Pannonian Plain

In Central Europe there is one place somewhat like Oklahoma.  The Pannonian Plain of Hungary is the westernmost steppe (grassland) of Eurasia.  Searing summer heat, droughty, flat, and the wind comes right behind the rain.  In the 900s Magyars invaded, the last of the barbarian invasions. They had originated in the Siberian Steppe at least 2000 years before.  But by the time these 10 Turkic tribes came to Europe, they had mixed with German and Slavic people. It is believed that their original homeland, just east of the Ural mountains, had undergone climatic warming and turned from forest to steppe.  The Magyars took up horse culture, sheep, and cattle herding.  Hence Hungary was perfect, not just for them but the former Huns, Cumins, and Avars with similar culture.  Fiercely tough pagans, they were a terror for the Gemans of the Alps.  Their peoples migrated in two groups, the Finns went north and the Magyars went south.  The isolated Finns have a similar language which is Ural-Altaic, considered one of the hardest languages to learn.  It has no prepositions and odd pronouns.

            Magyars were tribes and originally called Ungri by the Romans (Hence the Anglicized “Hungary”).  An overall leader was appointed and in the late 10^th century that was the chief Geza.  His son was Vajk was born in 975.  Seeing that all their neighbors were Christians, Geza thought it easy to tacitly accept that faith.  But he continued to do pagan rituals as he brutally punished other leaders if they didn’t superficially practice Christianity.  Geza was a gyula, a warrior, first. he died in 997 and the leadership didn’t naturally pass to his son.  The Ungri had a warrior seniority system where the ruler would be Koppany, an uncle.  But Vajk’s mother Sarolt had become influenced by the True Faith, and raised her son with Christian beliefs.  His education was hunting and war, just as most illiterate European kings.  Vajk truly converted,  He had to fight for his throne against Koppany, all of whose followers were pagan. Vajk had foreign knights on loan from Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, as well as his own Magyar supporters, Vecelin, Hont, and Pazmany.  They won the day and he was crowned “Istvan Kiraly”, King Stephen, on Christmas Day, 1000. The crown was a gift from Pope Sylvester II.  With a new name and new faith, Stephen began to conquer the holdout tribes and consolidate his people.

            Stephen established one archbishopric, 6 bishoprics and 3 Benedictine monasteries. The significance is that these were the only educated people in the Dark Ages. He not only enforced Christian customs but also begged his people to confess and pray. Those are true signs of a faith.  Soon he had to defend his land against foreign invasion from surrounding European kings of Gemany and Poland.  The era from 1000 until his death in 1038 was a strange era where suddenly one man had stopped the barbarian invasion in its tracks. Today he is celebrated as St. Stephen. When we sing about “Good King Wenceslaus (Czech king) looked out/ On the feast of Stephen (Christmas),” it is tribute to a man who is not honored as a king but as a saint.

            The hard-working, hard-fighting Magyars have made their mark.  They say their land is just good enough to make them work, but not so pitiful to make them distressed.  It is not the home of an over-refined culture that is divorced from reality (Ahem! Vienna.). It has transplanted as many Hungarians to the United States as live in Hungary. It’s been run over by every big power for a thousand years, yet still has emerged as a freedom-loving people. 90% are Catholic, 10% are Lutherans, many minorities. Any Okie would be at home on the Alfold (grassy  plains) meeting pusztas (Hungarian cowboys), talking ranching and listening to the fabulous fiddle music.   

1944

With Memorial Day and D-Day remembrances, this poetic song by Contemporary Christian singer, Twila Paris seems to say it well—that someone’s sacrifice for you demands a response to follow in his footsteps. 

What Did He Die For?

He was 21 in 1944
He was hope, and he was courage on a lonely shore.
Sent there by a mother, with love beyond her tears.
Just a young American who chose to rise above his fears.
And as I watch him struggle up that hill
Without a thought of turning back

I cannot help but wonder,
What did he die for, when he died for you and me?
Made the sacrifice so that we could all be free?
I believe that we will the answer each to heaven
For the way we spend a priceless liberty.
Look inside and ask the question,
What did he die for, when he died for me?

To the darkest day in AD 33
Came the mercy and compassion of eternity.
Sent there by a Father with love beyond his tears,
Blameless one, the only son to bear the guilt of all these years.
And as I watch him struggle up that hill
Without a thought of turning back
I cannot help but wonder,
What did he die for, when he died for you and me?
Made the sacrifice so that we could all be free?
I believe that we will the answer each to heaven
For the way we spend a priceless liberty.
Look inside and ask the question,
What did he die for, when he died for me?

He died for freedom!
He died for love!
And all the things we do to pay him back
Could never be enough.
What did he die for, when he died for you and me?
Made the sacrifice so that we could all be free?
I believe that we will the answer each to heaven
For the way we spend a priceless liberty.
Look inside and ask the question,
What did he die for, when he died for me?

