To commemorate the day of Tecumseh’s death at the Battle of the Thames and honor his courageous life of service to the Shawnee people and Indian Country at large, the Shawnee Tribe leadership will officially declare October 5th “Tecumseh Memorial Day.”
Starting with Tecumseh Memorial Day 2021, Shawnee Tribe employees will receive one day of paid time off from work to observe the holiday. The holiday has specifically been set aside to perform acts of service to the local community or to the Shawnee Tribe.
Chief Ben Barnes encouraged Shawnee employees to spend this year’s holiday volunteering at a shelter, cooking a meal for the homeless or personal elder relatives, cleaning up the streets in the neighborhood, or giving time back to the Tribe to get ahead on a project at work, like donating a few hours at tribal headquarters to help process COVID-19 Relief Applications for tribal citizens.
Explore: 91.3 WYSO Article “Shawnee Tribe Declares October 5 Tecumseh Memorial Day“
Message From Chief Ben Barnes:
Proclamation of October 5th as “Tecumseh Memorial Day”
October 5th is an anniversary of the death of Tecumseh, but we will not celebrate his death, but rather his life. He has been attributed as to having said…
“Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.”
He also said that from his tribe he takes nothing, that he himself was the master of his own fortune and destiny. It is with this mindfulness and with full-remembrance of all of our former Shawnee leaders, chairmen and chairwomen, chiefs, and hokimaki & hokimawikwaki, boceli noki bocelikwe, men and women, that gave themselves to our people that we commemorate this day.
This October 5th and every hereafter shall be “Tecumseh Memorial Day” and be observed by the Shawnee Tribe’s elected officers and her staff as a day to give of ourselves to our communities.
Today, October 5th, all staff that give their day to a local community, non-profit, or service organization, the Shawnee Tribe will pay that employee as if it were a regularly, scheduled work day for they have truly performed service to the Tribal Nation.
Because we Shawnee believe that we are only as strong as our communities, we are committed to all of them, regardless of the dotted lines of borders and distance.
The Shawnee diaspora is vast and we remember all of it, especially on this “Tecumseh Memorial Day.”
niyaawe
The Shawnee Tribe’s 2025 General Council & Election Weekend included a community dinner and stomp dance, as well as the annual meeting of the Shawnee Tribal Council and Business Council election. Citizens had the opportunity to meet tribal service programs & administrative staff, collect raffle prizes, and hear reports on the past twelve months of happenings of the […]
Check out this helpful information on recycling myths. 1. Myth: Everything with a recycling symbol is recyclable. Fact: The symbol shows material type, not what your local facility accepts. 2. Myth: It’s okay to guess what’s recyclable — “wishcycling” helps. Fact: Guesswork often leads to contamination; non-recyclables can spoil batches. 3. Myth: Recyclables don’t need […]
This September 30, 2025 is Orange Shirt Day.
Welcome to ta’saawanwaatoweeyakwe, the new blog series dedicated to the Shawnee Language Immersion Program’s happenings and language preservation work. From June 18-21, Shawnee Language Immersion Program apprentices, mentors, Community Language Preservationists (CLPs), and other guests gathered for their annual conference at the Emma “Mock” Donaldson Shawnee Language House. Many of the attendees live far away from […]
Miami, OK — The Shawnee Tribe is pleased to announce the launch of its Project Proposal Portal, a new digital platform designed to streamline the submission and evaluation of business ideas and partnership opportunities. This initiative supports the tribe’s commitment to economic independence, sustainability, and diversification beyond gaming-related enterprises. The portal offers a straightforward process […]
BATTERIES: Why batteries shouldn’t end up in landfills. Key Reasons to Avoid Disposing Batteries in Landfills:
GUYMON, OK — Construction is complete on the $78 million expansion of the Golden Mesa Casino & Hotel, which now boasts a 40,000-square-foot gaming floor, new food and beverage options, an RV park and a four-floor hotel. On Friday, Shawnee Tribe officials and representatives from Shawnee Development, Global Gaming Solutions, Chickasaw Nation, the City of Guymon, Connect […]
MIAMI, OK – The brand-new FAMily Discovery Center at First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City will have its grand opening later this summer, thanks in part to support from the Shawnee Tribe. In May 2024, the Shawnee Tribe’s Business Council approved a pledge of $500,000 over four years to help support the FAMily Discovery Center. […]