MARUAWE!- WELCOME!
A COMANCHE FAMILY WEB SITE!
WELCOME TO OUR VIP PAGE
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND GIVING THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES TO HELP OTHERS ESPECIALLY OUR NATIVE PEOPLE,THE REAL HERO'S
DOC TATE NEVAQUAYA
Doc Tate Nevaquaya brought national honor to the state of Oklahoma in 1986, by becoming the first Oklahoman to win the National Heritage Fellowship Award. Given by the National Endowment for the Arts, the award honored Doc as a "flutist and master of traditional arts." He is equally well known for his paintings.
A full-blooded Comanche, Doc was born in 1932 in Apache, Oklahoma. His parents died eight months apart when he was 13 and he spent his teenage years living with his grandparents, listening to the stories of the tribal elders.
Also, his oldest brother, who was working, assumed the role of a motivating parent. He brought home crayons and a tablet for Doc and encouraged him to draw the nearby Wichita Mountains -- "Something my teachers didn't approve of," admits the artist with a smile.
Ironically, at Fort Sill Indian School where Doc was a student, government policies forbidding portrayals of Indian culture as "pagan" had been reversed. Traditional Indian Art was now a part of thr curriculum, and students were discouraged from pursuing other areas like landscape painting.
So Doc avoided taking art classes in school. "I wanted to be free from that, to paint what I felt within, he explains. Whenever he got a chance, he would sketch the rugged Slick Hills by the farm, complete with rocks and cedars and horses which, for him, were part of the landscape.
At the same time, Doc went out of his way to view all the traditional art that he could, and contributed his own artwork to posters and the school yearbook.
After graduating from high school, he began sketching at home. Doc exhibited and sold his first work at Indian City in Anadarko, Oklahoma. During the 1950's he began to concentrate on painting. He has since become and accomplished painter, winning numerous awards for his work. Art critic Ralph Oliver said his works are "characterized by amazing and technical control, exquisite color and a mastery of detail."
It was also during the 1950s that Doc first became interested in Indian flutes. In the 1960s he began researching the Indian flute in earnest. Because none of the Indian music is written, much of it is lost. Doc researched the flute construction and playing techniques at the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution collections and has copies of recordings made in the late 1800s by elders of various tribes. He often listens to them while he paints and bases his music on the recordings.
In the 1970s, the Metropolitan Museum of Art came to Apache and did a documentary about Doc and his flutes. Charles Kuralt has visited him for CBS. He has appeared with Roy Clark and Mel Tillis, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In 1982 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., he performed with Loretta Lynn, Wayne Newton and Sammy Davis, Jr. during "A Night of the First Americans." He has appeared at the Smithsonian Institution, as well as in concerts and lectures throughout Europe and the Far East. He has released two important recordings, "Indian Flute Songs from Comanche Land" and "Comanche Flute Music" currently being released under the title of "Legends Are Forever" available on compact disc.
After Doc received the National Heritage Fellowship Award, he received letters of recognition and congratulations from former President Reagan, Oklahoma Senator David Boren and others. The Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma the second Friday in October as Doc Tate Nevaquaya Day. The American Indian Support Society of the Washington D.C. area honored him with a recepition at the Capitol Building and also honored him as their special guest at their annual pow-wow. He has most recently been awarded a honor that only three people in the history of Oklahoma statehood have received, an "Oklahoma Treasure."
Yet suprisingly, these awards and honors have wrought little change in Doc Tate's lifestyle. Up until his passing on Tuesday, March 5, 1996, he painted at home, on a table in his bedroom, and appropriately enough, whenever he suffered from "creative block," he picked up the flute and played.
Doc Tate's paintings remained quite affordable - remarkably so for an artist of his stature - right up to his passing, but he took pride in knowing that they were gragually making their way around the globe. Even to this day over 11 years after his death, his originals can be found from time to time for well below what their true value is.
Doc Tate Nevaquaya was truly a man of many talents. Oklahoma is indeed fortunate to call him a citizen and treasure of our state.
KRISTORPHER WERMY
COMANCHE HERO
For hundreds of years the Comanche Indians were feared by the Mexicans, the white settlers, and even other Indian tribes which were the victims of their raids. They were a proud and fierce Indian war society.Today in the year 2008 Comanches are feared on the battle fields of Afghanistan! Kristorpher Wermy a modern day Comanche war hero has carried our Comanche tradition of being one of the armys best fighters,He has proven himself on the battlefield.
Kristopher is the grandson of my uncle Glenn & Roberta Wermy,Also the son of Little Agnes wermy all from Clinton Oklahoma.We are proud of you!
