Indian Primer
The Oklahoma Indian population is more varied than any other state, and ranks second only to California in total Indian population (Census 2000). A total of 273,230 Oklahomans identified by race as Indian and 391,949 individuals identified as Indian when given the opportunity to declare multiple races. Oklahoma is home to 39 federally recognized tribal governments. According to the 2000 Census, the Tulsa metro area has the state's largest Indian population, with 55,772 individuals identifying as American Indian or Alaskan Native and 86,118 individuals identifying as Indian when given the option to identify as multi-racial.
The City of Tulsa is located at the convergence of the geographic boundaries of three Indian nations Ð the Osage, Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek). The name Tulsa, is believed to be derived from the Creek tribal town in Alabama known as Tallasi, "Old Town." Early spellings included Tulsee and Tulsey (Town). The name "Oklahoma" is a combination of two Choctaw words - "okla" meaning people and "homma" meaning red.
The complicated history of Indian people in Oklahoma has created a diverse population of American Indians with extremely varied and different cultural, social and political backgrounds. Our state's sizable Indian population is largely the result of historic federal government policy to relocate Indian tribes from throughout the country, to a land originally sparsely populated by a limited number of tribal groups. Beginning in the 1830s, tribal groups were forcibly moved in a Trail of Tears to the "Oklahoma" Indian Territory. In an attempt to promote economic opportunity for Indian people, the Bureau of Indian Affairs relocated many Indians from reservations to urban areas during the 1950s and '60s.
To address the needs of today's population of Indians in Oklahoma, the differences between and among tribal groups must be understood and acknowledged. Oklahoma has no reservations. Today, sovereign tribal nations maintain tribal governments on tribal lands scattered throughout rural Oklahoma. Northeastern Oklahoma is home to a large portion of the state's Indian population. Although Oklahoma's tribal governments are located in rural areas, the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metropolitan areas are home to large intertribal populations comprised of members of many American Indian tribes. In Tulsa, Cherokee, Creek and Choctaw tribal members are most numerous.
The Tulsa and Oklahoma City urban Indian clinics use an intertribal approach to health care delivery that respects the unique characteristics of individual tribal nations and traditions. The success of health interventions is strengthened through partnerships with tribal organizations. Most rural Oklahoma Indians access health services through tribal hospitals and clinics located in rural communities. The Indian Health Service operates hospitals with ambulatory hospitals and clinics in Claremore, Tahlequah and Lawton.
When Indians move to the urban areas, they may be disrupted from their support systems and fall into situations of unemployment, poor health care, poverty, divorce and alcohol and drug abuse. These stresses on the family can make children vulnerable to neglect and child abuse. By addressing underlying family stresses, children can be protected and the family strengthened. Family preservation enables families to regain control of their lives with a new positive outlook. IHCRC's family preservation programs teach family skills, support family independence and promote healthy lifestyles through preventive health services.