Unknown men who were great heroes--Revolutionary War

Dartmouth, the city in England that is often credited with starting the Industrial Revolution.  And then there's Dartmouth College, founded in New England. It’s purpose was to educate and Christianize Indians. “The Royal Governor of New Hampshire, John Wentworth, provided the land upon which Dartmouth would be built and on December 13, 1769, conveyed the charter from King George III establishing the College. That charter created a college “for the education and instruction of Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land … Named for William Legge, the Second Earl of Dartmouth – an important supporter of Eleazar Wheelock’s mission efforts – Dartmouth is the nation’s ninth oldest college” (official history of Dartmouth College). Hamilton-Oneida Academy, now Hamilton College had the same mission.  So did numerous Bible Societies throughout the colonies.  And what did they get?  600 bushels of corn.  Let me explain. 

            In the fall of 1776, Washington was on the run. As winter set in, what was left of his army settled in Valley Forge, Pa., across the Delaware River from British forces in New Jersey.  A man by the name of John Honeyman, Irish by birth, distinguished in the French and Indian War for his valour, lived there as cattleman and butcher. Honeyman would have been the perfect English sympathizer.  Indeed he had a recommendation from General Wolfe to be his bodyguard.  But he became secretly committed to the cause of Independence. So Gen. George Washington, a master of espionage, had him slip across the river, re-establish his butchering business while widely proclaiming his support of the Brits. It was so convincing that some patriots even burned his house in Griggstown.  John watched the Hessians settle in for the winter in Trenton, fed them lots of beef and saw them party hard and get drunk before Christmas. Christmas was a big celebration for German Hessians. Slipping back across the river he told Washington, now was his chance to catch them off-guard.  And so, Washington planned his attack.  But as the Continentals were landing stealthily near Trenton, a British sentry discovered them and sent a note to British Colonel Rall that attack was coming.  Rall just stuck the note in his pocket without looking at it. Why?  Because Honeyman had told them that Washington’s rebellion was dying, soldiers deserting, and starving.  No danger.  Washington’s surprise at Trenton was a stunning victory and kept his army from disbanding. 

            But his troops still had to survive the winter.  The hardship is legendary.  How did it turn out? Late in the winter, Han Yerry Teewahangarahken (whew! I thought my last name was long!), an Oneida chieftain of tremendous gallantry during the war, had influenced his nation early-on to become the first allies of the colonists.  Though he saw the Oneida way of life irretrievably changing with the coming of the settlers, he had been to Dartmouth, taken classes, and become a Puritan (Congregationalist) Christian.  While England demanded Christian loyalty to a far-off archbishop, Congregationalists were home-governed, and Han Yerry wanted all his fellow tribesmen to become Congregationalist Christians, because then they could still rule themselves and pursue an Oneida version of the True Faith.  So when Han Yerry heard that Washington was in trouble in Valley Forge, he organized about 100 Oneidas to rescue the effort by bringing 600 bushels of corn. They snuck in through the mountains that Indians knew well.  At this point, the Continental Congress didn’t have any suppliers other than what Washington could find for himself.  Han Yerry’s corn saved the day.

            Honeyman and Han Yerry had been for a long time, disputed and undisclosed heroes.  Honeyman left no records, like a keen spy.  But a letter and payment, after the war from George Washington, in recognition of his effort, has now been found.  Han Yerry was well-known and celebrated, but only in Oneida circles.  Historians were slow to recognize his historic role, both in rescue of Valley Forge and his valour in later battles. 

You are watching History being made

Evidence coming out in the Flynn and Russia Collusion cases is surely painting the worst political conspiracy of American History.  Spies in the Trump Campaign, altered 302s, Flynn’s framing and other sneaky, illegal, dirty tricks to attempt to get people to implicate Trump in something/anything, were just the beginning.  Yates testimony to the House committee in charge of Intel now exposes something rotten going on with Obama and Biden.  Obama was so highly informed and apparently complicit in explaining the operation to Yates, that you’d have to conclude this is the best construction.  Worst is that Obama instigated and directed the affair.  Even for someone who has followed most of this and tried to avoid being partisan and tried to consider alternative analysis, this is staggering.  When the Inspector General asked to see 29 files on Americans who had been surveilled through FISA court, thereupon found all 29 FISA applications faulty, and 4 had no substance whatsoever, just a blank line for an inattentive judge to sign.  That should worry ANY citizen, no matter what poltical stripe. 

And to think that we have been drug through 3 years of Russian Collusion allegations.  Now we know for certain that no such thing happened.  It was predicated by WikiLeaks publishing embarrassing DNC facts.  DNC said it was Russian hacking, likely Russian Collusion with Trump! What proves it?  Why, Flynn talked to the Russian Ambassador! (Didn’t everyone?  That’s what Ambassadors do.) Now it  turns out that the Crowdstrike CEO told a secret deposition of the House Intel where no Republicans were allowed, that the data exited the server faster than anything the internet can do.  That is, it had to be an inside job—disgruntled employee or DNC member perhaps.  A foreign spy might be possible but the DNC consists of old-timers who have been in party politics very visibly for decades.  Date when DNC knew this, Dec. 2016, prior to Trump assuming Presidency.  Nonetheless, Schiff and Democrats lied about this Russian collusion for years until Robert Mueller and a team of 17 D-activist lawyers still could find no collusion.  Indeed testimony by Yates, Clapper, and Rice says exactly this.  So we will continue to listen as the story unfolds, but the question in this mind is similar to the one heard back when we all disliked Nixon. What did Obama know and when did he know it? And where was Biden?  Asleep in the meeting?