Other Comanche war heros who are Kristopher,s grandfathers and relatives,Now we will add Kristophers name to the list of Wermy,s who have served their Country.
| WERMY, BILLY F. CPL USA 1951-56 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, BILLY J. CPL USA 1950-53 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, DONALD JR. SN USN 1946-48 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, FRED WERHEVAH SSGT USMC | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, GEORGE W. SP4 USA 1969-70 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, GLEN SN USN 1953-57 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, RAPLH SFC USA 1950-71 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WERMY, THOMAS. World War I | |||||||||||||||||||
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WERMY, THOMPSON World War I WERMY, GEORGE SFC-VIETNAM KRISTOPHER, WERMY USA-MORTAR SPECIALIST AFGHANISTAN 2006-2008
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The Tahchawwickah,s
VIP
OUR GOOD FRIEND DR DAVID A YEAGLEY
COMANCHE COMPOSER
BIOGRAPHY
David A. Yeagley was born in Oklahoma City. He is a direct descendent of Bad Eagle (quin-ne kish-su-it), headman of a Antelope (kwerharenu) Comanche band (1839-1909). Yeagley is an enrolled member of the Comanche Tribe, Lawton, Oklahoma.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin Conservatory of Music; a Master of Divinity from Yale University; a Master of Arts from Emory University; an Artist Diploma from Hartt School of Music; and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Arizona. He was a special student (doctoral level) at Harvard, in American Studies.
Yeagley is a classically trained pianist, composer, and lyricist. He has created a new system of harmonic organization, and presented it in a formal lecture in Israel, 1998. There his duet for oboe and bassoon, exemplifying the new tonality, was premiered. Yeagley has written a grand opera based on the story of Jack Eisner, a Holocaust survivor. He has written for solo guitar, Indian flute, chamber groups, voice, and orchestra.
Dr. Yeagley has studied religion, literature, and history. He has written many scholarly research papers, book-length manuscripts, and also epic poetry and fiction. He has written works on Christology, biblical studies, literary criticism (specializing in Poe and Hawthorne), and musicology.
I had the opportunity to talk with David about our Comanche people,David has a very deep concern for the welfare of his Comanche people,David also express his concerns to me that he will be more involved with his tribal goverment.David also wants to use his education and musical degrees to help educate his Comanche people.All these years David has been in the mainstrem of society obtaining his Education,but he's never forgot about his Comanche roots.
Thank you David for sharing a little about your Comanche people,we look forward to working with you on this 1920's film,Thanks for all you do in helping your Comanche people.
Sincerely, Nick Tahchawwickah
The following article (with photo) appeared in the May issue of The Comanche Nation News, p.26. This newspaper is not current online, so the article is here reproduced for public viewing.
Comanche Composer Commissioned To Write Symphonic Score for Silent Film
News Staff
In December of 2007, the Oklahoma Historical Society commissioned Comanche composer Dr. David A. Yeagley to write the music for a 1920 silent film entitled “Daughter of Dawn.” Yeagley writes symphonic music, and he was commissioned to write a symphonic score for the movie. Yeagley is the first American Indian to be professionally commissioned to write a movie score. The full-length (80 minute) score will be recorded by a professional symphony and released on the DVD of the film. It will also be released as a separate sound track CD.
Dr. David Yeagley. Photo by SKY, 2008
The film, Daughter of Dawn, was made by Norbert Miles, assisted by Charles Simone. It is based on legend and fiction put together in a story by R. E. Banks, who is identified as a person who “lived among the Indians” for twenty-five years. This implies that Banks knew the sons of the free warriors. The Oklahoma Historical Society purchased the film from a private owner. The movie was never released in Hollywood, but instead has remained obscure for a century now. Plans are to release a DVD with music sound track within a year.
The film is an Indian story, and the actors are all Indian. There are Comanche and Kiowa Indians alive today who are the descendents and family of actors in the movie. Saupitty, Lebarr, Toyebo, Cozad, Yellow Wolf, and Parker are among the names of the families represented in the film. It is the first full-length feature using all Indian actors, and portrays an Indian story. It was filmed in the Wichita Mountains, and includes an actual herd of buffalo and a hunt. The Indians ride bare-back, of course, and their clothing and mannerisms are surely authentic. 1920 is not far removed from the days of the free warriors. There are various historical aspects of the movie still being researched by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Yeagley hopes to introduce the film first to the families of the Indian actors. The plan is to have a private showing to the families and the tribal leaders. The film is historical, and deserves to be considered quite seriously.
"It is the Comanche people who have right to know about this project, and who have a right to endorse it," said Yeagley.
The film and the music will be produced regardless. Therefore, it is important that the Comanche people now be given the opportunity to claim what is rightfully theirs. Ownership of the actual film is not the purpose here, but permanent name association.
Here is a list of some of the actores involved. These people have living relatives today among the Comanche and Kiowa. We hope to develop a relationship with them all, and at some point meet with all of them together.
