Oklahoma
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Davis, Sandi. "World Premiere Play Portrays Life Details of Famous Storyteller",
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They Made Their Mark: An Illustrated History of the Society of Woman Geographers
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They Made Their Mark: An Illustrated History of the Society of Woman Geographers
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in 2012. In 2012, Te Ata was portrayed by actress Kumiko Konishi in the film
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Chickasaw playwright JudyLee Oliva wrote a play based on her life, entitled
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932:, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Retrieved January 16, 2015.
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244:, a teacher who became her role model. Te Ata graduated high school from
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Fitzgerald, David; Barbour, Jeannie; Cobb, Amanda; Hogan, Linda (2006).
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University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
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Petticoats, Politics, and Pirouettes: Oklahoma Women from 1900-1950
468:
912:
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=TE001
367:. The King and Queen then invited Te Ata to perform in England.
240:, a Chickasaw boarding school for girls. At Bloomfield, she met
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in 1957 and was named Oklahoma's first State Treasure in 1987.
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Performing Worlds Into Being: Native American Women's Theater
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Her stage name, Te Ata, mean's "Bearer of the morning". Some
893:
Talley, Tim. "Chickasaw Nation sets casting call for 'Te Ata
863:
861:
287:
Upon graduation, Te Ata was offered a part in a traveling
1113:
Vollan, Charles (2007). "Fisher, Te Ata (1895-1995)". In
1050:(4). Ada, Oklahoma: Chickasaw Historical Society: 13–30.
803:
801:
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In 2014, the Chickasaw Nation began production on a film
232:, and Bertie (Freund) Thompson. The name "Te Ata" is the
899:
Associated Press State Report – Oklahoma
844:
842:
640:
Carr, Mrs. S.J. "Bloomfield Academy and its Founder".
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speakers say that her name originates from "itti' hata
1093:
Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance: The Glorious Imposter
494:
Woman of the Year in 1976. She was inducted into the
172:(December 3, 1895 – October 25, 1995), best known as
982:. Oklahoma City: Southern Hills Publishing Company.
481:magazine in its "Types of American Beauty" series.
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252:. She is listed a 1/8th Chickasaw by Blood on the
1214:University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma alumni
442:, the last governor of the old Chickasaw Nation.
259:In the fall of 1915, Te Ata began college at the
733:. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 86–87.
730:Te Ata: Chickasaw Storyteller, American Treasure
1080:Morgan, Phillip Carroll; Parker, Judy Goforth.
1069:Te Ata Chickasaw Storyteller, American Treasure
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414:). Through Dr. Fisher, she was introduced to
8:
884:, December 5, 2012. Accessed March 28, 2015.
855:, June 22, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
642:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
614:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
1199:Members of the Society of Woman Geographers
1073:. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma press.
1035:. New York: Reed Business Information, Inc.
1132:. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
825:
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545:University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
453:(since deceased in 2004) and Helen's son,
265:University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
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216:Te Ata was born Mary Frances Thompson in
1119:Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians
1012:Chickasaw: Unconquered and Unconquerable
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188:in the 1930s. She was inducted into the
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556:
528:based on Te Ata's life. The film stars
311:productions; her most notable role was
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511:National Museum of the American Indian
382:On September 28, 1933, Te Ata married
1204:People from Johnston County, Oklahoma
853:Newsdesk: Newsroom of the Smithsonian
7:
1145:Clyde Fisher & Te Ata Collection
473:Statue of Te Ata on the USAO campus.
355:for the Roosevelts and the visiting
176:, was an actress and citizen of the
1194:Chickasaw people of Choctaw descent
1189:Chickasaw people on the Dawes Rolls
910:Harris, Rodger. TE ATA (1895-1995)
656:"Search the Dawes Rolls, 1898–1914"
1219:20th-century Native American women
1014:. Ada, Oklahoma: Chickasaw Press.
901:, Associated Press: June 24, 2014.
836:Available on Google Books. p. 118.
532:and was released in October 2017.
228:), to Thomas Benjamin Thompson, a
25:
307:, where she performed in several
644:. Vol. 2, No. 4. December, 1924.
284:and various other institutions.
