Chickasaw Education in the Old Country
De Soto Defeated by Chickasaw Tribe
Chickasaw people believed that they, as well as their neighboring tribes, emerged from the earth through a mound called Productive Mountain. The people believed that Creeks came first from the mount followed by the Cherokees, Chickasaws and finally the Choctaws. Chickasaws believed in single supreme creator called Ababinili. However, they also believed that the sun was the ultimate spiritual power as it created and sustained life. They also believed in lesser spirits of clouds, sky, witches and evil spirits.
History of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians
Origins of the Native American Choctaw tribe are relative to what time period you ask about. Living Choctaws are prevalent in five states today due to earlier forced migration. Location of Choctaws prior to removal has been written about by English, French and Spanish traders. Oral tradition suggests Choctaws originated from a mound of earth referred to as “Beloved Mother”. Different scholars have opposing ideas about the true origin of the tribe and even now certain tribal members are quick to point out which state their clan (or ogla) hails from. Choctaw tribe is considered a sovereign nation independent of the United States by many countries in other parts of the globe. Today, the Choctaw tribe is split into five factions within Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma and California with a population of a little over half a million Choctaws living on tribal lands. In the past, Choctaws were democratically governed by three regional chiefs or mikos under the advisement of a head chief. Issues like war were voted on in an assembly open to all members of the tribe (Swanton 95-96). Interestingly, the American imposition on the Choctaws has created another system of governance based on location.
Legend Of Nanih Waiya Cave Mound
Choctaw Indians of Mississippi have a fascinating ancient legend about the Nanih Waiya Cave Mound. The Indians say that their ancestors emerged from an artificial underground world a very long time ago, which they consider being the homeland of their ancestors. During this time, the Choctaw Indians were invaded by a race of red- and blond-haired, white-skinned giants. These huge men were dressed in thick skin and carried weapons such as axes and “sharp clubs.” It almost sounds like the Choctaw encountered foreign invaders from across the sea. Could it have been the Vikings or some other foreign people of great stature? Choctaw Indians’ Legend Of Nanih Waiya Cave Mound – Mysterious Underground Realm Of Their Ancestors And Their Battle With Giants.
The Choctaw are descendants of the Hopewell and Mississippian cultures, who lived throughout the east of the Mississippi River valley. Nanih Waiya, a fifty-foot-tall natural geological formation, is located in what is central present-day Mississippi. The mound is said to have been built by the Hopewell people about 1,700 years ago. Nanih Waiya is sacred to the Choctaw Indians. The great mound has several natural openings, some of which have been “sealed up.” Still, the Choctaw Indians say these openings serve as entrances to a vast, unknown underground realm that their ancestors inhabited. When the “white” giants with “horns” attacked their people, their ancestors were forced to hide inside the mound for generations. According to the Choctaw Indians, the mound leads to a huge subterranean world with large series of caverns.
There is an underground river there and connects to other “worlds,” or underground places. When the Choctaw emerged after staying underground for many generations, they went to war with their enemies. They won the won by using darts coated with a poison made from mushrooms found in the caverns. Victorious, they emerged again into the sunlit world. The Choctaw Indians still consider Nanih Waiya to be a place that should be treated with respect, but they also fear it a little. They say several supernatural beings inhabit the mound. One of them is the Shampe, a hair-covered, human-like giant who has a terrible odor. Other mysterious beings who are believed to live inside the Nanih Waiya are dwarfs and giant serpents.
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/choctaw.htm
At the beginning there was a great mound. It was called Nanih Wiya. It was from this mound that the Creator fashioned the first of the people. These people crawled through a long, dark cave into daylight. They became the first Choctaw.
The Choctaws were the first tribes to be moved to Oklahoma in 1830 on the Trail of Tears. They went voluntarily. They could see that it was a waste of time to rebel. At the time, instead of fighting back, they adapted. Once in Oklahoma, the Choctaw quickly accepted a new religion, although they did not give up their own. They accepted a new educational system, the white man’s school, although they taught their children about their own customs in their own way. They accepted a new constitution and legal system – the Constitution of the United States. They also kept their own laws. Women remained the head of households in the Choctaw tribes.
CHOCTAW NATION SYMBOLS AND MEANINGS
Cayuga language – wikipedia, Cayuga (cayuga: gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ) is a northern iroquoian language of the iroquois proper (also known as “five nations iroquois”) subfamily, and is spoken on six nations of the grand river first nation, ontario, by around 240 cayuga people, and on the cattaraugus reservation, new york, by fewer than 10.. the cayuga language is related to other northern iroquoian languages, such as seneca.. Choctaw indian spirit animals – gppt.herrenschuhe-shop.de, The choctaw nation is the third-largest indian nation in the united states with nearly 200,000 tribal members what is choctaw animal symbols. likes: 614. shares: 307. throughout history, the crow has been associated with both positive and negative symbolic meanings. the most common are: life magic; mystery of creation. destiny, personal. 98 pretty native american girl names – mom loves best, Aiukli is a choctaw name meaning “beautiful. other tribes viewed butterflies as symbols of change, balance, and beauty. beautiful, sweet. komeha‘e. komeha’e is a native american female name meaning “coyote woman.” the highest-ranking tribe in the creek nation. she was well known for her beauty and grace, eventually marrying.
