Event Details (U.S. National Park Service)

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Special Event

Fee:

Free. Always Free!

Dates & Times

Date:

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Time:

9:00 AM

Duration:

6 hours

Type of Event

Children’s Program

Cultural/Craft Demonstration

Living History

Talk

Description

Saturday, October 26th, 2024

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the Chickasaw heritage Festival will be open to the public, in Cloud Field near the Native American Indian Mounds Site.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE:

9:30 AM to 9:50 AM – Archeology

Story Telling

Prehistoric Weaponry

10:00 AM to 10:20 AM – Stickball

Stomp Dance

10:45 AM to 11:00 AM – Music

11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – Indian Mounds Hiking Tour (NPS Ranger Timothy Arnold)

11:30 AM to 11:50 PM – Archeology

Story Telling

Prehistoric Weaponry

12:00 PM to 12:20 PM – Stickball

Stomp Dance

12:45 PM to 1:00 PM – Music

1:00 PM to 2:30 PM – Lunch for the Presenters

1:45 PM to 2:00 PM – CHC and CIF presentation (VC)

1:30 PM to 2:15 PM – Indian Mounds Hiking Tour (NPS Ranger Paul Holloway)

2:30 PM to 2:50 PM – Archeology

Story Telling

Prehistoric Weaponry

3:00 PM to 3:20 PM – Stickball

Stomp Dance

Stickball:

Chickasaws have a long history of playing the traditional game of stickball. Itti’ kapochcha to’li’ or stickball, also known as “little brother of war,” has been handed down from generation to generation and was historically played to settle conflicts over land and politics between Native American tribes. Recorded accounts of stickball date back to the early 18th century.

Stomp Dance:

Stomp dancing is an important aspect of Chickasaw culture. Historically, stomp dancing has its roots in the Green Corn Ceremony, springtime celebrating harvest, redemption, and forgiveness. Chickasaws believe that the fire at the center of the dance circle is the embodiment of Aba’ binni’li’ (God) on earth and that the smoke carries our prayers to the Creator. Stomp dances move counterclockwise around the fire, which mimics the counterclockwise movement of the sun (unlike powwow dancing).

Story Telling:

Storytelling preserves Chickasaw history. It unites the Chickasaw people through their common ancestry. The tradition of storytelling connects the Chickasaws of the past with modern-day members of the tribe.