Fort Sill Indian School brings back alumni reunion

What was once an institute that tried to destroy the Native American culture, only to change their ways even after its closure in 1980, will now continue its alumni reunion after more than 40 years.

Fort Sill Indian School will have its reunion 11 a.m. April 4-5 on its campus south of the Lawton Indian Hospital, 1515 SE Lawrie Tatum Road, with activities happening throughout.

From opening in 1871 to its closure in 1980, the school has a history that includes the forceful removal of one’s culture, according to Yolonda Ramos, executive director of Kiowa Comanche Apache Intertribal Land Use Committee.

“The school originally was a school where the native children couldn’t speak their language,” she said. “They were punished for speaking their language. They were made to cut their hair. They were not allowed to practice their native cultures at all.”

That isn’t to say the students didn’t love their school. It offered a connective bonding experience between the students.

“As the years progressed and time went by, the school definitely changed,” Ramos said. “In the later years, most alumni actually loved the school. They had a lot of good times here during their time, which was in the late 60s, 70s.”

That’s when Ramos restarted the reunion.

“I wanted to start doing the reunion again for them because they are elders now and it is in our culture to serve and help our elders,” Ramos said. “I got a committee of the alumni together and basically told them, ‘What do you guys want? Just let me know what you guys want and I’ll make it happen.'”

There are new things happening this year.

“This year, they wanted to have a powwow,” Ramos said. “On the 5th, the Comanche Academy Charter School PTA is also having our annual run, in celebration of the week of the young child. This year it’s a color run. We try to plan those two days and events together because after the run at noon, we feed all of them lunch. Then the elders will get to sit down and tell the kids stories about their time at the Fort Sill Indian School.”

Nolan Tahdooannippah, an alumnus of the school, chose to come to the school and had some great times.

“Nobody forced me to come here, I came here because I wanted to come here, and I’m glad I did,” he said. “I came back later in my life. I got a job to be a night security. They had a halfway house out here and they asked if I wanted to come watch these guys. I did, and I came out here.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Tahdooannippah continued. “We hung out with buddies from Montana, Oregon, Florida. We were like brothers, it was just like a big family. We just enjoyed ourselves every day. Every day was a new experience, we enjoyed each others company. I’m still friends with several of them, I stay in contact with them.”

Alumni and their families are invited to register and come out, even if alumni are deceased. Interested persons can call the office at (580) 699-4088.