List of Actors and their roles:
White Parker White Eagle
Ester Lebarr Daughter of Dawn
Jack Sankadoty Black Wolf
Alice Apekum extra, Kiowa woman (friend of Red Wing)
Hunting Horse Chief of Kiowa, father of Daughter of Dawn
(Old Man Horse)
Old Man Skinny extra
Wanada Parker Red Wing (lives in Kiowa camp)
Ella Apekum extra, (Kiowa woman, friend of Red Wing)
Saupitty Old Man Saupitty (man in Comanche Camp)
Oscar Yellow Wolf extra, Comanche warrior
Belo Cozad Big Bear, Chief of the Comanche
Slim Toyebo extra (man in Comanche camp)
Old Lady Sunrise extra, old Comanche woman, guard of captive Daughter
As a side note, I will say that I new nothing about the existence of this film until the last week in November, 2007. I signed the contract December 12, 2007.
I understand that there were other Indians who, somehow, already knew of the film, and anxiously tried to procure the rights to compose the music, but their music was not chosen.
Someone introduced my name to the Oklahoma Historical Society, apparently in November, and I was interviewed in early December. I knew nothing about the film, or the efforts to create a sound track. On the basis of my European recordings (with the Polish National Radio Symphony, the Kiev Philharmonic, and the Moravian Philharmonic--my Phoenix Symphony debut of Wessi vah-peh was in January, 2008), I was selected to compose symphonic music for the background music to the movie.
That's the simple story.
My friend Nick Tahchawwickah, together with William Voelker Chairman of NAGPRA, Oklahoma) and other tribal office holders are trying to make sure that the Indian people directly involved in the making of this 1920 silent film are fully informed and participating in the endorsement of this classic, historical film.
My personal goal is to see the name "Comanche Nation" on the label, on the DVD, the final product. Yes, I would invite the Comanche people to vote on any sort of financial participation they may want to make in the production of the DVD. (A professional symphony orchestra must record the 80 minute, non-stop music score. This is a tremendous undertaking.) I want to see the tribal name in print, on the label and on the DVD. It's our people in that film.
There are Kiowa people in the film, too. It in fact is a story that involved a Kiowa band and a Comanche band. Guess who the antagonists are?
MORE ON THE FILM
The Daughter of Dawn, a 1920 Silent Film from the Bad Eagle Journal
The Daughter of Dawn is a silent movie made in 1920. It is the first full length movie of an American Indian story, and that uses all American Indian actors. In December, 2007, I was commissioned (hired) to write a symphonic score for the sound track of this historical film. The Oklahoma Historical Society owns the film, which has remained in obscurity for nearly a century. It was never released, but fell into private hands soon after its making. It was filmed in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma, and involves Comanche and Kiowa Indians. The story is part legand and part fiction, and includes all the major aspects of Indian life that form today's image of the old days. These aspects include a buffalo hunt (probably the first in a movie using real Indians!), dancing, a brawl (between Indians), and of course, a love story involving a test of courage. The only thing it doesn't have is the US Cavalry--thank the eagles for that one! Being filmed in 1920, in black and white, there are living relatives of the actors among the Comanche today. In the film, there are elderly people, as well as younger people. The elderly, in 1920, are from the wild, free days. This is an awesome thing. A person of but fifty years, in the movie, was alive in 1870--before the last of the free Comanche surrendered at Ft. Sill. A person 60 years old, in the movie, would have been living during the last of the wars. This is incredible. There are several elderly people pictured in this movie. The film is still being researched. You can see the Indians' way of dressing, their style of conversing (lots of sign language, and the use of incessant hand gestures--something Comanche were famous for), and above all, their style of horse riding. No saddles. No metal in the bridles. It is rather impressive, to say the least. Now, one may ask, what kind of music am I writing for such a film? I'm not imitating pow-wow songs. I'm not using any historical, authentic songs still sung among elderly Comanche, either. I was asked to write a symphonic score. I was commissioned to write for full orchestra. This is a major, classical music effort. This is not a pop music score. This is not about sound effects or cartoon entertainment music. This is first rate symphonic music. That's why I was hired. That was the purpose I was hired for, I should say. There were others, I understand, who attempted to procure the commission long before I even knew the film existed. The simple truth is, I was contacted by the Oklahoma Historical Society in late November, 2008, and signed the contract December 12. I knew absolutely nothing before that. I have recently found out that some Indians have heard about the existence of this film for years. (Of course they have. There are living relatives of the actors among us!) So, the expectations are growing intense, now that the word is out. I shall be finished with some 160 pages of the orchestral score in early June. After that point, we will look for a conductor and a first rate symphony to record the 80 minute score. For people interested in my style of symphonic composing, all I can say is this: you may purchase CDs of my recordings in stores, or order them. I think my best work to date is "HaNitzol," for oboe solo and orchestra. This piece has been recorded twice, once by the Polish National Radio Symphony (Meir Kadichevsky, oboist), and once by the Kiev Philharmonic, (Volodymyr Koval, oboist). David Oberg conducted the Polish Symphony, and Robert Winstin the Kiev Philharmonic. Now, I do a lot of different things in the Indian movie score, naturally. However, the palate of harmonic venues is my own devising, and that's really what's original. But, an 80 minute, non-stop orchestral score for a movie is also pretty unique, according to my printer. He's pulling what's left of his hair out trying to finish what I hand to him. I must say, I thought I would be finished April. I forgot about the change of seasons, lawn work, house cleaning, etc. Right after I started writing, in December, 2007, we had a ice storm here in Oklahoma, and I was using candle light for a week! Then, more recently, I ran out of manuscript paper! The company that prints the paper suddenly stopped printing it. Luckly, after 135 pages, I still had two blank sheets, and I ran off to Kinko's to make more manuscript paper. (I think Kinko's should be listed in the credits of the movie.) A couple a car breakdowns, medical problems, and now my eyes are getting weak. I had to up the lense caliber. So, great projects are met with great obstacles, or so it always seems. BadEagle.com will keep you informed as the film project progresses THANK YOU DR YEAGLEY FOR BEING OUR VIP QUAHADA!
