60th Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting going virtual

This article appeared in the September 2020 edition of the Chickasaw Times

ADA, Okla. - Governor Bill Anoatubby has announced the Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival will be conducted virtually this year. Events are set to begin Sept. 26 and culminate with the “State of the Nation” address at 9 a.m., Oct. 3 during the virtual Annual Meeting.

“Due to the ongoing pandemic, and for the safety of our citizens and communities, we will be celebrating this year’s Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival virtually,” Gov. Anoatubby said. “For the first time, our Annual Meeting and Festival will be provided in a virtual format. This will provide an opportunity for more Chickasaws than ever to experience and enjoy the culture, heritage and progress from the safety of their homes.”

A series of events and cultural demonstrations will be hosted virtually via an online format throughout the celebratory week. These include cultural classes and demonstrations, history presentations, the presentation of the Dynamic Woman of the Year Award and Silver Feather Award, and the SEASAM art market.

Traditional activities of the Chickasaw Princesses have been curtailed due to the pandemic. The current princesses will retain their titles through the upcoming year.

“In order to provide them with more opportunities to serve our Nation, our current princesses will retain their titles and serve as ambassadors of the Chickasaw Nation for yet another year,” Gov. Anoatubby said. “We thank our princesses for agreeing to continue their service and for their great work in this time of uncertainty.”

The band competition and parade normally conducted the day of Annual Meeting will not take place this year.

For information regarding the Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival events and schedules, visit AnnualMeeting.Chickasaw.net. Broadcasts of various activities will be available on KCNP Community Radio and at KCNP.org.

Additional information is also available on Chickasaw Nation social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.