A sculpture that shows the unity among Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes was dedicated during a ceremony Oct. 4 at Legacy Plaza on the Southeastern campus.
The more than 1,700-pound “The Two Brothers” bronze sculpture was created by Southeastern alumna Jane Semple Umsted, a renowned Choctaw artist from Durant, who was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame last month.
The university said the collaborative project among 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.
Southeastern President Dr. Thomas Newsom welcomed everyone to the campus of 1,000 magnolias and the Legacy Plaza to officially dedicate “The Two Brothers” sculpture.
Newsom said the project started two years ago and that he visited Chickasaw Governor Bill Anoatubby and Choctaw Chief Gary Batton at that time.
“We presented this idea of putting this sculpture on our campus and telling this story to both of them,” Newsom said. “They accepted it very gracefully and gave me permission to do this, and that’s really all that I was asking for at that time, other than that they would help us make sure that we got the story right. So, at that time, they helped us put together a group of six people who served as the sculpture committee who would make sure that they gave Janie (Umsted) the right information that she needed and counsel in order for her to not only produce something as amazing as she has produced, but also to be historically correct.”
Umsted said she felt overwhelmed about all that were present and how all of them are so much a part of what is being done today.
She spoke about Choctaw Chief Batton and Chickasaw Governor Anoatubby, who were both present for the ceremony.
“Every time I’m around you, Chief Batton and Governor Anoatubby, I’m in awe and I thank them so much for what they’ve done,” Umsted said. “It’s just that they have been my inspiration from afar and how leaders can affect someone like me, an artist and I appreciate you so much because President Newsom and Governor Anoatubby and Chief Batton have given me something that is very important to artists and that is, opportunity.”
Umsted was born and raised in Durant and she said that herself along with her brother spent a lot of time growing up on the Southeastern campus.
“So, the fact that this is happening right here, right now, to me at 77 years old is overwhelming to me,” Umsted said. “I don’t know exactly how to say it in words, so here’s my art. I can say it in my artistic endeavor.”
Umsted spoke of the invocation at the opening ceremony by Stacy Shepherd, a Southeastern Distinguished Alumna and executive officer of member services at the Choctaw Nation.
“The fact that she opened this ceremony with prayer touched my heart and it gave me pause to realize how blessed, totally blessed I am as a person and an artist. God gave me a gift. Each of you have a gift. Each of you do. I know you do.”
Umsted told 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,” she said. “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.
“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 these years later.”
The Southeastern Student Government Association presented a proclamation delivered by Student Senator Alexander Robinson, a Choctaw student from Bokchito. The 104th 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,” McDermott said. “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.”
The university said Chickasaw Governor 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.”
Choctaw Chief Batton is a Distinguished Alumnus of Southeastern and he spoke of the importance of collaboration and educational access to his nation.
“We have gone different directions, but we have stayed unified in spirit,” Batton said. “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. 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.