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is one of three Federally recognized tribes of Choctaw Indians. On April 20, 1945, this band organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Also in 1945 the Choctaw Indian Reservation was created in Neshoba and surrounding counties in Mississippi. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is the only Federally recognized Indian tribe in the state. By a deed dated August 18, 2008, the state returned Nanih Waiya to the Choctaw. The ancient earthwork mound and site, built about 1 CE-300 CE, has been venerated since the 17th century as a place of origin of the Choctaw ancestors. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw have made August 18 a tribal holiday to celebrate.
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (commonly referred to as the Choctaw Nation) is a federally recognized Native American tribe with a tribal jurisdictional area comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments. As of 2011, the tribe has 223,279 enrolled members, of which 84,670 live within the state of Oklahoma. The tribal jurisdictional area is 10,864 square miles (28,140 km2), a total of 233,126 people live within these boundaries, the majority of whom are not Choctaw. The chief of the Choctaw Nation is Gary Batton, who took office on April 29, 2014 after the resignation of Gregory E. Pyle. The Choctaw Nation Headquarters is located in Durant, Oklahoma, though the Choctaw Capitol Building is in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma; it is now the Choctaw Museum and home to the Judicial Department Court System.
The Choctaw Nation is one of three Choctaw tribes; the others are the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Those are descendants of Choctaw who resisted the forced relocation to Indian Territory. The Mississippi Choctaw preserved much of their culture in small communities and reorganized as a tribal government under new laws after the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Those Choctaw who removed to the Indian Territory, a process that went on into the early 20th century, are federally recognized as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The removals became known as the “Trail of Tears.” “I like living in this community, and I like being Choctaw, but that’s all there is to it. Just because I don’t want to be a white man doesn’t mean I want to be some kind of mystical Indian either. Just a real human being.”
Beasley Denson, Secretary/Treasurer
of the Choctaw Tribal Council, 1988
STORIES
Grandmother Spider Steals the Fire
(Creation story of the
Choctaw People of Tennessee and Mississippi)
The Choctaw People say that when the People first came-up out of the ground, People were encased in cocoons, their eyes closed, their limbs folded tightly to their bodies. And this was true of all People, the Bird People, the Animal People, the Insect People, and the Human People. The Great Spirit took pity on them and sent down someone to unfold their limbs, dry them off, and open their eyes. But the opened eyes saw nothing, because the world was dark, no sun, no moon, not even any stars. All the People moved around by touch, and if they found something that didn’t eat them first, they ate it raw, for they had no fire to cook it. All the People met in a great Pow-wow, with the Animal and Bird People taking the lead, and the Human People hanging back. The Animal and Bird People decided that dark was not good, but cold and miserable. A solution must be found!!! Someone spoke from the dark, “I have heard that the people in the East have fire”. This caused a stir of wonder, “What could fire be”!!! There was a general discussion, and it was decided that if, as-rumor-had-it, fire was warm and gave light, they should have it too. Another voice said, “But the people of the East are too greedy to share with us”. So it was decided that the Bird and Animal People should steal what they needed, the fire!!! But, who should have the honor!!! Grandmother Spider volunteered, “I can do it!!! Let me try”!!! But at the same time, Opossum began to speak. “I, Opossum, am a great Chief of the animals. I will go to the East and since I am a great hunter, I will take the fire and hide it in the bushy hair on my tail”. It was well know that Opossum had the furriest tail of all the animals, so he was selected. When Opossum came to the East… he soon found the beautiful-red-fire jealously guarded by the people of the East. But Opossum got closer and closer until he picked up a small piece of burning wood, and stuck it in the hair of his tail, which promptly began to smoke, then flame. The people of the East said, “Look, that Opossum has stolen our fire”!!! They took it and put it back where it came from and drove Opossum away. Poor Opossum!!! Every bit of hair had burned from his tail, and to this day, Opossums have no hair at all on their tails. Once again, the Pow-wow had to find a volunteer Chief. Grandmother Spider again said, “Let me go!!! I can do it”!!! But this time a bird was elected, Buzzard. Buzzard was very proud. “I can succeed where Opossum has failed. I will fly to the East on my great wings, then hide the stolen fire in the beautiful long feathers on my head”. The birds and animals still did not understand the nature of fire. So Buzzard flew to the East on his powerful wings, swooped past those defending the fire, picked up a small piece of burning ember, and hid it in his head feathers. Buzzard’s head began to smoke and flame even faster!!! The people of the East said, “Look!!! Buzzard has stolen the fire”!!! And they took it and put it back where it came from. Poor Buzzard!!! His head was now bare of feathers, red and blistered looking. And to this day, buzzards have naked heads that are bright-red and blistered. The Pow-wow now sent Crow to look the situation over, for Crow was very clever. Crow at-that-time was pure white, and had the sweetest singing voice of all the birds. But he took so long standing over the fire, trying to find the perfect piece to steal that his white feathers were smoked black. And he breathed so much smoke that when he tried to sing, out came a harsh, Caw!!! Caw!!! The Council said, “Opossum has failed. Buzzard and Crow have failed. Who shall we send”!!!