 

Plenty of Okies in the Music Industry

No one can seem to figure out why Oklahoma produces so many top-name musicians.  There have been 8 times as many Billboard artists as any other state except Tennesee.  Ballerinas, songwriters, music promoters, Broadway stars, conductors and classical music performers abound. The Tulsa Philharmonic organized a documentary on this and it is estimated that OK has grown10 times as many well-known performers in their history as an average state.

             Take a look at Country Western/Folk Music alone. Gene Autry of Chelsea started his singing career as a 5-year old soprano in his grandfather’s church choir.  He bought a Sears guitar and became the premier Singing Cowboy of Hollywood. Will Rogers encouraged him, KVOO of Tulsa sponsored him, Ken Maynard got him a job in a movie after hearing him sing on WLS Chicago. The singing cowboy genre was created for his talent by MGM.  A wise money manager, he went on to own a major league baseball team and establish Los Angeles’s Western Heritage Museum.

            Uncle Wallis and Aunt Minerva Willis from Doaksville started the popularization of negro spirituals in the 1830s (Yes, before Indian Territory!). “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Steal Away to Jesus” and “I’m A-Rollin’” were their compositions. In the 1920s Jimmy Wilson and the Cat Fish String Band were a musical group of Rotarians from Sapulpa who raised money for charity. They practically invented charity fundraisers over radio.  Disaster relief and church enterprises were their specialties. Albert Brumley, dean of the gospel songwriters, was raised on a tenant farm near Spiro. “Turn Your Radio On,” “I’ll Fly Away” were among hundreds of gospel songs he wrote.  Smithsonian Institution labels him the “The greatest white gospel songwriter before WW II.”

            Many greats are still alive.  Wanda Jackson of Maud became popular in Oklahoma City, hired a mixed race band and became a pop-country (rockabilly) star.  But later she turned primarily to religious songs.  Joe Diffee sang with a gospel group before he turned to bluegrass then to C/W.  Ronnie Dunn, Tulsa, of Brooks and Dunn fame studied theology first.  He won a Marlboro Country talent contest along with Kix Brooks and they began to sing together.  Roy Clark of Tulsa was hired by Wanda Jackson to help with her faith songs in 1960, then began a career as actor and comedian (Clean Jokes!) as well as C/W song.  Do you see anything faith-wise in common with all these people?

            The list becomes enormous. Reba McEntire, Chockie, grew up on a ranch with her rodeo champion father and sang for rodeos.  Red Steagall heard her sing at National Finals Rodeo in OKC, hired her on the spot and she went on to be a successful soloist.  Toby Keith, Clinton and Moore, taught himself to play guitar at age 8, played semi-pro football and worked in the oil fields, before he began doing platinum records.  Roger Miller, Erick, was raised by an uncle and became a local traveling musician.  Nashville was a stop where he collected 6 Grammys.  Garth Brooks was born in Luba, raised in Yukon, schooled in Stillwater and now resides in Owasso.  Three of his albums sold over 30 million copies. Tommy Allsup, the guy who flipped a coin with Richie Valens to get on Buddy Holly’s plane and lost (but thereby won!) became a country music producer, promoter, and artist. He now leads the senior Texas Playboys.

            Those guys aren’t retired yet. But the old-timers were live performers on radio before there were records.  Hank Thompson spent 30 years in Tulsa and performed over a record 7 decades. He had 42 #1 recordings, was the first to take C/W overseas, first to record a live album, and first to do stereo. Bob Wills, another transplanted Texan, did not invent but popularized the genre of Western Swing at KVOO.  Leon McAuliffe, his lead guitarist went on to a C/W career, then returned to lead the Texas Playboys when Bob could not continue in the 70s. Otto Gray and the Oklahoma Cowboys were first to feature genuine folk cowboy music. Byron Beline promotes the International Bluegrass Festival. Merl Lindsay went on television with his music, 1947. Collins Kids, Al Clauser and the OK Outlaws started on KTUL, Tulsa. Conway Twitty, Willie and Gene, Jimmy Wakely, Vince Gill, Willis Brothers—the list is long.  Stoney Edwards an Afro-American became the first black C/W star in the 50s. Woody Guthrie sang folk/protest songs.

            So why is OK so musical?  Tulsa Philharmonic thought it was the rural life and hard times before WW II making your own entertainment, and so many cultures mixing, C/W competition by Tulsa radio stations aided—but then Okies just like to have fun.  As upbeat Western Swing star Bob Wills would say, “Take it away, Leon!”