"What's an Okie?"

Long story short, an Okie is an Oklahoman, just like a Trønder is someone from Trøndelag. 

A group of Okies observe some neighborhood excitement in a small town, assisted with binoculars.  The male uses a rifle scope for observation, solidifying his Okie status.  Note that if they were observing weather, the observation enhancement devices would be inclined upwards. 

Long story long, the name came about as a derogatory term, used by Californians who were tired of all these Dust Bowl refugees - the bulk of which came from the state of Oklahoma - coming in and taking jobs and making the place generally unsightly with their tattered rags and refugee camps and such.  These refugees were often stuck living in shacks on the edges of town, next to irrigation channels.  They had no access to plumbing so waste went to the irrigation channels, which was also their water source.  Medical care wasn’t an option. The lucky ones found work wandering around harvesting crops, others were in a perpetual search for a job.  Those who stayed behind - and this included my Great Grandma’s family - faced hard times as well.  From a family of farmers, she would tell stories of unimaginable amounts of dust, and a struggle for food.  She was born in 1925, and the Dust Bowl started in 1934, so these days formed much of her early memory. The Dust Bowl was a result of a natural severe drought teaming up with poor farming practices that destroyed the natural topsoil.  The soil was lifted from the land and carried all over on the winds.  This of course was in the midst of the Great Depression, which didn’t help things much, either.  I grew up hearing that Congress didn't want to pass the Soil Conservation Act until one of the storms made it to Washington, D.C., the dust settling on their desks.  Scientist Dr. Hugh Bennett was set to present a testimony in favor of passing the act, but knew Washington needed some convincing.  Knowing a storm would reach them that day, he stalled his testimony until the skies darkened with dust clouds before proceeding with his talk.  The act passed unanimously.   
                                             
Nowadays Okies wear this name with pride.  Texas being the main sports rival to Oklahoma, many Okies would take offense if you confused them for a Texan - but honestly, the cultures have a lot of overlap.  If you have a vague image of a Texan, you may just as well be looking at an Okie. 

Common pastimes of hardcore Okies can include - but are not limited to - hunting, fishing (even noodling for some), and standing out on the porch lookin' for tornadoes instead of seeking shelter when the siren goes off.