Cultural evening celebrates citizens’ vibrant Chickasaw heritage

SULPHUR, Okla. — Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said Chickasaw citizens have diligently sought to keep and pass on an enduring cultural identity. Governor Anoatubby’s remarks were part of the tribe’s cultural evening at the Chickasaw Cultural Center’s Anoli' Theater during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival.

“At the heart of the Chickasaw Nation is a defining and unifying cultural identity that endures, thanks to many who have worked to preserve and pass it onward, and those who carry it forward today,” Governor Anoatubby said.

Governor Anoatubby said the yearly cultural evening event, in particular, highlights what it means to be Chickasaw in a way that maintains its vibrancy.

“Cultural evening is especially important because it provides us the opportunity to celebrate our vibrant Chickasaw heritage and to recognize individuals who have dedicated themselves to ensuring that our culture and traditions remain strong. 

“Our elders, those who have kept our history, our stories, our language and who have fought for our self-determination, we pay our deepest gratitude and respect,” he said. “The current generation who are learning, teaching and preserving our culture, we support and give our continued thanks.”

Governor Anoatubby said the cultural evening gathering helps Chickasaw people reestablish relationships and form new ones, which supports cohesion of the entire Chickasaw Nation. 

“Tonight is also a time to gather with old friends and to welcome and embrace new friends and fellow Chickasaws, to reinforce the bonds of our Chickasaw community,” he said.  

Governor Anoatubby said the event gives evidence of a certain spirit emanating during the entire week of activities.

“This evening, and throughout the week of Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival, we see the strength and power of our unity. We see the evidence of our self-determination, our progress and growth. And we see the results of our unwavering commitment to maintaining the traditions that continue to link our past, our present and our future.

“Within our language, our stories and the arts are the elements of our collective spirit as a people, a spirit that remains unconquered and unconquerable,” Governor Anoatubby said.

He said the cultural evening offers an opportunity to reflect on and give thanks for the importance of long-standing traditions.

“Here, at cultural evening, we take time to enjoy and appreciate how deeply meaningful and vital our traditions are to us as Chickasaws,” he said.

 “We honor our connections with the past and to one another today, and we look forward to an even brighter future, a future where our tribe, our culture and traditions continue to flourish for generations to come. Together, we are building on a foundation that began with those who came before us, so that those who come after us have every opportunity to embrace their Chickasaw heritage and community, just as we are doing right now,” Governor Anoatubby said.

“Your support, your involvement and your contributions are what keep our tribe and our Chickasaw community strong and united,” he said.

A highlight of each year’s cultural evening is the presentation of the Silver Feather Award. The Silver Feather Award was created in 1999 and is bestowed on selected Chickasaw elders who dedicate themselves to the preservation and revitalization of Chickasaw language, culture and lifeways.

Governor Anoatubby said the Silver Feather Award is one of the highest honors presented by the Chickasaw Nation.

“We all share, as Chickasaws, a vibrant cultural heritage, one rich with traditions, language and lifeways that unify and distinguish us as a specific group of people. For centuries, these defining elements have been passed down from generation to generation. It is the duty of each new generation to preserve and share them with the next,” Governor Anoatubby said.

“Those who take on the responsibility, as culture bearers, deserve our deep appreciation.

“Each year we look forward to bestowing it upon an individual who has distinguished themselves through their impactful contributions to preserving and revitalizing Chickasaw culture, language and traditions.

“This evening, we present the 2025 Silver Feather Award to a Chickasaw with a passion for the arts and education, a talented craftsman and preservationist who understands the meaningful connection between our traditions and our cultural identity,” Governor Anoatubby said.

This year’s recipient was Michael Cornelius. Cornelius is the grandson of original enrollee Silas Maytubby. Governor Anoatubby said Cornelius was instilled with an appreciation of his Chickasaw heritage from an early age.

“In his youth, he began learning to make longbows from his uncle,” Governor Anoatubby said. “That formative experience started a lifetime commitment to both crafting traditional cultural objects and sharing his knowledge with others.

“Michael’s belief in the power of education led him to serve as a teacher, counselor, psychologist, academic adviser and other roles at postsecondary, tribal, public and state institutions, spanning three states and four decades,” Governor Anoatubby said.

Upon retiring from his career in education, Cornelius served the Chickasaw Nation, focusing on cultural resources at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, helping others learn and connect with their tribal heritage.

“His dedication to crafting, as well as his love and knowledge of music, have made him an invaluable source of cultural information and connection to our past. As a flute maker, composer and skilled player, Michael is an expert historian and educator of the traditional Chickasaw flute,” Governor Anoatubby said.

Cornelius has performed Native flute concerts across the globe and taught dozens of classes on crafting and playing the instrument.

“As an award-winning craftsman of traditional bows, arrows, drums, jewelry, basketry and various Chickasaw-style weaponry, his work continues to connect us to our ancestors and inspire others to learn traditional crafting techniques,” Governor Anoatubby said. 

“And finally, as a servant leader, lifelong learner and teacher, Michael is an outstanding example of what it means to be a Chickasaw culture bearer,” he said.

Cornelius said he was deeply humbled to receive the honor.

“It is with deep humility and gratitude that I stand before you tonight to accept this Silver Feather Award,” Cornelius said. “To be recognized in this way by community and those who walk the path of cultural preservation is one of the greatest honors of my life.”

Awards were also presented to winners of the Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) during cultural evening.