Choctaw Indian Fair

Contents: Partial magazine about the fair and a

letter to the library containing a bibliography of

Choctaw and Neshoba materials.

Location: Vertical Files at B.S. Ricks Memorial

Library of the Yazoo Library Association | 310

N. Main Street, Yazoo City, Mississippi 39194

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■ THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTH CENTRAL BELL 4/1973

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YAZOO LIBRARY ASSOCIATION310 North Main

YAZOO city, miss. 39194-

See Page 26

centralVolume 5 Number 4

Published by South Central Bell Telephone Company

Editor: Ron Hatcher

Editorial Staff; Catherine McDonald,

Jan McCaa

Editorial Offices: P. O. Box 771,Birmingham, Alabama 35201205 321-2232

Art Direction: Harry Mayronne Studios

Printing: Franklin Printing Co.

Special Service for SpecialPeople 1

Even a Magician Can't MakeFlorins Come out of a Hat 9

All the People in Al l the JobsHelp Us Keep Customers 12

More Fun Than a Liter

of Monkeys? 20Choctaw Indian Fair 26Paragraffiti 33

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He'd been diivtng mound the hiHs oi theChattanooga, Tenn., distncl on his way lo a lepai.Ljob he'd been assigned lo. ShoUy stopped ai ato ask directions.

It happened to foe the home oi Debbie Kolvyycf^beautiful young woman oi 22 vrirh biovrn saucei?eyes and long dark hair Debbie has-m bubblingenthusiasm for life that animates lieiTiT#4ahd^^';ipervades her conversation dual lislervijT

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ChoctawIkidian

THE CELEBRATION

OF A CULTURE

By Cathye McDonald

uly in Mississippi is hot and humid. Likebillowing soapsuds, mounds of white cloudscover the brilliant blue sky over the little townof Philadelphia. Miss., on this mid-July day,threatening one of those sudden summer thunderstorms with drenching rain.With a few dubious looks at the clouds, local

folks and visitors hesitantly choose their spotsalong the street and around the "court square,"waiting."Is it time yet?" "Can you see them?" Mur

murs from small gatherings.Suddenly, "Here they come!"It's a strangely silent procession —not at all

what's expected for the opening parade of a festive fair. There are no bands, no music, none ofthe laughter and gaiety usually associated withsuch an event. The sounds are the slap of shoe

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leather against pavement, the rumble of auto

mobile engines, the jingling of a few bells and

the boom of a lone drum.

The Choctaw Indians silently and proudly pa

rade through the town in their colorful cos

tumes, marking the opening of one of the most

dramatic and most nearly authentic festivals inthe South—the Choctaw Indian Fair, For them

this is no tourist show, but the beginning of four

packed days in which they celebrate their age-old culture and heritage. Festivities include

ceremonial dancers in brilliant costumes, skill

contests with blowguns and bows and arrows,

the selection of an Indian Princess and the

traditional and dangerous Choctaw stickballgame.

"This fair is one of the bigger events in the

year for my people," said Robert Benn, who lastyear became the first Indian appointed superintendent of the U. S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in

Philadelphia, Miss. "It's sort of like 'old home

week' when Choctaws from all over this countryreturn to Mississippi for visits. And at least once

each year, everybody pitches in and works together on something."Through the fair, we want to preserve our

traditions, customs, dances, arts and crafts."he added. "We've lost quite a bit of our culture

over the past years. We want to hold on to what

we have left."

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians ismade up of descendants of the 1.200 Choctaws

who refused to leave their traditional homelandwhen the rest of the tribe was moved to the

Oklahoma Territory in the early 19th century.The majority of today's 4.000 tribe members livein seven rural communities in the NeshobaCounty. Miss., area, not far from the historic

NatchezTrace. Their 18,000-acre reservation is

the remnant of more than 14.000,000 acres ofland in Alabama and Mississippi once controlledby a powerful and populous Choctaw tribe.

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A proud people who cherish their heritage, the Choctaws have diligently preservedtheir ethnic identity. They still adhere to manyof the customs and traditions of the past. Someof the older women still wear the long nativedresses, and Choctaw is spoken in the homesalmost exclusively.Once a year for the past 24 years, the Choc

taws have gathered at the Pearl River IndianCommunity near Philadelphia to salute theirtraditions and culture—and share that culturewith the rest of the world.