LOWERY BEGAY-NAVAJO NATION
We met Lowery at the Indian market in Arlington Texas,What makes Lowery our VIP is that he is a professional Native musician and world Champion dancer. After the show, we had the opportunity to talk with Lowery,He loves his Native people and said he is proud of his Navajo Culture and Heritage.Lowery is teaching the native youth the taditional way's.Thank you Lowery for going above and beyond,you're our VIP!
OUR GOOD FRIEND AND
VIP!
LOWERY BEGAY
Lowery Begay, a member of the Navajo tribe, is an internationally known Native American dancer, artist, and musician.
LOWERY BEGAY EAGLE DANCE
INDIAN MARKET ARLINGTON TEXAS
DEYA TAHCHAWWICKAH AND LOWERY BEGAY
NAVAJO NAVAJO
LOWERY -FANCY DANCING
LOWERY -HOOP DANCE
you tube clip-Lowery hoop dancing
THANK YOU LOWERY FOR BEING OUR VIP
OUR FRIEND
DR AC ROSS NATIVE AMERICAN AUTHOR
Dr. Ross has lead and is leading a very full and interesting life. His second book, Ehanamani "Walks Among" chronolizes not only his family history, but his life as well. We can all learn when we look at his world experiences through his eyes and his uncanny insight of people and his solutions to world problems.
THANK YOU DR ROSS FOR BEING OUR VIP
THIRZA DEFOE
We are honored to have Thirza as our family friend,also our VIP 2008 .We met Thirza at the Arlington Texas Indian Market where she performed her Hoop and Eagle dance,Thank you Thirza for being our special guest and family friend.
THIRZA
Thirza Defoe (Giizhiigoquay), a performer from the Ojibwe and
Thirza's repertoire consists of performances at the 2002 Grammy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre and the 2002 Native American Music Awards (NAMMYS) were she danced with contemporary Native American recording artists, Brule. Her many years as an accomplished hoop and eagle dancer have awarded her recognition in both the native community and throughout the world. In 1992, she danced in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Games in
The art of traditional storytelling and knowledge of the Ojibwe language was passed down to Thirza by her Ojibwe grandmother. She shares her culture and it's history through performances and presentations to students in elementary schools, high schools and colleges throughout the
Thirza is well versed in music, theater and dance. Her acting credits include the starring role and narrator in People of the Forest (PBS educational documentary), Helena in Midsummer Night's Dream, and most recently, Sacajawea in Stone Heart at the Autry Native Voices and a principal role in the independent film, Road Reps. As a versatile performer she played a young girl in Susan Lori-Parks', In the Blood along with composing and performing the soundtrack. Other credits include One Tribe Many Nations, a children's book that highlights Thirza. When not performing, she can be found pursuing her other interests: photography, playing guitar, writing, snowboarding and mentoring young native playwrights with the
In May 2004 Thirza graduated from the world-renowned, California Institute of the Arts were she received her B.F.A. in Theatre. Later that year, She was awarded the First Americans in the Arts Scholarship for students pursuing careers in acting and the Indigenous Heritage Festival award in the category of Performing Arts. This award is given to artists who have made a major positive impact on indigenous people and issues of the world. She is an artist-in-residence with the
PICTURES TAKEN WITH THIRZA
AT THE ARLINGTON INDIAN MARKET
THIRZA TINA
THIRZA DEYA
THIRZA JUST FINISHED HER HOOP DANCE,STANDING WITH TINA
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIRZA PLEASE VISIT
