NOC hosts virtual Choctaw Pottery Revitalization presentation

Northern Oklahoma College and Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI) is hosting a Choctaw Nation Pottery Revitalization virtual presentation Thursday, Nov. 19.

Ian Thompson of the Choctaw Nation will conduct the presentation virtually via Zoom at 11 a.m.  Thompson is of Choctaw and Euro-American heritage.

“Revitalization efforts for tribes and nations are a very important part of our work toward recognizing NOC students’ cultural identities,” explained NASNTI Grant Director Anna Roland. The shift to virtual presentations has presented challenges for some college programs around the nation, but Roland and the grant staff at NOC have met this challenge head-on.  “NASNTI is committed to maintaining a high level of support for our students during the ever-changing landscape of higher education,” Roland confidently states. “It is a pleasure to bring the expertise of Dr. Thompson to the Northern campus, albeit virtual.”

Dr. Thompson began experimenting with traditional pottery at 9-years old and learned traditional hide-work, flintknapping, shell-work, and making traditional archery tackle as a youth.

Balancing this cultural education with western education, Thompson studied at the University of Missouri (BA in anthropology, 2002) and the University of New Mexico (MA and PhD in anthropology, 2005 and 2008, respectively).

Dissertation research was designed to recover and help revitalize currently sleeping aspects of Choctaw traditional knowledge.

He is a Registered Professional Archaeologist and has been certified by the Choctaw Nation Tribal Council as a Community Language and Culture Instructor. He has spear-headed 10 years of efforts to revitalize traditional pottery in the Choctaw Nation, personally teaching hundreds of classes.

In 2019, He authored and donated the book “Choctaw Food: Remembering the Land, Rekindling Ancient Knowledge”, an in-depth presentation of the Indigenous Choctaw foodway.

Currently, He serves as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, as the Senior Director of the Historic Preservation Department, and is on the Choctaw Nation Cultural Center Committee.  He is the President of the Oklahoma Bison Association and Chair of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Repatriation Review Committee.

Thompson and his wife Amy manage a small bison farm dedicated to traditional food, restoring the native prairie landscape, and engaging the community.

For instructions to attend the virtual presentation, contact Anna Roland at [email protected]  or Gina Conneywerdy at [email protected] .

NASNTI is a federally funded grant through the Department of Education.

Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services which create life-changing experiences and develop students as effective learners and leaders within their communities in a connected, ever changing world.

NOC, a public two-year community college, serves 5,700 students on the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater, online, and the University Center in Ponca City. Of these students about 60% receive financial aid and/or scholarships.  Over 80% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.

NOC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science.  The associate degree fulfills lower-division course work which is applicable towards a bachelor’s degree.

Call (580) 628-6200 for more information about Northern Oklahoma College or visit www.noc.edu .