The Ada Chickasaw Community Council conducted its monthly meeting Thursday, April 17, at the Marie Bailey Building in Ada, Okla. After a pot luck dinner, Pat Cox, president of the council introduced the guest speaker, Amanda Cobb-Gretham, Ph.D, Administrator of the Chickasaw Nation History, Research and Scholarship Department.

Ms. Cobb-Gretham talked about her Chickasaw family and that they live on their allotted land near the Red River, her love for reading and education, her travels and all the things she experienced, meeting different tribes and how different our cultures are, meeting her husband and moving back to Oklahoma after living and teaching in New Mexico for the past 10 years.

She talked about working with the different people through her job, the history and research has been amazing she said. Ms. Cobb-Greetham is the author of the book “Listening to our Grandmothers Stories” and is also oversees the Chickasaw Press. She ended with news on the Chickasaw Cultural Center at Sulphur, that it is taking shape and it is excited to see it coming together. The council would like to thank Ms. Cobb-Gretham for coming and speaking to us.

Other special guests attending were Ms. Sharon Nelson, liaison to the community councils, and Mr. John Duyson.

The business meeting began with Peggy Stow, secretary/treasurer, reading the minutes of the last meeting. New business of the meeting was presented by President Cox, a resolution for future things to come was discussed. Also a date was set for the community council project, the gospel singing conducted by the Tribesman, for Saturday May 10, 2008 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Chickasaw Community Center, 700 North Mississippi. Everybody is invited to come.

This was our last meeting at the Marie Bailey Building. Starting May 15 the community council will be meeting in the new Chickasaw Community Building at 700 N. Mississippi. Meetings are every third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. For more information call 580-272-0549.