Mary Jo Pratt-Longorn has been named the CCC Youth Powwow Head Lady. Mary Jo is of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma. She is of the Eagle clan. Her traditional Osage name is Xhu-E-Doin. It means “woman looking at the eagle.” She was given her name by her Uncle Eddy Redeagle of Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

She has been dancing since the age of five and has traveled as far as Minnesota to participate in powwows and traditional ceremonies, including stomp dances.

Mary Jo is the daughter of Polly Drywater (Cherokee/Shawnee) of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Stacey Kipp Pratt (Osage/Blackfeet) of Hominy, Oklahoma. Her maternal grandparents are the late Sam Drywater Jr. (Cherokee) of Tahlequah, Oklahoma and the late Iona Ba-te-pe-wa-se Walker (Shawnee) of Whiteoak, Oklahoma. Her paternal grandmother is the late Freda Lee Kipp (Osage/Blackfeet) of Hominy, Oklahoma. Mary Jo’s great paternal grandparents are the late Josephine Wah-Hre-She (Osage) of Browning, Montana, the late George Kipp (Blackfeet) of Browning, Montana. The maternal great grandparents are late Sarah Rattling Gourd (Cherokee) of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the late Sam Drywater Sr. (Cherokee) of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the late Mariah Bigknife (Shawnee/Cree) of Canada, and the late Jack Walker (Shawnee/Delaware) of Whiteoak, Oklahoma.

She currently resides in Claremore, Oklahoma with her husband, Bruce Longhorn (Absentee Shawnee/Seneca) of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, and five children: George, Danny, Patience, Manny, and Ruby.  Mary is a full time student majoring in forensic accounting at Rogers State University. She received her associates degree in accounting from Tulsa Community College and plans to double major so that she may obtain her CPA licensure.

Mary is actively involved with the Native American student associations at Rogers State University and Tulsa Community College. In the past, she has served as Vice Chairperson for Tulsa’s Johnson O’Malley parent committee. Mary Jo has also volunteered to teach the Native American class on fringing shawls.

In her free time, she enjoys sewing, reading, being outdoors, and teaching her children to dance at social events such as stomp dances and powwows. Mary Jo and her family would like to express their appreciation and gratitude for being given the opportunity to be this year’s head lady for the 2011 Coffeyville Powwow.

The youth competition powwow, the "Rally in the Valley" will be held on Saturday, April 2 from noon to 10 p.m. in the Nelson West Gym.  The public is invited to attend this free activity.