Dan Bigbee Jr
Candidate for
Comanche Business Committee
Seat 2
My family descends from Titchywy. Robert and Charlotte Atchavit were my grandparents and my parents are Dan and Jenice Bigbee. My uncle Reeves Nahwooksy named me Esa kwas. Lily Shangreaux and I have been married for 20 years. We have 7 children and 4 grandchildren.
After completing my studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts and Bacone College , I served in the US Navy, first as a Photographers Mate then as an Aviation Electronics Petty Officer. My professional career has been involved with television and radio. Lily and I established BIG Productions, an independent video production company, which we operated for 15 years. Currently I work at OETA, the Oklahoma PBS network. Many of you may know me as the Editor of the Camp Crier website.
I have been observing Comanche government for the past six years through my work on Camp Crier . Our Nation has grown in many ways. The size and scope of our government is struggling to keep up. Nothing seems to work like it has in the past and the people are frustrated. We want to feel as if we have been treated fairly by our government. We need to feel our voices are heard and our concerns are going to be addressed. Most importantly we need to feel there is hope for a better future. These are the issues I want to work on as a CBC member.
My working life has been in government and commercial areas. As a business owner I know what it takes to make money. As a state employee I know it’s about the rules and regulations. Both skill sets are needed in running our Nation. In business the customer comes first and is always right. In government there is a constitution that rules the day.
I believe keeping to these simple principles on the CBC is the only way to go.
There is work to be done. We must work toward a diversified economic base. We need to employ every tribal member who wants to work in businesses, medicine or government. Our Tribal government could use some adjusting too. The CBC can’t be all it anymore. The time has come for a court system that offers justice for the people. Our constitution needs to acknowledge our long history of family ties as a way of representation. And to me the most important thing is to preserve our language and culture.
Over the centuries we have accomplished great things by working together. We dominated our homeland by working together. Our enemies figured out ways to keep us fighting among ourselves. I say its time we find ways to regain the spirit that holds us together. That is what I stand for.
Dan Bigbee Jr .
