Maria Tallchief, (Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief)
America’s first Prima Ballerina; trained both as a pianist and as a dancer
b. January 24, 1925-
Fairfax, Okla.
Maria Tallchief parents were Alexander Joseph Tall Chief of the Osage Nation and Ruth, her Scotts-Irish mother. Due to the discovery of oil on the reservation in some ways her life was more comfortable than many. However, she and her family suffered through the Osage Indian Murders. Her cousin survived only because she was visiting Tallchief, while her cousin’s family was murdered. A white local rancher named Bill Hale killed, or was responsible for the death of at least 18 Osage people over an aborted attempt to grab oil rights and land. (more…)
Grab and Keel 