OKMULGEE, Okla.- The 2025 Muscogee Nation Festival Traditional Games were held for the second year at the College of the Muscogee Nation on Saturday, June 21. This year offered turtle racing, bow shooting, sofke making, and more on the college complex. Prizes, including People’s Choice Awards, were awarded to contestants and participants.
The Traditional Games and Event Coordinator Maleah Dowling (Mvskoke) spoke to Mvskoke Media about this year’s activities and hosting the games.
“Last year we had some kinks to work out, but this year we had more collaborative efforts with the different departments on what we can bring to the festival as far as traditional games and events,” Dowling said.
Since everybody enjoyed turtle racing, Dowling was sure to bring it back this year- she also thought it was super cute. MCN Cultural Preservation was also there to help with one of the newer activities to be held at CMN, the bow shoot.
With all the different activities, Dowling hopes this event can grow every year. “We’ve added more activities and contests to it, we can add more things next year and switch them out to see how it goes,” Dowling said. “I hope that we could just build and grow from this, and have more people involved in the community.”
Results:
Ribbon Skirt/Vest Contest overall winner/ People’s Choice:
Alexandra Oloizia
Sofke Contest overall winner/ People’s Choice:
Chris Powell
Frybread contest overall winner/People’s Choice:
Pearl Thomas
Mvskoke Youth Art Contest:
Winner Overall: Dani Dowling
People’s Choice: Hopelynn Lowe
Results obtained from Traditional Games and Event Coordinator Maleah Dowling.
