Announcements & Events

March 7 & 8 is Native Heritage Night! This is your chance to catch a Oklahoma Warriors hockey match. Tickets are FREE with CDIB card. Games are played at OKC Blazers ICE Centre, 8000 S I-35 Service, Road in OKC at 7 PM.

Due to inclement weather, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe will be closed Tuesday February 18,  Wednesday February 19 and Thursday February 20 2025.

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe will be closed Wednesday February 12 2025 due to inclement weather.

Miss, Jr. Miss, and Little Miss Indian Oklahoma City applications now open! Interested in becoming the next Miss/Jr. Miss/Little Miss Indian OKC? - Contact them for an application by email to changingwindscs@gmail.com or apply online, https://link.edgepilot.com/s/6ef71995/0a_invJaDEWd4JXTzoArcw?u=https://missindianokc.org/ Whether you have a passion for cultural heritage, a talent you wish to showcase, or a desire to make new friends and memories, this is a wonderful opportunity for you. Each category offers a unique chance to grow and shine among peers who share similar interests. If you or someone you know fits the age criteria and is interested in participating, we encourage you to apply. We look forward to celebrating the achievements and talents of young Native women and fostering a supportive and empowering environment for all participants. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to be part of something truly special!

Lewis “Sonny” George Snake was born February 10, 1943 to Lewis Snake and Elizabeth “Betty” Ann (Middleton) Sales in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He passed from this life January 10, 2025, at his home in Shawnee, at the age of 81. After high school Sonny joined the United States Army. While in the military he served as a Sergeant Major in the Green Berets, an Army Special Forces Unit. Military awards he received include Expert (Rifle M-1); Marksman (Rifle M-14 & Carbine Caliber 30); Sharpshooter (Carbines & Rifle); National Defense Service Medal (10 Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Commendation Medal; Bronze Star Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Korean Service Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (1st Class); Good Conduct Medal (7th Award); Meritorious Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; Master Parachute Badge; Vietnam Parachute Badge; 3 Oversea Bars (Indicating 54 months or 4.5 years of Military Service Overseas – 18 months for each bar); 7 Service Stripes (Indicates 21-23 years of Honorable Service). Other awards and achievements include Certificate of Recognition from the United States Black Belt Federation to Certify that: Snake’s Moo Duk Kwan Association and Snake’s Moo Duk Kwan Karate Do, under the leadership of Lewis George Snake, are fully recognized and duly recorded as a Sogo Budo Ryu in the registry of the United States Black Belt Federation. Received 10th Degree Black Belt and Title of Hanshi (Master) in the Discipline of Snake’s Moo Duk Kwan Karate Do by the United States Black Belt Federation. After retiring from Tinker, he became a private investigator and worked in security. Sonny married Marion “Kay” Hensley on February 19, 2005. He liked doing crossword puzzles, he enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune, and Friends, and older TV shows like Andy Griffith, Leave It To Beaver, Happy Days, and Cheers. He really enjoyed playing the game “Super Mario Brothers” on the Nintendo with his late wife, Kay. He enjoyed seeing the “Great Archway,” in St. Louis and “Graceland,” the home of Elvis Presley. His greatest achievement was his children, becoming a Master of Martial Arts, and his military service as a Green Beret in the United States Army. He was a member of the United States Black Belt Federation, Member of the Masonic Lodge of Freemasonry, and a member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marion “Kay”; grandson, Taylor “Lew” Lewis, and several aunts and uncles he was raised and grew up with in Texas. Those left to cherish his memory are his children: Danny and Terrie Sullivan; Raymond Sullivan; Barry and Pam Snake; Gerald Snake; Brandi and Charles “Chuck” Lewis; Stewart and Tyann Snake; Amber Snake and Scott Roden; Julia and Jimmy Horn; and Yolanda and Chris Cullison; numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe will be closed Monday, January 20, 2025 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

AST Native Connections is seeking Native painting instructors to guide our Native youth, ideally during the month of February. If interested contact vscarberry@astribe.com  

The Executive Committee of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, in accordance with the Constitution, Article XVI, Section 3, “Executive Committee Meetings” here by calls and declares public notice that the REGULAR meeting of the Executive Committee of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 10 AM at the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Complex in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Misty McGirt, Tribal Secretary Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma Dated this 3rd day of January 2025.