Tiny Grandmother Spider shouted with all her might, “LET ME TRY IT PLEASE”!!! Though the council members thought Grandmother Spider had little chance of success, it was agreed that she should have her turn. Grandmother Spider looked-then like she looks-now, she had a small torso suspended by two sets of legs that turned the other way. She walked on all of her wonderful legs toward a stream where she had found clay. With those legs, she made a tiny clay container and a lid that fit perfectly with a tiny notch for air in the corner of the lid. Then she put the container on her back, spun-a-web all the way to the East, and walked tip-toe until she came to the fire. She was so small, the people from the East took no notice. She took a tiny piece of fire, put it in the container, and covered it with the lid. Then she walked back on tip-toe along the web until she came to the People. Since they couldn’t see any fire, they said, “Grandmother Spider has failed”!!! “Oh No”, she said, “I have the fire”!!! She lifted the pot from her back, and the lid from the pot, and the fire flamed up into its friend, the air. All the Birds and Animal People began to decide who would get this wonderful warmth. Bear said, “I’ll take it”!!! but then he burned his paws on it and decided fire was not for animals… for look what happened to Opossum!!! The Birds wanted no part of it, as Buzzard and Crow were still nursing their wounds. The insects thought it was pretty, but they too, stayed far away from the fire. Then a small voice said, “We will take it, if Grandmother Spider will help”. The timid humans, whom none of the animals or birds thought much of, were volunteering!!! So Grandmother Spider taught the Human People how to feed the fire with sticks and wood to keep it from dying, how to keep the fire safe in a circle-of-stone so it couldn’t escape and hurt them or their homes. While she was at it, she taught the humans about pottery made of clay and fire, and about weaving and spinning, at which Grandmother Spider was an expert.
The Choctaw remembered!!!
They made a beautiful design to decorate their homes, a picture of Grandmother Spider, two sets of legs up, two down, with a fire-symbol on her back.
This is so their children never forget to honor
Grandmother Spider: Fire-bringer!!!
Walk in Peace
Contributed by: Three Feathers
Articles From the Choctaw newspaper Bishinik.
Traditional and Other Choctaw Stories
The Choctaw Nation (Choctaw: Chahta Yakni) is a Native American territory covering about 6,952,960 acres (28,138 km2; 10,864 sq mi), occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States.[5] The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United States and the second-largest Indian reservation in area after the Navajo. As of 2011, the tribe has 223,279 enrolled members, of whom 84,670 live within the state of Oklahoma and 41,616 live within the Choctaw Nation’s jurisdiction. A total of 233,126 people live within these boundaries, with its tribal jurisdictional area comprising 10.5 counties in the state. It shares borders with the reservations of the Chickasaw, Muscogee, and Cherokee, as well as the U.S. states of Texas and Arkansas. By area, the Choctaw Nation is larger than eight U.S. states – Hawaii, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island – as well as the territory of Puerto Rico, and is larger than the combined area of the last three (Connecticut through Rhode Island).
The chief of the Choctaw Nation is Gary Batton, who took office on April 29, 2014, after the retirement of Gregory E. Pyle. The Choctaw Nation Headquarters, which houses the office of the Chief, is located in Durant. Durant is also the seat of the tribe’s judicial department, housed in the Choctaw Nation Judicial Center, near the Headquarters. The tribal legislature meets at the Council House, across the street from the historic Choctaw Capitol Building, in Tuskahoma. The Capitol Building has been adapted for use as the Choctaw Nation Museum. The largest city in the nation is McAlester. The Choctaw Nation is one of three federally recognized Choctaw tribes; the others are the sizable Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, with 10,000 members and territory in several communities, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana, with a few hundred members. The latter two bands are descendants of Choctaw who resisted the forced relocation to Indian Territory. The Mississippi Choctaw preserved much of their culture in small communities and reorganized as a tribal government in 1945 under new laws after the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Those Choctaw who removed to the Indian Territory, a process that went on into the early 20th century, are federally recognized as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The removals became known as the “Trail of Tears.” The original territory has expanded and shrunk several times since the 19th century.
In English, the official name for the area was “Choctaw Nation“, as outlined in Article III of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaty following the Civil War. During its time of sovereignty within the United States Indian Territory, it also utilized the title “Choctaw Republic“. Since 1971, it is officially referred to as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the federal and Oklahoma governments. Officially a domestic dependent nation since 1971, in July 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in McGirt v. Oklahoma that the eastern area of Oklahoma- about half of the modern state- never lost its status as a Native reservation. This includes the city of Tulsa (located between Muscogee and Cherokee territory). The area includes lands of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Muscogee and Seminole. Among other effects, the decision potentially overturns convictions of over a thousand cases in the area involving tribe members convicted under state laws. The ruling is based on an 1832 treaty, which the court ruled was still in force, adding that “Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.” As such, the Choctaw Nation returned from a domestic dependent nation status to that of an Indian reservation.
Indigenous Peoples Literature 
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