Visitors to the Choctaw Indian Fair are welcomed, even though the fair is not primarily atourist attraction. If you're one of those touristswho include the fair in a trip, you're in for aunique experience. Not only wil l you find someunusual entertainment, but you will also have achance to learn about the Indian's true way ofl ife, both past and present.Start by soaking up a little Choctaw culture at

the fair's opening event. Learn a l ittle bit ofChoctaw history. Hear the Choctaw languagespoken. See traditional Choctaw clothingmodeled by cute little Choctaw boys and girls.Watch the exciting, rapid plains-style dancers inbrilliant feather costumes, followed by the slower. more gentle Choctaw social dancers.

Then meander on over to the exhibit hall towatch an Indian woman painstakingly weaving.She works about three hours to make just onesmall, authentic Choctaw basket. Unusuallyshaped baskets, along with many other intricate, handmade items such as beadwork andweaving, are for sale in the exhibit hall. Pickup something for a souvenir.

Meanwhile, back at the grandstands, thedancers are on stage again. The frenzied wardances of the plains Indians come first, amidwhoops and the beat of drums as the dancersdemonstrate their skill. More social dances aredemonstrated, too. These are somehow reminiscent of an old-time square dance, as the dancers move in circles or single file to the beat ofa lone drum and the chant of a "caller."

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Hang around after the dancing, because the most spectacular event of the day isyet to come. Two community teams will be

battling in a playoff game of the Choctaw World

Series of Stickball. And they do mean battling.This game may just be the roughest "sport"

you'll ever see. combining some aspects offootball, baseball, basketbal l and ice hockeyinto one rough-and-tumble mixture.

This bone-crushing granddaddy of all North

American sports was at one time actually used

to settle disputes between warring tribes. Thingsgot a l ittle rough during those days, with asmany as 700 players on each side.

There are not so many members on each

team today, but the game itself hasn't changedmuch. There are few rules and no boundaries to

the playing area. Barefooted and with no protective padding, Choctaw men battle to gainpossession of the baseball-sized ball. Theyscoop it up between two spoon-shaped hickorysticks and either run with it or toss it to team

mates. The result is many head-on collisions between men and sticks as each team tries to

bounce the ball off the goalpost.

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II the while, a lone drummer stands

near the goalpost, pounding his drum through

out the game. He's sort of the ancient medicineman, team captain, cheerleader and marchingband for his team. His looks like the safest spot

on the field. And you'll probably be glad to bein the grandstand rather than down on the field.

The excitement dies down after the stickball

game. Then it's pleasant to wander over to themidway with its merry-go-round, Ferris wheeland such. Try your luck at the coin toss, shooting gallery or other games of chance and skill.Win a Kewpie doll or teddy bear. Eat a hot dog,some popcorn, a candy apple or a mound offluffy pink cotton candy.

As twilight dims the sky and bright lights il

luminate the midway, head back to the grandstands, where crowds are gathering for theevening entertainment. You may see a celebrity

guest like Jay Silverheels. If you don't recog

nize that name, perhaps you'll remember Tonto

from "The Lone Ranger" radio and television

shows. Tonto is followed by lovely Indian maid

ens vying for the title of Choctaw Indian Princess. The winner will represent her people atofficial tribal functions throughout the comingyear.

Each night at the fair holds its own specialtreat—a dramatic pageant portraying Choctawtragedy and triumph ... a country-western musicfestival featuring Nashville recording artists . . .gospel singing and more.There's variety at the Choctaw Indian Fair

.. . some of the past. . . some of the present. . .even some of the hoped-for future. It's fun. It's

colorful. It's entertaining.But underneath it all lies a serious message

from a proud people, a people determined topreserve their heritage, a people saying to theworld "I am proud to be a Choctaw." ^

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CHOCTAW MATERIAL IN VERTICAL FILE

NESHOBA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

September 1985

CHOCTAW INDIAN MATERIAL

HISTORY, CULTURE, AND TREATIES, ETC.

