Otoe Eloska Society

07/20/2026

Thank you to all the dancers and societies who joined us at our tail dance this weekend. It was an awesome turnout and we are very satisfied with how everything went. We sure appreciate all those who showed up and danced with us in the heat.

We want to take a moment to thank Joe Jones and Free Kasler for stepping in to fill absent tail dancer positions.

We also want to thank the two water carriers who helped out, Davyn Echohawk and Ashkie Stumblingbear.

And we want to thank Head Man Dancer Alec Kent for dancing with us in addition to all his other duties.

We are grateful that we were able to provide a good meal to our dancers, their families and those who didn’t have a place to eat. It was good to see so many folks share a meal with us.

Thank you once again to the encampment committee for handing the arena over to us to run the dance according to our protocols. It was a great encampment and the committee should be proud of themselves for all their hard work! Aho!

07/15/2026

It's our time to come together as Jiwere-Nut'achi people just as our grandparents did before us. Blessings and travel mercies to all those who make their way home this weekend. Aho!

07/07/2026

ALL MEN DANCERS WELCOME AT TAIL DANCE
The Otoe-Missouria Encampment Committee has invited us to host a Tail Dance on Friday evening of encampment. They will be handing the arena over to us so that we can run it with an Otoe drum and following our Eloska ways.

It has been many years since our society has been given the arena during encampment and we are honored by the committee for their gesture.

All dancers welcome, but please follow our tail dance protocol. We start at 2 pm. Women may dance behind the benches. Please do not take photographs or record our dances.

Dinner will be served at the arena. All Tail Dance Societies are invited.

Come dance and share a meal with us! We look forward to seeing you!

03/16/2026

02/01/2026

Thank you to all the Eloska members who supported the Stillwater Public School’s Gourd Dance Honoring Rusty Atkins today.

Members: meeting tomorrow,
1 pm at Cultural Building.

01/29/2026

We hope you can join us at the Gourd Dance in honor of the late Rusty Atkins. Brother Rusty was a lifelong member of Otoe Eloska.

12/25/2025

Happy we could help in a small way with this fun event.

Inaugural Shop with a Cop Event Held

The Otoe-Missouria Tribal Police Department, 7 Clans Paradise Casino and dozens of community volunteers participated in the inaugural Otoe-Missouria Police Department “Shop With a Cop” event Tuesday, December 23.

The event aimed to connect law enforcement with community youth in a positive setting. The youth were selected through a collaboration between the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and Frontier Public Schools.

“We just want to give them an opportunity to just be kids,” says 7C Paradise Casino Manager Velda Rocha.

The day started with a breakfast for the youth, volunteers and law enforcement at 7C Steakhouse in Red Rock. Afterwards, the kids were treated to visit from Santa and The Grinch, along with some fun Christmas activities while they watched a movie.

Some of the students were invited to explore the police vehicles and the Otoe-Missouria Fire Department stopped by to provide rides in the fire trucks.

The 28 local youths were then partnered with seven officers from the OMPD and volunteers for a $150 shopping spree at the Ponca City Walmart.

In addition to the $150 shopping spree, Walmart provided a 10% discount and wrapping paper for a wrapping station. The Otoe Eloska Society donated gift bags as well. Volunteers from 7 Clans Casinos, Heritage Monument & Engraving, 7 Clans Gasino Red Rock (deli mart), the Otoe-Missouria tribal government and OMPD helped wrap the gifts.

The funds for the “Shop With a Cop” event, were donated by Frontier Schools and raised through community fundraisers.

“We are so grateful for all the support we have received from the community,” says Otoe-Missouria Chief of Police Jennings Gabriele. “We hope to be able to do this again for the community each year.”