The importance of pollinators will be the focus of Monarch Butterfly Day, Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur, Oklahoma.
A Chickasaw Cultural Center signature event, Monarch Butterfly Day features a family-friendly day full of opportunities to learn more about a vulnerable and important species: the monarch butterfly. A vibrant butterfly with distinct orange, black and white markings, the monarch butterfly caterpillar feeds exclusively on milkweed, while adult monarchs drink nectar from several flower species. The butterfly migrates thousands of miles twice a year from as far north as Canada to Mexico.
Monarch Butterfly Day activities begin at 10 a.m., and include children’s activities, a scavenger hunt, butterfly-themed crafts, a butterfly tent, educational booths, and pollinator plant and caterpillar giveaways.
The event highlights the Chickasaw Nation’s dedication to preserving and protecting the monarch butterfly, which is beginning its fall migration south to Mexico. The hatulhpushik (butterfly) is meaningful within Chickasaw culture, representing perseverance and the ability to adapt and change.
Several conservation organizations, such as the National Park Service, the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators and Okies for Monarchs, among others, are expected to participate in Monarch Butterfly Day, offering educational materials, make-and-take crafts, wildflower seeds and more.
Themed films are planned in the Anoli' Theater, and the Aaimpa' Café will feature a Pollinator Salad, a salad packed with ingredients that require pollination to grow, such as cucumber, and a themed cookie. Stickball, stomp dances, a musical performance, face painting, Aachompa' Gift Shop retail sales, a signature event T-shirt and many more activities are also planned.
Monarch Butterfly Day is open to the public at no charge.
Protecting the Monarch Butterfly
A significant decline in the monarch butterfly population in the past two decades can be attributed to decreased availability of milkweed, according to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Chickasaw Cultural Center’s monarch butterfly initiative includes cultivating and giving away milkweed and other pollinator plants, hosting events such as Monarch Butterfly Day to educate visitors about the butterfly and the importance of native plants to sustain the species, and working with other First American tribes to address the initiative on a larger scale.
Located in the butterflies’ prime migration flight path, the Chickasaw Cultural Center’s 184-acre campus features more than 80 garden beds containing butterfly-friendly native plants. One of the gardens contains educational panels about the plight of the monarch butterfly and serves as the primary butterfly garden for visitors.
The Chickasaw Cultural Center, 867 Cooper Memorial Drive, is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except holidays. For more information, call (580) 622-7130 or visit ChickasawCulturalCenter.com.