Grayson County Historical Society : Monthly Meeting | Celebrating Choctaw Lifeways

Name: Grayson County Historical Society : Monthly Meeting | Celebrating Choctaw Lifeways
Start: 2025-09-09T18:30:00-05:00
Location: 111 RC Vaughan Dr, Denison, TX

Schedule

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025 at 06:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

111 RC Vaughan Dr, Denison, TX | Denison, TX

Lady Shawl Dance (T'ata Begay)
Photo by Dan Gooden
Celebrating Choctaw Lifeways Through Song, Dance, and Instrumentation, Presented by T'ata Begay
Hello.
The Grayson County Historical Society welcomes T'ata Begay to our September 9th meeting. She is well known as the Choctaw Lady Shawl Dancer. She is a proud Choctaw, Chickasaw and Taos Pueblo. First came walking and soon came dancing. She says she was literally born into it. Her parents were also dancers that traveled overseas with the international dance troupe called the American Indian Dance Theater. T'ata has been a champion dancer for 30 years, during that time she had made many friends and also her dancing was featured in the television series "Longmire" along with other credits. This busy lady holds degrees from the Arizona State University, University of Oklahoma and is currently in the last phase of her doctoral program at Baylor University, where she is an honor student.
She is asking us to join her for an engaging presentation that explores the lasting cultural traditions of the Choctaw people through music, movement, and traditional instruments. T'ata Begay will lead attendees through the deep-rooted relationship between the Choctaw community and its songs, dances, and musical expressions—highlighting how these practices continue to thrive and change today. This overview will celebrate the resilience and vibrancy of Choctaw heritage, providing insight into how these traditions link generations and maintain identity.