Doc Tate Nevaquaya, Comanche Artist
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Award winning Comanche artist Doc Tate Nevaquaya was self-taught. He was a paintert, flutist, and composer and gave numerous flute and painting classes throughout the country, including such prestigious institutions as Brigham Young University and Georgetown University. He was honored with too many awards to post here, received art, music and lecture commissions beyond note, and received national and state awards.
Doc Tate Nevaquaya was given the name Joyce Lee Tate Nevaquaya when he was born in 1932 at Apache, Oklahoma. He had been delivered by a physician named Dr. Joyce and the family honored the doctor by using Joyce for their son’s first name. He was nicknamed Doc, most likely because of his relationship to the physician. He was always known as Doc Tate. He was orphaned at age 13 and went to live with his grandparents, thus strengthening his relationship with his Comanche heritage.
During his life, Doc Tate was a teacher, Methodist lay minister, lecturer, historian, dancer, composer, singer, flutist, and painter. He had received his high school diploma from the Fort Sill Indian School in Lawton, Oklahoma, and then attended Haskell Indian Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1951-2. He was married and had nine children. He resided on allotted land near Apache, Oklahoma, until his death.