Sources and pictures

This is a totem pole that my group made

     I would like to thank the following:
        http://www.flickr.com
        http://www.google.com
        http://www.nationalgeographic.com
        http://www.chickasaw.net
        http://www.bigorrin.org/chickasaw_kids.htm
Special Thanks to Dave Pearson, cheesy42, and
Northampton Museums for  the wonderful photos!

A model roundhouse that my group made

 

The Story Of A Native American

     Alert

  "If you are a Native american you must evacuate your village and leave immediately.  People have been following you.  To get to safety follow the dirt path until you reach where all the roads meet.  This is a mobile home so if we're not there, just wait.  We'll come."  It said on a piece of deerskin in different languages.  Ours was at the very bottom.  My mother told me to go do something outside so I played Toli with the other people outside.  When I finally came back in my mother said we were moving to another place.  I knew what she was talking about.  We were going to where the letter said to go.  We were doomed.  

    Here I am hiding with my brother Thunder and my baby sister Sun.  You probably don't know the tragic incident  that has happened so I'll tell you.  When we got to the place where the paths meet We saw tons of other Native Americans from different tribes.  The people were not there.  We waited there for what seemed like an hour.  When we got there, it took a very long time for them to unpack.  I saw that they had on very weird clothes and were carrying metal things with a hole in the front.  I thought it was some kind of instrument and they would play it for us but I was wrong.  They took them out and pointed them at people and pulled a trigger.  Out came a puny thing that looked really bad.  When it hit someone they would fall to the ground... dead.  I took my brother and tried to get out of this terrible place but the exits were surrounded.  I heard a very familiar scream then looked at my mother.  She was on the ground...dead.  Dead as a hunted turkey.  I took a baby from a dead mother, got my brother, slipped passed the guards and we ran, me carrying the baby.  We finally found another tribe to live with and here we are now, living with this tribe.  It's called the Choctaw tribe.  They have taken really good care of us.  We even now have a fake mother.  This is a good life.

      I am now a grownup woman and have told my story to many children.  This is the first time I've written in this journal since 20 years ago.  My sister and brother are still here and okay.  I help out around and make sure no one believes any letters that say you will be safe.  I thank the Choctaw tribe SO much for keeping us safe.  My brother is chief of the Choctaw tribe and we have been living a happy life.  I hope it will stay that way forever.

Story

How Trees Were Made

       Once upon a time long before now life had just been created.  Every animal was made differently.  The best at seeing was the hawk, the biggest was the whale, the most colorful was the toucan, and the smartest was the human.  The problem was humans had no mouths.  All the other animals could talk and show off there skills to the other animals.  

      "I can swing from tree to tree." said a monkey.  

      "I can fly." said a flamingo.  

       " I can swim." said a fish.  The humans wanted to show off there skills too but no one would notice to them because they couldn't speak.

          One day a human named Cloud could not stand not talking anymore.  He was going to give the humans mouth.  He went to Wise Hawk, the oldest, wisest Native American in the Chickasaw tribe.  Hawk wrote what he had to do to get a mouth.  He would have to climb the highest mountain and find the water of the river that flowed backwards.  He would have to catch a golden fish and put it in the pocket of his breechcloth.  He would have to find the richest soil. Wise Hawk gave Cloud a seed and wrote "plant it" in the dirt.  Cloud decided he would get a good night's sleep in his Chickee and set off for his journey.  

                      In the morning Cloud ate some nuts and berries and set off for his journey.  He took a pitcher and a long walking stick with him so he could get up the mountain faster.  So Cloud's journey began.

                 Cloud knew the steepest mountain in the valley but it was all the way across his village.  He knew he would have to walk for a whole day to get there. Finally when Cloud got there it was dark.  The mountain was steep and rocky but he had his stick.  He pulled it out and set off up the mountain.

                  When Cloud finally got up the mountain he saw the mot beautiful river he ever saw.  His home was dry so this was really surprising.  The most weird thing about this water was it was flowing backwards!  He took the pitcher and filled it to the top.  Then he got into the water and looked under.  There were so many fish!  Blues, reds, greens, yellows!  He kept wading through the water looking for the golden fish until he saw it.  It was the most beautiful fish he had ever seen!  He reached out to grab it but it quickly swam out of sight.  It was a quick fish and he could never catch it with just his hands.  He took off his moccasins and tried to find the fish when he finally saw it.  He quickly made his move and caught the fish in his moccasin!  He put it in the pocket of his breechcloth and finally set off back down the mountain.  

