The strength of folklife in Oklahoma stems from contrasts in the state's landscape and diversity of its cultures. Northeastern Oklahoma enjoys the physical and cultural characteristics of the Ozark Mountain region; southeastern Oklahoma, with rainfall similar to the humid gulf region, exhibits strong southern and Texas cultural influences--in fact, it is traditionally referred to as "Little Dixie." By contrast, in northwestern Oklahoma, where the terrain rises to nearly 5,000 feet and is the heart of the high southern Plains wheat belt region, the sparce populace shows a strong Kansas-Plains cultural influence. Southwestern Oklahoma is ...