Chickasaw Nation production brings the 2010 Creativity World Forum in Oklahoma to a close

Titled “Lowak Shoppala — Fire and Light,” the collaborative production showcased the talents of three noted Chickasaw artists: composer Jerod I. Tate, author Linda Hogan and fiber artist Margaret Roach Wheeler.

Seven performers depicted various clan leaders, each represented by an animal and its specific traits. Uniting them was a shared mutual respect that paid homage to tribal dignity and strength. This was pageantry reduced to its most primitive expressions — stoic poses, economy of movement and dramatic simplicity, all played out to Tate's orchestral score.

“Lowak Shoppala” spoke to the essence of Oklahoma's rich Indian heritage and, in keeping with the forum's challenge of finding new ways to celebrate the creative spirit, the brief presentation sent a strong message of good will to visitors from all over the world. More importantly, it proved the notion that real magic can happen when ideas are allowed to flourish.