                 When he was at the bottom of the mountain he started thinking about where the richest soil was and the place popped into his head.  It was on the other side of the village by the fishing stream.  He would have to walk for another day to get there.  When he was walking to the stream he passed many woman farming.  He noticed how they put fish around the seeds they were planting and watering them. He figured out that he would have to do that with his seed, fish, and water.   

                When he finally got to the soil he dug a hole, put in his seed, buried it with soil, and watered it.  Instantly a huge plant the size of two chickees stacked on top of each other rose from the ground.  He said "Oh my gosh." He actually said something! He had a mouth!  He ran to everyone in his village, all the animals and shouted "We have mouths because of this big plant I planted! Come see!"  Everyone ran to the huge plant.  Everyone was amazed by this growing thing.  Everyone started talking.  The Chickasaw tribe decided that they would make a language.  They could do all sorts of things with their new mouths, but the best part is the animals would finally notice them!  

              "What are you going to call it?" someone asked Cloud.

               "I think I'll call it... a tree."

The golden fish

The first tree

                

Interesting Facts

                   There are many interesting facts about the Chickasaw tribe.  Did you know the Chickasaw was able to communicate with another tribe called the Choctaw tribe because they had very similar languages?  Well now you know.  Today the Chickasaw tribe has there own government with police, laws, and services.  Instead of men woman were the farmers.  Chickasaw men usually shaved there heads except for a small scalplock of hair.

Culture

         There is a lot to know about Chickasaw culture.  Storytelling was very important.  Chickasaw chiefs were always men.  Most men wore breechcloth (a skirt like object that wraps around the waist).  Both genders wore moccasins.  Most Chickasaw people lived in grass houses, wattle houses, daub houses, and Chickees.

Grass House

Moccasin
Thank you Northampton Museums 

Entertainment

          The Chickasaw tribe does a lot of things to entertain themselves.  Kids played with other kids, helped around the house, played Toli (a ball and stick game kind if like lacrosse), and played with beaded dolls.  Men hunted, fished, and occasionally went to war.  Women farmed, took care of their children, and cooked.  Both genders were good at storytelling.

 

Woman farmed a lot of things like corn.

Climate

       The Chickasaw tribe had hot summers and cold winters.  The temperature ranges from 37˚ in January to 85˚ in July.  Dry, sunny weather prevails throughout the Chickasaw nation.  The average rainfall per year was only in between 35 and 50 inches.  Average snowfall is about 9 inches a year.

Religions

        For the Chickasaw tribe there were four beloved things: the clouds, the sun, the clear sky, and "he who lives above the clear sky."  "He who lives above the clear sky" was believed to be called Aba Binilli.  It was said he lived above the clouds and on earth with the "unpolluted people."  He is the creator of warmth, life, all of animal life, and vegetable life.  Lightning and Thunder were called Hilohah (Hilohah-ligthning) and its rumbling noise Rowah.  When it rained, thundered, and strong winds blew for a long time, the beloved and holy people were thought to be at war above the clouds.  Many Chickasaw people would take out there guns and and point them at the sky to show that the warriors were not afraid to die so they could aid the holy people.  Fire was very much respected by the Chickasaw tribe.  Trees were deadened and were later used to keep their annual holy fire burning.  It was unlawful and considered the work of evil spirits to extinguish even the cooking fire with water.
                                                                 
 

Food

   The Chickasaw tribe ate many foods.  They hunted deer, wild turkey, and bear.  They also gathered many plants, nuts, and berries to eat.  The Chickasaw tribe harvested corn, beans, sunflowers, plums, and herbs.  They cooked cornbread, soup, and stews on stone hearths.  They fished in lakes and drank sassafras  tea.

Thank you cheesy42!

Home

Hi I'm Maeve and welcome to The Chickasaw Nation.  Here you can find out all about the Chickasaw tribe.  I have written about food, religions, climate, entertainment, culture, and interesting facts.  Ihave also made a story and three entries.  Hope you enjoy my blog!

  

Roundhouse from Dave Pearson.  Thank You!