CHOCTAW HISTORY

Bennett, Robert T.: Tribal SoverigntryBreland's Columns in Neshoba Democrat re: Choctaw HistoryClaibourne: Mississippi (excerpt)Cushman: History of the Indians 1899Gaines: Reminiscences

Gibson: Dr. A.M.: The Choctaws

Goldman, T.: Coosha TownHalbert, H.S.: A Choctaw Migration LegendHalbert, H.S.: District Divisions of the Choctaw Nation

Halbert, H.S.; Last Indian Council (other re: Pushmataha)Halbert, H.S.: Nanih Waiya Creek War IncidentsHalbert, H.S.: Okla Hannali; or the Six Town District of the ChoctawsHalbert, H.S.: Story of the Treaty of Dancing RabbitHolmes, Jack D.L.: The Choctaws in 1795

Lincecura: Life of ApushimatahaLincecum, Gideon: Traditional History of the Chahta Nation, Part I,

Part II translated 1861

Penman, John T.: Historic Towns of the Southern Division

Pushmataha: Biographical MaterialPushmataha Monument

Printing History of the Choctaw Language Bible

Reorganization of Tribal Government 1934Swanton, John R.: An Early Account of Choctaw Indians in LouisianaTubby, Simpson: The Story of an Indian who became a Legend in his own TimeWatkins, John R.: An Early Account of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana

CHOCTAW CULTURE: GAMES, FOOD, FUNERALS, WEDDINGS, MYTHSBushenell, David I.: Myths of the Louisiana ChoctawsChoctaw Folktales: Bilingical Project MaterialsHalbert, H.S.: The Choctaw Achaphih (Chungkee) GameHalbert, H.S.: The Choctaw Creation LegendHalbert, H.S.: The Choctaw Robin GoodfellowHalbert, H.S.: Courtship and Marriage among the Choctaws of MississippiHalbert, H.S.: Funeral Customs of the Mississippi ChoctawHudson, Peter J.: Choctaw Indian Dishes and other recipesKohl, S.B.: Choctaw ChantsKohl, S.B.: Choctaw Indian DishesKohl, S.B.: Choctaw StickballMissionary Herald Vol. 24 - Excerpts, Choctaws, Religious Opinions,

Traditions, etc.

References for Choctaw Music

Swanton: Choctaw Ball Game

CONTEMPORARY CHOCTAW STUDIES ^Badger, Andrew: A Brief History of the Choctaw LanguageBlanchard, Kendall A.: Team Sports and Social Organization Among the Mississippi ChoctawFerguson, Robert: An overview of Southeastern Indian CulturePeterson, John H.: Assimilation, Separation, and Out-Migration is an

American Indian Group

Peterson, John H.: The Effects of Post Indian-White contacts

on Contemporary StudiesPeterson, John H.: The Indian in the Old South

Peterson, John H.: Louisiana Choctaw life at the End of the I9th centuryPeterson, John H.: Three Efforts at Development among the Choctaws of

MississippiThompson, Bobby and Petterson, John: Mississippi Choctaw Identity

U.S. CHOCTAW TREATIES AND LEGAL DECISIONSChoctaw Labour Force 1976

Choctaw Self-Determination Project Report 1972Choctaw Treaties with the U.S. Government

1st Meeting Choctaw Heritage CouncilHalbert, H.S.; Treaty of Dancing Rabbit CreekKohl, S.B.: 151st Anniversary of Dancing Rabbit CreekList of Choctaw Claimouts and the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit CreekMississippi Band of Choctaw Indian Position StatementMississippi Band of Choctaw Public Documents: Information Sheet on

Mississippi Choctaw Indians 1975Rhodes, Author D.: Choctaw Legal RightsSupreme Court Decision 1978: autonomy of Indian LandsTreaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek

CHURCH HISTORY FILE

Choctaw Education: Rodney L. Brod & othersHalbert, H.S.: Choctaw Schools in MississippiHalbert, H.S.: The Indians in Mississippi and their schoolsNanih Waiya Mennonite ChurchWPA Account of Choctaw Schools

MEDICAL PRACTICES FILE

Campbell, T.N.: Medical Plants used by the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and CreekIndians in the Early 19th century

Houk, Anita: Contemporary Medicine and Choctaw Tribal Medicine

CHOCTAW INDIAN FAIR:1938 Choctaw Fair Pictures

1978 Choctaw Fair: Choctaw Today 19781981 Choctaw Fair Material

SPECIAL COLLECTIONThe Minnie Hand Music Collection Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Overall Development Program 1978-1982The Music of the Mississippi Choctaw Indians by B. Martin Fenerty,

(Background material and music scores to accompany American Indian Musicof the Mississippi Choctaw Indians Vol. I., recording directed by Minnie Hand)

Page 3 9-85RECORDINGS

Araercian Indian Music of the Mississippi Choctaws-Choctaw ChantersAmerican Indian Music of the Mississippi Choctaws-Choctaw Chanters, Vol. II

