Chikasha Ittafama set for May 6 at Kullihoma

This article appeared in the April 2023 edition of the Chickasaw Times

Chikasha Ittafama (Chickasaw Reunion) is set for May 6 at Kullihoma Grounds and will mark the reunion’s 25th anniversary.

Kullihoma is home to the Chickasaw Nation ceremonial stomp dance grounds. At one time, each Chickasaw community would have had its own stomp dance grounds, but over time that practice changed. However, the importance of the stomp dance grounds continued to influence Chickasaw people. We can see this in our earliest constitutions. In the 1848 constitution that established a Chickasaw Council and controls around finances, our district (then referred to as the Chickasaw District within the Choctaw Nation) had four counties and each county had a designated “court grounds.” Our people voted and gathered for annuity payments and important tribal meetings at these places. Eventually, the term “court grounds” was dropped, but stomp dance grounds continued to exist throughout the Chickasaw Nation reservation.

On June 1, 1897, The Daily Ardmoreite reported on an upcoming meeting of Chickasaw leaders to plan a large Fourth of July celebration in Tishomingo, Indian Territory. The planned activities included a barbecue feast, “an old time Indian ball game” (stickball), baseball games, a dance and the “main feature of the day,” the pashofa (a traditional Chickasaw food) dance. They predicted this “Indian medicine dance” would influence hundreds to come from all over to participate. They ultimately decided to conduct this celebration on Thursday, July 1, 1897, since July 4 fell on a Sunday that year, and having the celebration take place on Saturday meant the young people would dance into Sunday morning, missing church and, in addition, Friday was considered an unlucky day.

The Daily Ardmoreite also noted two events in the summer of 1900. One at Tishomingo that would include an “Indian ball game…and dance” on July 31 and the other at Russet (southwest of Tishomingo) that would feature “a grand parade, big dinner, baseball game, Indian ball game, pashofa and dance…” to be held Aug. 3. In July of 1924, The Marietta Monitor reported a two-day convention would be held at Twin Ponds (approximately four miles northwest of Lebanon). The convention was to give Chickasaw leadership an opportunity to speak about current tribal affairs, but the event would also feature “an Indian ball game…Perchofa [sic], an Indian dish…and an old-time Indian war dance…” Twin Ponds continued to be used as a stomp dance grounds into the 1970s.

Just like our ancestors’ events, Chikasha Ittafama will have stomp dancing, pashofa and stickball. It will also include horseshoe and domino tournaments, cornstalk shoot competition, games of chunky, activities for children, food and drinks, and, of course, fellowship.

Festivities will begin with the cornstalk shoot at 8 a.m. on May 6 and end with a stomp dance at 9 p.m. Kullihoma is located between Ada and Allen on Highway Way, 13078 CR 3680, Allen, OK 74825.

For more information on Chikasha Ittafama, please call Cultural Resources at (580) 622-7140.