Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen publishes book influenced by Mvskoke culture

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August 15, 2017

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Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen publishes book influenced by Mvskoke culture

•Author inspired to share tribal heritage

OKMULGEE, Okla. – It took six years of research, dedication and hard work to complete her first book. Kaylee
Morrison, a Mvskoke (Creek) citizen of Broken Arrow started writing a book as a way to learn more about her
heritage. On a whim Morrison included her grandmother Nancy Smith and together they went straight to the
Cultural and Preservation office to seek help. It was there she was inspired to write “Joshua and the Biggest Fish.”

“It’s a story of coming of age for a young boy,” explained Morrison. The book is based on a character named
after her grandmother’s own grandfather whose name was Joshua. “Joshua was tired of being called Cepane (Little
boy) and wants to be referred to as a man. So he decides to catch the biggest fish,” to prove it Morrison said.

Morrison dedicated her first two books to Principal Chief James Floyd and Second Chief Louis
Hicks today as a way to thank the Mvskoke (Creek) Nation for its help and support over the
years. “It is so refreshing see our young people achieve. We are proud of Ms. Morrison’s accomplishments
and we will gladly and proudly push her book within our schools,” Floyd said.

Morrison talks about the parallels that Joshua and she went through coming into adulthood. She repeated the
fact that she started this book as a teen and finished as a young lady. In this tale of coming of age, Joshua finally
made the biggest catch of his life and was honored by the adults, just as Morrison was revered with the completion
of her book. It’s geared towards grade-schoolers with the hopes that youngsters will be motivated as she was.
“I hope they are inspired to learn more about their heritage, “ said Morrison. “If you stay at it, it will get done.”

The book offers easy to read Mvskoke words and its meaning. “Joshua and the Biggest Fish” is currently in its distribution
stage and should be available at local schools and at the tribal library. “It was really cool talking to the Chiefs
and seeing them proud makes me proud. So it’s really cool to finally get it out to show it to everyone,” said Morrison.

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