Drummond envisions stronger ties between tribal nations and Oklahoma
Last month, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his run for Governor. The 61-year-old Republican made his announcement on his ranch in Pawhuska. So far, he’s the only person to announce his candidacy to replace Governor Kevin Stitt – who he has been at odds with over several issues including tribal sovereignty and the ability to represent the state in the face of a gaming compact lawsuit. Osage News spoke with Drummond about issues facing Osages and Osage County.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited lightly for clarity.
Osage News: Have you always wanted to run for Governor?
Gentner Drummond: When I was 14 my grandfather said, “Gentner you’re the oldest of 65 in your generation and I would like you to serve in the military, raise your family and when they’re all gone come back and be governor.”
So, I have fulfilled as much as I can of that directive and served in the military eight years as a fighter pilot. Fought in the Gulf War and after all six children were through college and established in their respective careers did, I turn to the state elected office. And I thought it appropriate to begin as an AG because I was qualified … learn more of the intricacies of state government, and as a more prepared candidate to run for governor.
Osage News: The Osage Nation recently filed for relief from the Irby ruling – the 2010 decision that said the Osage Nation’s reservation has been disestablished. They’ve since renewed their efforts to have recognition since the McGirt decision. What is your opinion on that?
Drummond: I’m happy to address that.
Osage Nation Attorney General Clint Patterson and I had a conversation before the tribe made that application and we talked through it and he said, “You know, the tribal nation respects you and your attitude toward Native America. I’m going to give you the courtesy of this decision.”
He said, “I know fully well that as the chief law officer for the state you’ll have to defend the state’s position.” I respect that and I made a pact with Clint that I would do that but I would do that in a manner that’s honorable and brings honor to both sides. So, this is not an attack on the sovereignty of the Osage tribal nation. I do believe that the law is settled. I do believe in the case of the Osage that the jurisdictional boundaries have been dissolved – from just a strict legal position. I believe that Irby was rightly decided. I fully respect and acknowledge the sovereignty of the Osage Nation and will always take steps and actions consistent with it, notwithstanding the jurisdictional boundary issue.
Osage News: The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently decided that you cannot take over the lawsuit over the gaming compacts that were signed in 2020 by the Governor. Stitt said you lack authority over it and he has hired outside counsel. Assuming the lawsuit was still going on and if you were to become Governor, what is your opinion on that?
Drummond: So, interestingly the way that decision was rendered by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, I still have a seat at the table. I will still be in the D.C. Circuit Court, and I will say to the D.C. Circuit Judge that the Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled twice against the Governor on these compacts. They are invalid compacts. So, the tribes are correct.
Osage News: There has been a lot of distrust between the tribal nations and Oklahoma Gov. Stitt over the car tag and tobacco compacts and other issues. How will you use your office to mend those relationships if you are elected Some tribal leaders feel this is the most anti-Indigenous Governor they can remember.
Drummond: I would agree with that observation. I don’t understand the Governor’s animus toward Native American tribes. What distinguishes Oklahoma from the other states is we have 39 robust Native American tribes. Nobody has what we have at the degree of sophistication that we have. So if you look to the Osage Nation – it is an economic and social force of good for Oklahoma. Everybody in the state of Oklahoma benefits when the Osage Nation is strong and vibrant, and I am supportive of that.
When you look at this economic strength of the several of the tribes – including the Osages, you juxtapose that to the 1980s when these publicly traded companies left Tulsa and Oklahoma City and Bartlesville for Houston. We will never see a day when the Osage Nation says I’m tired of being in Oklahoma. I’m going to move to Texas or South Carolina or California. The state of Oklahoma has the surety and the benefit of having the Osage Nation into perpetuity. And why we as a state don’t partner with our tribal partners is anathema to me. So, I see a future as Governor where twofold: One, we have an omnibus agreement between tribe and state that covers everything so that the negotiators for the Osage Nation, more particularly the Tax Commission – which has been in my office twice already with the Chief to discuss a future through which the tribe and the state can have a seamless agreement for all these issues – tobacco, tribal license plates, gaming, online gaming and all the variety of areas to which we can compact fish and wildlife and the like. So, I really looked to a bright future where we reset the relationship between the tribal nations of Oklahoma and the state of Oklahoma.
Osage News: Another issue within Osage County and specifically with the Osage Nation is the water rights within the Osage Nation. I know there is concern about the safety of the drinking water.
Drummond: I think that the commodity of the future will be safe drinking water. Maybe not in our lifetime, but in our grandchildren’s lifetime. If we don’t take steps today to protect our drinking water, then we will be impaired as a nation. So, I’m supportive of those rights. There is a balancing of the landowner right versus the mineral estate issue that needs to be considered. For example, you know cattlemen in Osage County dig ponds. Should the tribe to take a position that no landowner can dig a pond then I would be against that. But, if the tribe takes a position of the protection of the drinking water, subsurface drinking water, to the mutual benefit of all Oklahomans, of course I’m supportive of that.
Osage News: There is a lot of concern about the possibility of another federal funding freeze. What is your position on that?
Drummond: The federal government cannot impair the tribal nations of Oklahoma through funding freezes and lack of access. It’s materially beneficial to the tribes and I am a huge advocate for the continuation of that.
PLANT MUSIC Micro-Festival to Culminate in a Stunning Premiere: Song of the Council Oak
Tulsa, OK—The weeklong Plant Music Micro-Festival will conclude with the premiere of Song of the Council Oak, a groundbreaking electronic music performance by Mark Kuykendall (The New Honey Shade) on Sunday, February 23, 2025, at the Chimera Ballroom. This immersive event will unite music, nature, and cultural heritage, offering an unforgettable sensory experience.
