Quapaw Nation denounces portrayal of tribe in “Tulsa King” television show

QUAPAW, Okla. – Leaders of the Quapaw Nation are unhappy with the depiction of their tribe in a television drama about a mafia boss.

In a prepared statement released on Wednesday, Quapaw Nation leaders called out Paramount+ and the television show “Tulsa King” for introducing unsavory fictional Quapaw Nation characters into the storyline.

“Tulsa King” is a story about a fictional New York mob boss, played by Sylvester Stallone, who spent 25 years in prison. After his release, the mob sends him to Tulsa.

Tribal leaders said they were offended at the context in which the Quapaw Nation is portrayed in the second season. The fictional Quapaw Nation characters introduced in Season 2, Episode 4 are portrayed as involved in a criminal conspiracy related to marijuana and wind energy.

The statement reads that the Quapaw Nation opposes any use of its name or purported portrayal of our people without the Nation’s consent.

“We call on the producers, directors, writers, actors, and distributors of Tulsa King to cease their misrepresentation of the Quapaw Nation, as well as their disparaging and disrespectful portrayal of our Nation, people, and our heritage.” the statement reads.

Tribal leaders encourage writers, producers, and viewers to visit the Quapaw Nation’s website to learn more about the tribe’s history.

The Quapaw Nation is a federally recognized tribe of approximately 6,060 citizens based in Quapaw. The O-Gah-Pah, or “Downstream” people, trace their ancestral homelands from what is now known as the Ohio River, west to the Mississippi River to present-day St. Louis, south across present-day Arkansas, and eastern and southern Oklahoma.

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