Within the Realm

The old Arapaho Powderface had been named a “Chief” by the Federal Government, one of a few tribal headmen to treat with and later ignore. The newspaper called him “obstinate,” and it cost him his life. And the story was soon forgotten, how the “Chief” had been shot by a Dewey County Deputy while resisting arrest, left in the yellowing pages of old newspapers in an archive in Oklahoma City. Except for the memory of a little girl, Mona Violet, who had taken the opportunity to see a “real Indian” as Powderface’s body lay in wait for a Coroner’s Inquest in her sleepy little town.

Up to early March of 2026, only one tornado had ever struck tiny Wakita, Ok – the fictional storm in the 1996 movie Twister. Folks in those parts said a more than century old Indian blessing was the reason. In the late night hours of that March night, Wakita’s first (non-lethal, thank heavens!) tornado touched down. In this episode we re-listen to the story of Wakita.