Fife’s passing a great loss for Indian Country
The Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Gary Fife (Muscogee Nation), Radio Specialist, Mvskoke Media, on Jan. 14. IJA extends its condolences to Fife’s family, friends and colleagues.
Seventy three-year-old Fife was a mentor to many Indigenous journalists and IJA shares in grieving of this great loss in our industry. Those that had the honor of working with him at Mvskoke Media will remember how special it was to have him there. He was known to have serious grit, the type that young journalists aspired to. He also had great style, taste and a witty humor. Fife will always be remembered as a legend.
An enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, with Cherokee heritage, Fife was a career veteran of journalism, with more than 50 years of experience in print, radio and television. He specialized in national Native and governmental affairs, spending 11 years in the nation’s capital.
Fife moved to Alaska for the prospect of founding the Indigenous-focused radio program, –the first Native weekday radio news service, ‘National Native News.’ At its peak, the program was carried on 181 public radio stations across the country. During Fife’s tenure, the service won eight national awards in its first seven years. ‘National Native News’ began national carriage with National Public Radio and was later switched to American Public Radio.
During his career, Fife garnered numerous awards in national and state press competitions, three legislative citations from the State of Alaska and the Governor’s Community Service Medal. In 1978, he was the first Native American recipient of a Ford Fellowship in Educational Journalism. Fife came back home to work for his tribal media outlet at Mvskoke Media, in 2011. In 2022, Fife was recognized with the Frank Greer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalism.
In September 2015, Fife was the first to stand and advocate publicly for the Muscogee Nation’s first free press law during a Muscogee Nation National Council committee meeting where the bill was introduced. This speech was given with everyone above the department in the chain of command except the chief sitting behind Fife and a few other department employees who showed up to support it.
Throughout the Muscogee Nation’s long free press fight for what would eventually become a constitutional amendment ratified by tribal citizens in September 2021, Fife stood as an example for and gave advice to those who continued to lead the cause. Before free press was even on the map, Fife risked asking tough questions of tribal officials with no legal protection for his job, serving as an example and setting the bar for other Mvskoke Media employees. He reminded them that the citizens are the real bosses. In 2023 Fife was named as one of the Living Legends of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
The family of Gary Fife is coordinating a public memorial service to celebrate his life, it will be held Jan. 27 from 1-3, details can be found at Mvskoke Media. Services are pending with Schaudt funeral home in Glenpool, Okla., who are accepting flowers and notes on behalf of his family.
