Te Ata "Bearer of the Morning" Fisher was born in Indian Territory in 1895. Her father was a member of the last council of the Chickasaw Nation, and she was considered by media as a princess of the Chickasaw Nation. After tribal and boarding schools in Oklahoma, she attended Oklahoma Women's College, now the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and later the Theater School of Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh. After college, Fisher moved to New York to pursue a career on the stage.
To fund her career, she created a one-woman folklorist show. Fisher told stories of the Chickasaw Nation she heard growing up and collected stories from other tribal communities. She considered herself a pathfinder and traveled across the world telling stories at schools.
A career highlight was when she participated in a program for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the King and Queen of England in 1939. She performed in hopes that non-native people would understand indigenous culture, and for native people to better connect with their own communities. The documentary God's Drum focuses on Fisher's life and her passion turned profession. She received many honors and awards throughout her lifetime, including one from her alma mater. Fisher was the first inductee of the USAO Hall of Fame, and the Trout Hall Auditorium is named for her. There is also a statue in her honor on campus.
Want to learn more?
Click below to watch God's Drum: Te Ata Fisher Thompson, a presentation produced by the University of Sciences & Arts of Oklahoma.