“Ask an Elder”
There are many questions and few elders. This blog will be populated with your Q&A found in the comments.
Please comment with your questions and we’ll promote this blog to the Chickasaw elders who may have the answers that you seek.
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My name is James, my mother mom have cherokee choctaw on her side of the family , and my dads mom mom side of the family have blackfoot chickasaw indian and Native Tunica indian on their side of the family , n that goes for my mother dad father, he is a different indian, but my dad is half black half indian, my mother told me I’m mixed with both tribes, but she says I took after her father dad side, what do you think?
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I have copies of my family in the Dawes application, they were number 137. But they are not in the Dawes list now. Can I still receive a BIA card? I am Choctaw (that’s in the application) Chickasaw, and Cherokee.
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I have no claim to your culture. I’m simply a person who would like to know a part of your history. I never had the opportunity to go into battle but I treat my sport as such. How would a new man wear his face paint in to battle?
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Hello my name is Shelby Reid and I was just wondering how to say/spell promise in Chickasaw or if there is another Synonym for promise in the Chickasaw language. Also how to say pinky as in your little finger on your hand. Please help.
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I have two feathers I have found in my path. One around fathers day and one I have just found today. I believe they may be hawk. I was told if you find a hawk feather in you path then its a sign you are on the right path of life. Would like to know if they were or not. If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it. – JJ
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I’m curious to know how do I truly find out my Native American Heritage. My great grandmother was of Indian decent.
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My name is Jacob and I was wondering what the Chickasaw views were on living among another tribe. For instance the character I am creating is of mixed blood and her parents die. Throughout her years she lived among other tribes. Would this be acceptable or no? Thank you for the help.
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Hello. I am a student looking to interview someone that can enlighten me to the Native American Religion. I Live in NJ so I know this may pose a challenge. I’m very interested and intrigued on the culture.
1. Your Name (first name is ok)
2. Tribe or distinction of Native American Background
3. How has the religion perpetuate itself in the past?
4. How does it survive now, in this age of Information?
5. Any references that I can use would be greatly appreciated.
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when my daughter was pregnant with her son I saw the same eagle over and over flying around my house when she was pregnant with her daughter I saw 2 eagles flying around last Friday she was put in the hospital because she is killing herself with drugs and an d drinking I am raising her kids 7 and 5 satuarday I saw the 2 eagles again this morning I saw one eagle he flew over my car like he was looking for me . do you have ant idea what this means ‘.
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I am a descendant of Greek Immigrants. First generation. Recently, I went to Indian Caverns in Ohio. I purchased a Native made headdress. I have a friend’s birthday party coming up in which I had in mind to wear it to. I would be wearing my regular clothes but wanted to wear the headdress because the theme is to wear something festive on our heads. I have two questions:
1) Is this ok? 2) How are the feathers sourced? Is it humanely?
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Hi my name is Kittie-Dawn, aska SummerWind, i was lucky enought to have met one of my Elders before she past. for many years the family thought we were of Mexican people. But Great Aunt Mary-Kate told myself & one cosin this story. It seems that my grandfather from way back, found out about the removal coming & was very worried about his family. When he exspressed this to the man he worked for .the man offered him something called a life deed, as long as one of his family was alive & one of ours we would work his land and he would hide them.(have you heard of this?) my family honnored this untill my Grandmother past 10 years ago. anyway the resom none of us knew is my family grewup scared to tell anyone who they really were. from what Aunt Mary-Kate said it was worse to be Native than black in those days, we are suppose to be Deer Clan, Chickasaw Tribe, Chreokee Nation. the sir name was Simmons, From Samson Alb. the man that life deeded us was Mr. Deeds. i have not known where to go to find info on The Chickasaw, I met one Elder at a pow wow . He told me there wasn’t many of us left. i want to teach my grandchildren. They just ask me how to say Grandmother. I don’t know in Chickasaw that makes me sad can you help.? many thanks
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I’m trying to find information on any legends or stories of very large black, amber eyed dogs who’s tracks are large like a bear in the eastern Texas region. I lived there when I was 5-10 and I spent a lot of time in the woods by myself. These were bigger than the wild wolf’s that came up to me in Montana. I had forgotten untill recently my old sitter asked me if I ever saw anything in the woods, she told me saw one eating cat food on her porch one night. I remembered that happening, but I thought it was a dream. I didn’t tell her that the day it happened I interrupted it’s very fresh kill. I left as soon as I saw it (it was torn up in a horrible way, ripped up, I could tell it wasn’t dead for anymore than 5 minutes) but it followed me to her home. This one remained hidden I remember it was matching my steps.
I had more experiences, but that was my trigger that made me remember the rest. (I remember hearing on the radio to watch out for things like black Panthers, but I think they were really those dogs) I realise that this might not be a good place for answers, but I don’t know where to look. Thank you.
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I got a question for the Chickasaw elders, which by the way the original Indigenous name of the tribe is Chicaza but on to my question, why do you call yourselves “Native Americans”, if your people are supposedly indigenous to this country then why the prefix? Why not just call yourselves Americans #IGOTSTOKNOW
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