Film to Profile Famous Native-American Storyteller Te Ata Fisher
Most family trees contain a famous ancestor somewhere along the branches of time. But how many of us can say we are directly related to one of the most famous and prolific Native-American storytellers of the 20th century?
That’s a claim two Holly Creek residents can proudly make. First cousins Taloah Thorpe and Dorothy Powell are the nieces of Te Ata Fisher, a member of the Chickasaw Nation who entertained President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King George VI of Britain through song, dance and storytelling. The current movie, “The King’s Speech” is based on George VI.
Born in 1895, Te Ata, which means “Bearer of the Morning” in Chickasaw, spent much of her 99 years telling the stories and folklore of her people to local and worldwide audiences.
Te Ata shared her gift of storytelling on the Chautauqua circuit in the 1920s – a lecture circuit used by entertainers, politicians and religious leaders before the advent of widespread radio broadcasts. Her marriage in 1933 to Clyde Fisher, a naturalist and eventual curator of the Haden Planetarium, brought her into the elite social circles of New York. That same year, Te Ata performed at President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first state dinner. That same decade, she toured Europe and performed for royal families and heads of state.
In early January, a Chickasaw Nation documentary film crew travelled to Holly Creek to interview Taloah and Dorothy on their recollections of Te Ata.
“We are trying to interview all of Te Ata’s living relatives and acquaintances in order to tell the story of this remarkable woman,” said documentary producer Joey Lansdale.
“It wasn’t until high school when I realized the significance and importance of my aunt,” said Taloah. “Traditional American-Indian life was a beautiful life, and my aunt educated many people about our ways through stories, songs and dance.”
According to Lansdale, Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby has been instrumental in making Te Ata’s documentary possible.
“Governor Anoatubby has been a champion of this project since day one and his support helped make this documentary possible,” said Landsdale.
Lansdale plans on interviewing 12 more people this year, as well as reviewing film and photos of Te Ata’s performances. When finished, the documentary will be made available to public broadcasting stations and The History Channel. The Chickasaw Nation is also planning a motion picture on Te Ata, with hopes of production beginning this year.
“My aunt wanted me to follow in her footsteps and also become a storyteller, but there is only one Te Ata,” said Taloah. “She was an inspiration to everyone she met, from heads of state to the little girls who called her aunt.”
According to Taloah, which means “Song Bird” in Chickasaw, both she and her cousin Dorothy did follow in their aunt’s footsteps.
“Dorothy has a wonderful imagination and was a great creative writer,” she said. “I think she got that from Te Ata. I attended the Oklahoma College for Women, which is the same university Te Ata attended. She instilled in me the value of education and sharing knowledge to improve the lives of others.”
Story submitted by Chuck Montera
