S2, E5, P2: Stickball, Little Brother of War: Mississippi Choctaws, Mark Williams & Chalena Marcus Billy

“If you wanna see women go to war, I would say come to Choctaw, Mississippi!”

– Chalena Marcus Billy from the Pearl River Ohoyo Team 2021 Stickball Champions

Welcome to a new episode of Native ChocTalk’s Part 2 of “Stickball, Little Brother of War: Mississippi Choctaws, Mark Williams & Chalena Marcus Billy.

Listen to the episode here! https://tinyurl.com/ybbkdhvy

In part 1, stickball player, expert and stickmaker, Brenner Billy taught us about the history, culture and spirituality around the historic American Indian game of stickball.

Part 2 is here, y’all! And I know you’ll enjoy hearing from both Mark Williams, award-winning Choctaw filmmaker and champion stickball player, Chalena Marcus Billy.

Mark looks back at how he raised money to make films by having an Indian taco sale, how he practiced horror filmmaking on his friends (and they survived), all about his comics titled, “The adventures of Josie the Frybread Kid” and about his success today earning awards for his incredible films.

And last but not least, this ohoyo powerhouse, Chalena tells us what it’s like to play in this historic and dangerous game, about the difference between stickball in Oklahoma vs. Mississippi and how as a woman, her desire to play stickball derives from a drive deep within that differs from that of her male counterparts. But even this seemingly indestructable champion had a tender perspective on how the loss of the most important person in her life affected her world, yet made her the person and stickball player she is today.

You don’t want to miss this!

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