The Indian Music Chorus of Choctaw Central High School 1975-1976, Vol. II

DISSERTATION AND THESIS

De Rosier, A.H., Jr.: The Removal of the Choctaw Indians fromMississippi, University of South Carolina, 1954, Ph.D. Dissertation,Xerox University Microfilms

Fenerty, M.F.: An Attitudinal Survey of Southern Choctaws on TraditionalAmerican Music in Early Childhood Education. University ofMississippi 1981, Ph.D. Dissertation

Nicklas, Thurston Dale: The Elements of Choctaw University of Michigan1974, Ph.D. Xerox University Microfilms Dissertation

Peterson, John H.: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians: Their Resent

History and current Social Relations University of Georgia, 1970,Ph.D. Dissertation Xerox University Microfilms

Spencer, Marion H.: Employment Potential for Choctaw Indians in a MississippiTown: An Attitudinal Survey of Retail Businessmen, Louisiana StateUniversity, 1976, M.A. Thesis

Tolbert, C.M.: A Sociological Study of Choctaw Indians in MississippiLouisiana State University 1958 Ph.D. Dissertation Xerox UniversityMicrofilms

Watkins, Esther Belle: Some Social and Economic Aspects of Ante-BellumNeshoba County, Mississippi, University of Alabama 1942, M.A. Thesis

MICROFILM-INDIAN POPULATION

Choctaw Trading House-1804-1830 6 rolls National ArchivesIndian Census-Armstrong Roll, 1831 U.S. Bureau of CensusLetters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81 National ArchivesU. S. Census 1900, Choctaw and (part) Creek Nation 3 rolls

CHOCTAW BILINGUAL COLLECTION ^(Vertical File)

Alphabet; Principal syllables in ChoctawBobb: Copy of manuscript #1, translation book of proverbs, Hopaii In Anumpa

Choctaw language - c. 1930-1940Booker: Number supplication in North American Indian languages - 1982Broadwell: A MS Choctaw-English Dictionary with and English-Choctaw Index-1985Byington: Grammar of the Choctaw Language - 1870Byington: Letters and Funeral Extract - 1853-1856Campbell, Lyle & Mithum: Marianne, The language of Native America - 1979Cearley: Mississippi Choctaw, A Basic Course - 1975Cearley: Passives in -fFa - c. 1977Children's Stories: Kanahat Ninak Toksali - 1976

Children's Stories: Kilitti Kanoh Kiya - 1976

Children's Stories: Chahta Icowa (Alphabet Book) - 1977Children's Stories: Katohmiholsplsah - 1976Choctaw Adult Literacy, (Lessons) - c. 1975Choctaw Bilingual: Cahta, Icowa Holisso - Grade I, Lessons 1 through 9 with

additional lessons. Grade II, Lessons 1 through 4. Grade III and appendix - 1979Davies: Choctaw Switch-Reference and levels of syntactic representation-1984Davies: Inalienable possession and Choctaw Referential Coding - 1984Davis: Semantic Contribution to Choctaw Referential Coding Phenomena - 1982Downing: Chata Anompa - 1971Edwards: Letters (Byington) - 1855-1859Fallon and Scott: Language Maintenance - 1983Goodyear: Choctaw Verb FormsGoodyear: Vocabulary Breakdown, DrillsHaas: The Last Words of Biloxi - 1968

Haas: Nasals and Nasalization in Creek - 1977

Hardy and Davis: Comparative in Alabama - 1984Heath: Choctaw Cases - 1977

Jacob, Nicklas & Spencer: A Modern Choctaw VocabularyJacobsen: Typological and genetic notes on switch reference - 1983McCardle & Walton: Choctaw English in Mississippi - 1984McClanan & Herrod: Choctaw 'Articles' in Discources - 1977Munro: Nasals and Nazalization in Western Muskogean - 1984Munro: When 'Same' is Not Different - 1981

Munro: On Western Muskogean Source for Mobilian - 1984Munro and Gordon: Systemic Relations in Western Muskogean - 1982

