Osage ballerina Marjorie Tallchief statue unveiled Sunday in Tulsa

TULSA — October of 2023 is likely to be known among the Osage people as a month of revelatory events.

On Oct. 20, Martin Scorsese’s movie “Killers of the Flower Moon” was released, providing the watching world with a faithful telling of the story of the 1920s murders of Osage tribal members.

Then, on Oct. 29, the Osage Nation joined with other organizations to celebrate the legacies of internationally recognized ballerinas Maria and Marjorie Tallchief.

A particularly moving element of the celebration was the unveiling, or revelation, of a new statue of Marjorie Tallchief. It replaced a statue of Ms. Tallchief that had been an element of a sculpture display on the grounds of the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, until it was severed from its base by thieves in late April 2022, cut up and sold for scrap metal.

The bronze statue of Marjorie Tallchief that was stolen had been part of a group of five statues of Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma who were known as the “Five Moons.”

Sunday afternoon, with temperatures hovering in the high 30s and intermittent rain soaking the grounds of the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, an enthusiastic and determined crowd gathered under and around a tent to watch as Cray Bauxmont-Flynn, the interim executive director of the organization, joined with sculptor Gary Henson and family members of Marjorie Tallchief to unveil the new statue.

“In a way, the theft of Marjorie’s statue was a gift,” Timothy Russell “Russ” Tallchief said, explaining that the criminal act had the effect of reigniting the passionate attachment that Ms. Tallchief’s family members and admirers had for her. Marjorie Tallchief passed away in December of 2021 at the age of 95. She was born in October of 1926.

In addition to the emotionally powerful restoration of an image of Marjorie Tallchief as an element of the “Five Moons” sculpture display, the program Sunday on the grounds of the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum featured the bestowal of an important honor on Marjorie’s elder sister, Maria Tallchief.

The U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Mint and the Smithsonian Institution joined to recognize Maria Tallchief (1925-2013), who was considered the first major American prima ballerina and was the first Native American woman to hold that rank. Maria Tallchief’s image and her Osage name have been chosen to be displayed on the 10^th coin in the American Women Quarters Program. And all of the "five moons," including Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, are featured on the 2023 Native American $1 coin.

Among the dignitaries attending the Sunday program was Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba, the treasurer of the United States. Appointed by President Joe Biden, Ms. Malerba is the first indigenous person to serve as U.S. Treasurer (the office should not be confused with the position of Treasury Secretary). She is also chief of the Mohegan Tribe. Malerba, who has worked in critical care nursing and hospital administration, explained to the Journal-Capital that she has provided leadership for the process of establishing a tribal affairs office for the Treasury Department. The Osage were one of three tribal nations she had visited on her trip to Oklahoma. She had also visited the Cherokee and Choctaw.

“It’s pretty exciting and it was very unexpected for me,” Malerba said of being chosen treasurer. She explained that her service on advisory bodies dealing with federal policy toward Native American nations may have brought her to the attention of people looking for an appointee for the office of treasurer.

Ballet dancers from Dance Maker Academy in Pawhuska performed during the program, and children who are enrolled at Daposka Ahnkodapi, the Osage Nation’s tribal-language immersion school, sang for the crowd.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Tulsa Historical Society replaces stolen Marjorie Tallchief statue