Learning your Chickasaw culture is important - and fun!
This article appeared in the February 2015 edition of the Chickasaw Times
As Chickasaws, we have a unique and special history that stretches back over countless generations.
Our people originally made their home in a large territory that encompassed portions of what is now the Southeastern United States. Much later, in the 1830s, our people were removed from their homelands and settled in the modern Chickasaw Nation.
Our ties to our Chickasaw ancestors are deep and farreaching. Our people developed important traditions we continue to honor today. They developed a beautiful spoken language, an inclusive system of government, caring communities, a trading economy and a respected warrior tradition.
Our Chickasaw heritage and culture are keys to who we are and where we are going in our lives. It impacts our lives each day. Nurturing our Chickasaw essence is of tremendous importance.
Today, the Chickasaw Nation is investing substantial time, energy and resources in preserving, promoting and celebrating our Chickasaw heritage and culture. It is absolutely imperative we do so.
Your tribe offers you a wide range of programs and outreach to help you engage your Chickasaw roots fully.
Our greatest cultural opportunity is the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur. The Cultural Center is ground zero for all things Chickasaw. There, you will find countless opportunities to discover new and exciting things about who you are and where you came from. Traditions abound at the Cultural Center. From art to music to language and all things in between, the Cultural Center will launch your imagination. There is so much to learn and enjoy about who you are!
The Holisso Center at the Cultural Center offers important documents, artifacts and other elements that directly relate to who you are as a Chickasaw. There are so many amazing discoveries waiting for you there. Scholars, family historians and many others have found information at the Holisso Center that creates a much deeper understanding and connection to those important Chickasaw roots.
And while the Cultural Center is the biggest visible edifice announcing the importance of our culture, there are many other programs your tribe offers – and they are just waiting for you!
We now have a tremendous selection of Chickasaw language classes, seminars and products. We are utilizing the amazing skills of our fluent Chickasaw speakers to help others learn – and use – our language. Most of our youth programs now incorporate our language in their daily processes. There are lots of great resources available to you. There are even wonderful Chickasaw flash cards for our children!
And there is so much more. Your Chickasaw heritage is so vitally important, we want you to access all the great programs. Each of these programs is designed to heighten your knowledge, your understanding and your appreciation of who you truly are.
Your heritage is very special. You deserve to engage in the fullness of who you are and what your heritage means in your life. We are proud of the journey our people have traveled. It’s appropriate that we honor our heritage by making it a main focus in our lives.
Won’t you join us today? It doesn’t matter where you live or what’s going on in your life. Your tribe wants you to be fully connected, fully energized by the Chickasaw experience.
We look forward to hearing from you!