Southeastern officially dedicates “The Two Brothers” in collaboration with Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations on Ittibapishi Tuklo Nittak

In spite of unseasonably hot conditions, a massive crowd assembled at Legacy Plaza on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Friday, October 4, for the official dedication of "The Two Brothers".

The over 1,700-pound bronze sculpture was created by Southeastern alumna Jane Semple Umsted, a renowned Choctaw artist from Durant. The collaborative project between Southeastern, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and the Chickasaw Nation was created to symbolize the ever-present synergy between the university and sovereign tribal nations as they work for the greater success of the region.

The ceremony opened with an invocation from Stacy Shepherd, a Southeastern Distinguished Alumna and executive officer of member services at the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

The Southeastern Student Government Association then issued a proclamation delivered by Student Senator Alexander Robinson, a Choctaw student from Bokchito. The 104^th Legislature of the Student Government Association proclaimed it to be Ittibapishi Tuklo Nittak, or "Two Brothers Day", on the Southeastern campus.

Jane McDermott - chair of the board of regents of the Regional University System of Oklahoma, which was meeting on the Southeastern campus during the week - thanked the students, university, and tribes for their contributions to the state and region.

"Southeastern is the crown jewel of Southeastern Oklahoma, and we're so proud of you, and we're proud to be here today. One of the many strengths of a multi-campus system is the ability to collaborate together, to move things forward, to become partners in progress for our great state of Oklahoma. This is very similar today to the great collaboration between the two sovereign nations behind me," McDermott noted.

Umsted then thanked the assembled crowd and told the story and importance of "The Two Brothers".

"We were one tribe historically, and it is a fact that we're two tribes today. But I can't think of any two tribes that are any closer than these two tribes. I cannot think of any two tribes that have stayed together, been more powerful and more effective together than the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes," Umsted said.

"I believed so strongly that this story needed to be told and it needed to be told in 1,700 pounds of bronze that's standing right here that's going to be here forever. They'll be here longer than any of these buildings. It will be here forever. It's not going to go anywhere. It represents strength and power and most of all the relationship between these brothers and how it's played out all of these years later."

Chickasaw Governor Bill Anoatubby was gracious enough to make time during the busy Chickasaw Festival week to travel to Durant and offer remarks of thanks and what the sculpture's presence on campus means to his nation and the University.

"This legend about Chiksa' and Chahta has been passed down from one generation to another. And we've never seen the two brothers together," Anoatubby said. "We've heard the stories and we've kept it alive. We were brothers then, we're brothers now. We have worked together on many, many different projects, and we have each other's backs.

"We've had a long working relationship with Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and there's been a lot of partnerships - we've had a lot of shared goals. There's been collaborative efforts to provide educational opportunities for First American students. Whether it be bricks and mortar or whether it be helping with different academic programs, it's been a very close working relationship, and we will continue that relationship. At the Chickasaw Nation, we do believe in education. I know the same holds true for the Choctaw Nation. It's one of the one things that we can do for our people that will help them to be successful in life."

Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma - himself a Distinguished Alumnus of Southeastern - spoke of the importance of collaboration and educational access to his nation.

"We have gone different directions, but we have stayed unified in spirit. Governor Anoatubby and myself, are always about our people, we're always about our communities, we're all about our state, we're about the United States of America, and our impact on the world.

"One of the things we did when we first came across the Trail of Tears is we, in the Choctaw Nation, we built churches, and we built our schoolhouses. And so that's the reason why Southeastern Oklahoma State University, - not only because I went here - but them and all the other institutions will always be important to us. We do believe [education] is the key to success. The last number, I have, we sent over 11,000 Choctaw students to college. That's so important to us and the legacies that we want to leave behind. A lot of times I hope that I'm just living out the vision that our ancestors set before us many, many years ago when they signed that Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek."

The Southeastern Legacy Fund was established to fund Legacy Scholarships, create the Legacy Plaza - which is the location of "The Two Brothers", and support the Vision 2040 Strategic Plan. More information can be found at www.SELegacy.org.

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