Historical Overview

The ancestral homelands of the Shawnees are in the northeastern United States. During the 19th century, the tribe was removed by the U.S. Government to what is now the state of Kansas. The group which became known as the Absentee Shawnee Tribe absented itself from the reservation in Kansas in 1845 (thus their name), and traveled southwards to Texas. Eventually they were relocated to Indian Territory ( Oklahoma). The Big Jim Band settled along the Deep Fork River, while the other band settled in its present site near Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 1886, the U.S. Army forced the Big Jim Band to move once again, this time to the site of its present community in Cleveland County.

The Cultural Preservation Department was created to preserve, maintain and protect our traditions, culture and language. Some of the ongoing activities of the Cultural Preservation Department are: the Gift Shop, Demonstration Classes, Language Program, Museum/Exhibits, Resource Center/Archives, Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cemetery Preservation Project.

Staff:

Andy Warrior
Director of Cultural Preservation

Charlene Atwell
Library/
Ast. Gift Shop

George Blanchard
Language Instructor

Alicia Watson
Administrative Asstistant/Gift Shop

Karen Kaniatobe
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Henrietta Ellis
Tribal Historic Preservation Assistant

 

Gift Shop

Visit the AST Gift Shop for many wonderful and unique native handcrafted items!

Gift Shop Hours:
M-F/8am-5pm
Closed from 12-1pm for Lunch.

  

Demonstration Classes

Photo of July 2004 Yarn Belt ClassA variety of classes are offered throughout the year. Visit the announcements site for a list of upcoming classes or contact our office: (405) 275-4030 x124 or x148.

 

LANGUAGE PROGRAM

Language classes are held Monday and Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30pm at Brendle Corner. Learn to speak Shawnee while visiting with your fellow Shawnees!

Classes also include discussion on traditional Shawnee beliefs and customs.

TRIBAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE (THPO)

The THPO identifies and maintains inventories of culturally significant properties, nominates properties to the national and tribal registers of historic places, conducts Section 106 reviews of Federal agency projects on tribal trust and ancestral lands, and provides educational programs on the importance of preserving culturally significant sites and landscapes. One of the major projects of the THPO is the Cemetery Preservation Project.

CEMETERY PRESERVATION PROJECT

The aim of the Cemetery Preservation Project is to collect information on unmarked Absentee Shawnee gravesites to ensure that they are left undisturbed from human or construction activity. The Cultural Data Coordinator also assists the THPO in Section 106 reviews of Federal agency projects on tribal and ancestral lands.