By Lani Hansen, Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– Mvskoke Media continues the series of “Former MCN princesses: Where are they now?” with series nine featuring Sunny Roberts-Hammer. Hammer served as Muscogee (Creek) Nation Princess in 2000-2001.
“It was the summer after my senior year when I won the title,” Hammer said. “Back then I feel like it was honor to do it and go visit, and the main purpose was to be a good will ambassador in social events.”
Hammer said that she did not do as much as what the current princeses are doing now such as speaking at events. She was able to visit other tribes and hear different people speak, the traveling got her out of rural Oklahoma.
The Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation pageant was the first time Hammer ever ran for anything. She remembers being scared because she had never spoken in front of a large crowd before and when it came to the talent Hammer said she had no talent.
Hammer said her grandma, mom and grandparents were all members of Nuyaka Stompground and that is where she grew up.
“I knew all of those traditions and dances,” Hammer said. “So I chose to show that. At the time it was probably controversial to show things that we do there in a ceremony to showing it out to the public.”
There was four girls who ran for Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Hammer rembembered thinking one girl will be going home without anything and thought it might be her.
“They started naming people second runner-up, first runner-up and Miss Photogenic,” Hammer said. “I got Miss Photogenic and I thought, ‘okay that’s what they are giving me because I’m probably not getting anything else’ then they named me as the winner, I thought oh my goodness I never thought I would win.”
During her reign, Hammer’s first big event was Inter-tribal and she did not realize there were so many tribes other than Creek Nation. Another event she was able to attend was the Gathering of Nations, where she saw so many other Native people.
While Hammer represented as Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation she had just finshed high school and was going into college at Oklahoma State University to begin her studies in Engineering Graphics and Drafting. She received her associates degree in that program but was unable to find a job.
“I was married and was having kids so I thought I have to do something,” Hammer said. “My son was about six weeks old when I started the X-ray program, and he was almost two when I finished. So I had two toddlers by the time I finished X-ray school, but we made it.”
Hammer is now working as a supervisor in the X-ray Department in Okemah, she has been there for five years in July. She currently has two kids and her husband is a coach at Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah.
“I wanted to come home and work for my people, that’s where my heart is and my parents still live there in Okemah,” Hammer said. “I enjoy working for Creek Nation.”
Stay tuned for the May 1 issue as we find out where the next former Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation is now.