94:Te Ata ("Bearer of the morning")
1174:20th-century American actresses
351:. In 1939, Te Ata performed at
436:Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance
1:
1179:20th-century Native Americans
817:, Retrieved January 20, 2015.
815:Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame
1209:People from Indian Territory
1044:Journal of Chickasaw History
438:. She was also the niece of
170:Mary Frances Thompson Fisher
942:"The Te Ata Statue Project"
660:Oklahoma Historical Society
618:Oklahoma Historical Society
567:, was the last governor of
537:Oklahoma Historical Society
1235:
1149:Miami University Libraries
1121:. Bison Books. p. 69.
967:Armstrong, Ann Elizabeth.
365:visiting the United States
361:Queen Elizabeth of England
261:Oklahoma College for Women
103:Oklahoma College for Women
948:January 20, 2015, at the
928:January 20, 2015, at the
811:'Te Ata' Thompson Fisher"
795:Fitzgerald et al., p. 117
226:Johnston County, Oklahoma
978:Carlile, Glenda (1995).
301:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
134:Bertie (Freund) Thompson
1184:Actresses from Oklahoma
1102:Southwell, Kristina L.
1082:Dynamic Chickasaw Women
1065:Green, Richard (2002).
727:Green, Richard (2006).
384:Dr. George Clyde Fisher
339:, was then governor of
325:educator and performer
84:Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
474:
282:University of Oklahoma
496:Oklahoma Hall of Fame
472:
337:Franklin D. Roosevelt
190:Oklahoma Hall of Fame
186:Franklin D. Roosevelt
43:Mary Frances Thompson
1128:Ware, Susan (2005).
882:The Chickasaw Nation
491:Ladies' Home Journal
488:. She was named the
303:. She then moved to
246:Tishomingo, Oklahoma
112:Actress, Storyteller
565:Douglas H. Johnston
516:Hyde Park on Hudson
440:Douglas H. Johnston
327:Mary Stone McLendon
146:Douglas H. Johnston
122:George Clyde Fisher
1031:Gallagher, Brian.
747:on August 12, 2023
475:
412:Citizen Potawatomi
388:Muskogee, Oklahoma
297:Carnegie Institute
280:to perform at the
275:Performance career
238:Bloomfield Academy
180:known for telling
1115:Wishart, David J.
1091:Smith, Donald B.
1021:978-1-55868-992-3
777:Carlilie, 113-114
530:Q'orianka Kilcher
465:Legacy and honors
396:Eleanor Roosevelt
335:, whose husband,
333:Eleanor Roosevelt
293:Thurlow Lieurance
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455:U.S. Congressman
451:Helen TeAta Cole
318:The Trojan Women
248:, where she was
222:Chickasaw Nation
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178:Chickasaw Nation
152:Helen TeAta Cole
91:Other names
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416:Albert Einstein
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78:(1995-10-25)
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1169:1995 deaths
1164:1895 births
563:Her uncle,
363:, who were
345:White House
291:circuit by
254:Dawes Rolls
124:(1933–1949)
1158:Categories
989:0962821446
665:January 4,
588:References
420:Henry Ford
400:Jim Thorpe
313:Andromache
289:Chautauqua
212:Early life
49:1895-12-03
1056:1538-0750
751:April 24,
540:legacy."
500:Chickasaw
390:, at the
353:Hyde Park
323:Chickasaw
269:Chickasha
263:(now the
230:Chickasaw
202:Chickasaw
139:Relatives
129:Parent(s)
946:Archived
926:Archived
610:"Te Ata"
486:New York
479:McCall's
459:Tom Cole
341:New York
309:Broadway
224:(now in
158:Tom Cole
1117:(ed.).
960:Sources
406:), and
154:(niece)
148:(uncle)
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1018:
986:
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691:Vollan
525:Te Ata
507:Te Ata
174:Te Ata
117:Spouse
67:, U.S.
33:Te Ata
551:Notes
267:) in
234:Māori
1052:ISSN
1016:ISBN
984:ISBN
753:2020
735:ISBN
679:Ware
667:2023
535:The
434:and
359:and
218:Emet
120:Dr.
73:Died
57:Emet
39:Born
897:",
386:in
315:in
299:in
1160::
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206:'
51:)
47:(
20:)
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