Muskogean/Southeastern Newsletter - 1985Nicklas: A Choctaw OrthographyNicklas: Choctaw Morphophonemics - 1975Nicklas: English for Speakers of Choctaw - 1969Parental Attitude Toward Education, Bilingual Education Survey Results - 1979Payne: Chickasaw Agreement Morphology - 1982Payne: Switch-Reference in Chickasaw - 1979Pulte: The Position of Chickasaw in Western Muskogean - 1975Rand: The structural phonology of Alabama - 1968Steinburger: Speech Error Collection and Fieldwork, Some Choctaw Speech Errors - 1983Todd, Terry Lynn: Clause Versus Sentence in Choctaw - 1974Tubby & Goodyear: An Introduction to Choctaw GrammarWalton and McCardle: Spoken English in Mississippi Choctaw Children-1984West: The Phonology of Mikosuki - 1962

CHOCTAW LISTINGS IN CARD CATALOG ^NESHOBA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

American Indian Music of the Mississippi ChoctawsBaird, W. David: Peter Pitchlynn: Chief of the Choctaws

Blanchard, Kendall: The Mississippi Choctaws at PlayBounds, Thelma V.: The Story of the Mississippi ChoctawsByington, Cyrus: Dictionary of the Choctaw LanguageA Choctaw Anthology IIChoctaw Central: The Indian Music Chorus of Choctaw Central High School,

Vol. II

Choctaw Today, 1978

Conklin, Paul: Choctaw BoyCushman, H. B.: History of the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez Indians

Damato, Dorothia Jean: Choctaw Social and Ceremonial LifeDebo, Angie: The rise and fall of the Choctaw RepublicDensmore, Frances; Choctaw Music

DeRosier, A. H., Jr.: The Removal of the Choctaw Indians from MississippiGibson, Dr. A. M.: The Choctaw Indians

Lane, Howard; The Choctaw Indians

McKee, Jesse O.: The Choctaws: cultural evolution of a native Americantribe

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians: Miss. Band of Choctaw Indians ■

An Era of ChangeMississippi Band of Choctaw Indians: Overall Economic Development Program, 1978-1982The Mississippi Choctaw IndiansNicklas, Thurston Dale: The Elements of ChoctawPeterson, John Holbrook, Jr.: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians:

Their Recent Hisotry and current social relationsSmith, Allene DeShazo: Greenwood Leflore and the Choctaw Indians of the

Mississippi ValleySwanton, John R.: An Early Account of the Choctaw IndiansTribal Specific Health Plan for Mississippi Band of Choctaw IndiansU.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs: The Story of the Mississippi ChoctawsYoung, Mary Elizabeth: Redskins, ruffleshirts and rednecks; Indian

allotments in Alabama and Mississippi, 1830-1860

NESHOBA COUNTY HOLDINGS ®

MICROFILM

Mississippi Territorial and Census Records 1792-1866The Neshoba Democrat - 1902-1977 (With the exception of 1961, 1962 and Jan. - June 1963.)

NESHOBA COUNTY

Census 1840 through 1910

General Index to Deeds 1835-1975

Deed Records (actual deeds) Volumes A - U 1835 - 1888

Will Records 1837 - 1968 (Actual wills)

Educable children 1892 - 1961 - (missing some early yrs.)McClain-Hays Funeral Home Death Records 1937-1970

Daws-Nowell Funeral Home Death Records, 1939-1979

Latimer's Funeral Home Death Records, 1979-1984Probate Records, 1860 - 1890

VERTICAL FILE

Family, church, community and school historiesCollection of church, school and family photographsChurch minute books and church Record books from several area churchesHistory of county - Files on transportation, medicinal practices,

business and industry, the fairs, community clubs and activities,agriculture, etc.

BOUND VOLUMES - NESHOBA COUNTY

Cemeteries - (5 volumes with an index for each volume)Index to marriage records, 1877 - 1889 (both groom and bride index

included)Index to death notices appearing in "The Neshoba Democrat", 1902 - 1930Index census - 1840, 1850, 1860, 18701850 Agricultural census w/index

1860 Agricultural census w/indexIndex to will records, 1837-1947Index to Land Patent Records

Index to persons receiving Choctaw certificates and military warrantsfrom earliest land records of Neshoba County

Pension Rolls - Neshoba County, MS 1899-1918 with indexConfederate Pension applications w/indexTract Book of original entries, 1835-1890Index to the Tract Book of original entries

MAPS

Plat map of Neshoba County, 1834 - 1900Map of communities (Past and Present)Present Day Neshoba CountyCity map of PhiladelphiaOwnership map of Neshoba County, 1960Road map - WPA 1937

Publication funded by LSCA Title 1 through the Mississippi Library Commission