Oklahoma, Native America Heritage

Oklahoma, Native America Heritage

General overview

Situated in the south eastern region of the United States of America, Oklahoma’s name comes from Choctaw language, okla and humma, which means “red people”. The largest city and the capital of the state is Oklahoma City. One of the most famous attractions of the Oklahoma City is Myriad Botanical Gardens with its Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory is basically a living museum as it preserves various exotic tropical plants and animals. An important producer of natural gas and oil, with significant developments in agriculture and one of the aviation and telecommunication centers in the USA, Oklahoma’s economy is considered as being one of the fastest growing economies in the USA.

Nature and outdoor activities

The continental climate of Oklahoma has created ideal conditions for a diverse and, at the same time, unique natural beauty. Over 55 state parks, national parks and protected forests welcome a nature wanderer with the most exciting landscapes. Camping in one of the national parks or canoeing, kayaking or rafting on Illinois River in Tahlequah are two interesting options one have for outdoor activities in Oklahoma. Also you may choose between biking in along Arkansas River in Tulsa's River Parks or you may opt for a hiking or mountain trekking in Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. On this occasion you will be absolutely amazed to watch wildlife happening in front of your eyes: buffalos, spot bison, birds and prairie dogs living in their natural habitat. Little Sahara State Park or Lake Murray State Park gives you the chance to drive an ATV through the sands of Oklahoma’s dunes. If nostalgia of an ancestral desire to be closer to nature starts to bother you, then you may choose for agro tourism in Oklahoma and learn all sort of old-new things, from how to ride a horse or how to milk a cow to how to recognize and pick wild berries.

Cultural diversity

One of the most amazing things about Oklahoma is its cultural diversity. In its territory there live 67 Native American tribes out of which 39 were federally recognized. Also, apart from English there are 25 spoken languages in Oklahoma. If you want to understand a little the Native American culture, you definitely have to join a powwow or a traditional celebration. The Red Earth Festival is one of the most famous festivals supporting Native Americans’ culture, crafts and arts and gather representatives of over 100 tribes from all over North America. Oklahoma State Fair and Tulsa State Fair gather near one million participants each year. Carpenter Square Theatre, Oklahoma City Theatre Company and Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park are popular theaters in Oklahoma City. While in Tulsa, and feeling like enjoying an acting performance you can go to Theater Tulsa or Heller Theatre. With a heritage of more than 300 museums, there is absolutely no doubt that Oklahoma has a rich and generous cultural offer. Fine art Philbrook Museum of Tulsa is listed within the first 50 fine art museums in the USA while Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman, is preserving dinosaur skeletons as proof of a long disappeared ancient world.