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The only commonality that Oklahoma and New Mexico share in reference to the Native American population is mostly just the number itself; the high percentage of the population. Oklahoma's largest tribes are from the southeastern US (the 2nd largest tribe, the Choctaw, are from Mississippi), and the other majority are from the Plains and the Midwest. I'm not saying there's no people of the southwestern tribes living in Oklahoma (I'm a 1/4 Navajo myself), but people of the southeastern tribes are more numerous in Oklahoma.
Culturally, I think Oklahoma is more similar to Mississippi. But, physically, Oklahoma is a geographical melting pot.
We have the Warm Springs and Chiricauhua Apache tribes here. Geronimo is buried in Oklahoma.
You could drive from Lawton to Lubbock or from Clinton to Amarillo and the only variation in terrain would be the narrow Palo Duro canyon. I lived in Oklahoma City and Lubbock. I used to drive in between the two frequently, including visits to both panhandles.
I live in Clinton now. Clinton is rolling terrain at 1500 feet. Amarillo is at the edge of the canyon country and the caprock at 3000 feet. They aren't the same country. The difference isn't drastic but it is there. The kind of country that Clinton is in ends at Mclean on I-40.
Going from Lawton towards Lubbock the terrain goes from flat in Oklahoma to rolling just around Childress and then you hit Turkey and Quitique and you are in the Caprock Canyon. Then you climb onto the caprock at say Tulia.
I suppose if one was just driving through you wouldn't notice the change but I've driven that country more times than I can count. Probably more than 100 times. And western Oklahoma IS NOT like the Texas Panhandle other than the sliver on the eastern edge (and of course the panhandles are similar)
The only commonality that Oklahoma and New Mexico share in reference to the Native American population is mostly just the number itself; the high percentage of the population. Oklahoma's largest tribes are from the southeastern US (the 2nd largest tribe, the Choctaw, are from Mississippi), and the other majority are from the Plains and the Midwest. I'm not saying there's no people of the southwestern tribes living in Oklahoma (I'm a 1/4 Navajo myself), but people of the southeastern tribes are more numerous in Oklahoma.
Culturally, I think Oklahoma is more similar to Mississippi. But, physically, Oklahoma is a geographical melting pot.
Good question. Despite being two states over, I don't see many similarities between Mississippi and Oklahoma. I feel like Mississippi has more in common with states further east like Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolina's. Go west of Little Rock, and the similarities with Mississippi fade away. Both states also have quite different histories.
Eastern Oklahoma is more like Arkansas and Missouri, areas like Tulsa. Oklahoma City and the rest of the state further west, probably more like Texas and New Mexico. Overall, I guess I'd go with New Mexico. Mississippi is much more southern than Oklahoma. However, I also feel like most Okies would feel more at home in Mississippi than New Mexico. This is a toughie.
Eastern Oklahoma is only like the Southwestern part of Missouri
Oklahoma is to New Mexico as biker gangs are to the North Pole.
Yes most of Oklahoma is different than New Mexico, but Eastern NM is also different than the rest of NM. It has more in common with Texas than it does the rest of the state.
I live in Clinton now. Clinton is rolling terrain at 1500 feet. Amarillo is at the edge of the canyon country and the caprock at 3000 feet. They aren't the same country. The difference isn't drastic but it is there. The kind of country that Clinton is in ends at Mclean on I-40.
Going from Lawton towards Lubbock the terrain goes from flat in Oklahoma to rolling just around Childress and then you hit Turkey and Quitique and you are in the Caprock Canyon. Then you climb onto the caprock at say Tulia.
I suppose if one was just driving through you wouldn't notice the change but I've driven that country more times than I can count. Probably more than 100 times. And western Oklahoma IS NOT like the Texas Panhandle other than the sliver on the eastern edge (and of course the panhandles are similar)
I was born in west Texas and have lived all over the panhandle and western Oklahoma. There is virtually no difference. Rolling hills are more prevelent in Eastern Oklahoma. Hills in Western Oklahoma are an exception, like the ones around Granite and the mountains around Lawton. The are exceptions like the ones you would encounter around Post or Floydada.
Exactly this. Fort Smith, Arkansas is very culturally connected to Oklahoma City, moreso than it is Little Rock and a large part of this is the difference between the upland South culture and the Old South (delta) culture. The delta culture that Jackson, Memphis, and Little Rock are awash in is non-existent in Oklahoma with the exception of there being a hint of it in Tulsa. OKC doesn't have it at all. With that said, only the sparsely populated western panhandle of Oklahoma has a strong tie to New Mexico. Most Oklahomans live in the two metro areas and both of them feel like Southern cities with Tulsa being a bit more Southern than OKC. Therefore, Oklahoma is more like Mississippi but still doesn't share all that much in common with it.
I have lived in the Deep South and in Oklahoma, including staying with my brother often in Tulsa. Please explain to me how Tulsa in any way shape or form resembles the Deep South. If you are talking about some of the areas around Yale or Harvard and E 21st, then you are categorizing an entire metro off of one city block.
I have lived in the Deep South and in Oklahoma, including staying with my brother often in Tulsa. Please explain to me how Tulsa in any way shape or form resembles the Deep South. If you are talking about some of the areas around Yale or Harvard and E 21st, then you are categorizing an entire metro off of one city block.
I have lived and traveled all over the Deep South and I definitely think there is a hint of that feel in Tulsa. It isn't predominant by any means but its there, especially in older parts of Tulsa.
Yes most of Oklahoma is different than New Mexico, but Eastern NM is also different than the rest of NM. It has more in common with Texas than it does the rest of the state.
Very true. Certainly the panhandles and eastern NM are very similar. The mountains and desert part, not so much. NM is like a perfect gradient of the states it borders. Plains to the east, rockies to the north, desert to the south, red savannah to the west.
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