A Landmark Composition Rooted in Tulsa's History
Song of the Council Oak is a tribute to the historic Council Oak Tree, a vital symbol of resilience and the foundation of the Muscogee Creek Nation in Tulsa. Composer Mark Kuykendall recorded biofeedback directly from the Council Oak Tree in September and October 2024, capturing its natural rhythms and vitality. This data has been transformed into music, voiced by Oklahoma’s first Buchla synthesizer. The result is a performance that symbolizes both the founding of Tulsa in 1836 and a milestone in the city’s synthesis history.
The evening will feature a live performance of this unique composition, accompanied by an artist talk from Kuykendall, who will discuss the innovative process behind the music. Special guest Muscogee Creek author JD Colbert will also share insights on the historical and cultural importance of the Council Oak Tree, adding depth and context to the event.
Event Details
- Date: Sunday, February 23, 2025
- Location: Chimera Ballroom, Tulsa, OK
- Doors Open: 6:00 PM
- Performance and Artist Talk: 7:00 PM
- Tickets: $10
A Week of Creativity and Connection
The Song of the Council Oak is the culminating event of the Plant Music Micro-Festival, running from February 17–23, 2025. The festival includes:
- Plant Music Wall Exhibition: A visual and auditory exploration of biofeedback-driven plant music at Inheritance Kitchen + Juicery, 108 S Detroit Ave, Tulsa, OK 74120. Drop in free! Appearances by Mark Kuykendall and a special edition PLANT MUSIC juice will be available - visit www.thenewhoneyshade.com for announcements.
- Engineering for Girls Workshop: Hands-on learning with plants and Buchla synthesizers at Discovery Lab on February 22. Drop in free 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM at Discovery Lab, 3123 Riverside Dr, Tulsa, OK 74105
Celebrate Nature, Music, and Heritage
Tickets for Song of the Council Oak are just $10 and can be purchased at www.thenewhoneyshade.com/events. Don’t miss this chance to witness a fusion of modern technology, artistic expression, and cultural reverence in the heart of Tulsa.
For more information about the Plant Music Micro-Festival and Song of the Council Oak and to purchase tickets, visit www.thenewhoneyshade.com/events.
Indigenous filmmakers with Oklahoma ties make waves at Sundance
By Sarah Liese (Twilla), KOSU
When Loren Waters, the director of the short documentary Tiger, heard she won the Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Directing, a wave of disbelief washed over her.
“Whenever they called Tiger up for the award, I was just so in shock,” Waters said. “I like went up there and almost walked off the stage without saying anything because I just didn’t know what to do.”
Waters, a Kiowa and Cherokee filmmaker who resides on the Muscogee Nation reservation, began her journey as a director in 2021. Since then, she’s persevered through self-doubt, evolving her voice and confidence into a notable visionary today.
“This is my third short documentary that I've directed in the film festival circuit,” Waters said. “It can be a space of a lot of imposter syndrome and not feeling like I'm good enough to be doing this, but I think that that's what everyone faces. And we have to get over that and get out of our own way in order to make our art.”
This year, she’s received accolades from Forbes and Sundance for her work in the media and film. Her most recent creative project, Tiger, is making the rounds in respected film festivals.
The 13-minute documentary is a dreamy, experimental take on the story of Dana Tiger, a Muscogee artist who is working to revive her family’s business, the Tiger T-Shirt company. Waters said the film exudes a punk-rock personality.
“Sometimes in documentary, there’s a lot of verite-style, which is like you just go in and you shoot everything,” Waters said. “But we did not do that. We conducted her interview on a diving board, which a lot of people have made comments about.”
Another Indigenous film at Sundance was Free Leonard Peltier, a documentary portraying the American Indian Movement activist’s life and the injustice that caused him to remain behind bars for nearly 50 years.
Comanche and Blackfeet artist Jhane Myers was a producer on the film and has been outspoken about pushing for Peltier’s clemency.
The Comanche Nation plans to screen Free Leonard Peltier the day Peltier makes his trip back home on Feb. 18 in Lawton, and Myers will be a special guest at the event.
Waters said Tiger is still circulating in the festival circuit, though no community or public screenings are currently scheduled in Oklahoma.
The next screening of Tiger is in Austin at the SXSW Film Festival, which takes place next month.
Iron Chef Bobby Flay coming to Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant
Meal, meet and greet, autographed cookbooks and more available
DURANT, Okla. - Iron Chef and Food Network Star Bobby Flay is headed to Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant in March for the resort’s first-ever chef event!
Flay is a world-renowned chef with five Daytime Emmy awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and multiple shows on Food Network, including “Beat Bobby Flay.” He’s opened numerous restaurants across the country, including Brasserie B, Amalfi and nine outposts of Bobby’s Burgers. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author of 18 cookbooks.
On Thursday, March 20, Flay will work with Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant's chefs to create a special signature four-course meal for guests, as well as making appearances in the Magnolia Ballroom to discuss the dishes and perform a cooking demonstration.
Guests can choose between four tiers for their ideal experience, all of which include a four-course meal and on-stage demonstration from Flay.
- Tier 1 ($499): Premium seat directly in front of the stage, four-course meal, autographed copy of “Chapter One,” meet and greet with Bobby Flay
- Tier 2 ($399): Four-course meal, autographed copy of “Chapter One,” meet and greet with Bobby Flay
- Tier 3 ($299): Demonstration from Bobby Flay, four-course meal, autographed copy of “Chapter One”
- Tier 4 ($249): Four-course meal
On Thursday, March 20, doors to the Magnolia Ballroom will open at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and a plated first course followed by Flay’s introduction at 7 p.m.
Tickets go on sale at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10 and can be purchased here.
