Native ChocTalk

S1, E16: Jim Thorpe – Great American Athlete (and Native Superhero)

Life did not set him up for success. He didn’t have a wealthy upbringing, he suffered great loss many times over, he didn’t come from a long line of famous athletes. In fact, he was an American Indian - the most despised and discarded race in America.

What turned this despised Indian into a super star athlete (or who I consider to be a Native “superhero”)? How did he go from discarded, to receiving gifts from the Czar of Russia and the King of Sweden and even his body being fought over after his death? 

His name is Jim Thorpe. And in 1912, this Native American sports super hero triumphantly bolted into his sports career by winning the Decathlon AND the Pentathlon at the Stockholm Olympics with 8,146 points (today’s current highest score is 9,126). One of his teammates once described him as “an oak tree doing a hundred yards in 10 seconds”. But he didn’t stop there. This track star also found success in football and baseball too!

But the journey was not easy. I sat down with Ashley Scott, Curator at the Jim Thorpe Home in Yale, Oklahoma to hear more about this Native American super hero - his success, the obstacles he overcame and the inspiration he brings to all people of all races from all backgrounds!

Season 1, Episode 16: “Jim Thorpe – Great American Athlete (and Native Superhero)”
Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast
Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

S1, E15 - Jones Academy, Choctaw Nation Boarding School: Patrick Moore, Pawnee

In this episode, my sister and I traveled to beautiful eastern Oklahoma to visit a friend of mine, Patrick Moore, Superintendent of the Choctaw Nation’s boarding school, Jones Academy in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

Jones Academy is located at the base of the beautiful Pocahontas Mountains, surrounded by rolling hills and trees as far as the eye can see – a perfect place for this boarding school. This establishment serves Native American students from around the country who wish to continue learning about their culture, language and traditions while being surrounded by other Native kids (and the pleasing hills of eastern Oklahoma). 

One of the reasons I wanted to introduce you listeners to Patrick and to hear about Jones Academy is to shed light on the fact that there are some excellent Native boarding schools in existence today. Considering the horrid treatment and cultural genocide of thousands of American Indian children over the years finally coming to light and flooding the news, I think it’s also important that we educate ourselves on the other side of the story too. Although we mourn the atrocities that occurred and we certainly will never forget the injustices, I hope we will also recognize that boarding schools like Jones Academy are a far cry from the schools of yesteryear, and are crucial establishments and an incredible experience for our Native children. It’s a place they can go to be surrounded by kids from dozens of different tribes and to continue their education around their own culture. There is much more to this other side of the story, so I hope you’ll take a listen!

Check out Jones Academy at https://www.jonesacademy.org/.
Yakoke! 

Season 1, Episode 15: “Jones Academy, Choctaw Nation Boarding School: Patrick Moore, (Pawnee) Discusses the Other Side of the Story”

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast
Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

S1, E14: Choctaw Nation’s Chief Gary Batton & Tribal Prosecutor, Kara Bacon on McGirt vs. Oklahoma

“The most impactful part of this decision was Justice Gorsuch saying, ‘On the far end of the Trail of Tears there was a promise’. And I think every Native that read that felt like, hey it’s about time. The US government is now going to be held to the treaties they made with our First Nations when they removed our people from their homelands”.  – Kara Bacon

Friends, on July 9^th, 2020, THE single most extraordinary and unprecedented Supreme Court decision in our lifetime was made for Native country. It was decided in McGirt vs. Oklahoma that Creek Nation lands would remain “Indian Country” jurisdiction. And other tribes would soon follow. This was a win – a BIG win!

But as much as we celebrated this victory, we also simultaneously looked at each other asking, “But what does it really mean - for us as Natives, for our tribe, for our justice system, for our healthcare and so on?”

To squelch the confusion, I’ve called in the best of the best – our Choctaw Nation Chief, Gary Batton and our Tribal Prosecutor, Kara Bacon. It’s important for everyone, but especially we as Chahtas to comprehend what all of this means. I highly recommend taking time to listen and soak it all in.

High fives to us all – to Indian country, to our ancestors who were swindled and lied to, and to our future generations who will hopefully carry the torch even further. Chahta sia hoke!

Season 1, Episode 14: “Choctaw Nation’s Chief Gary Batton & Tribal Prosecutor, Kara Bacon on McGirt vs. Oklahoma and About Tribal Government” (post episode)

 

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Moment of Silence by Stacy Williams

Moment of Silence - Stacy Williams, flute

S1, E13: National Native American Heritage Month & Preserving the Stories of Those Who Came Before Us, Seth Fairchild, Choctaw

“Cicero shot him”, Ella stated, as her declining 91-year-old mind recalled memories aloud from her childhood. She was near death now, preparing to go home to her Creator, but not without first reliving the event that had occurred when she was just 7 years old. She was a child, too young to comprehend why Cicero would shoot “him". But who was Cicero? And who was the “him” of which she spoke?

Ella eventually peacefully passed on, her family mourning the loss of this sweet matriarch. But this great loss also included her stories leaving with her forever…or maybe not. It would be 12 years following her death that the story of Cicero was resurrected, the mystery of his victim unraveled and the beginning of a fascinating historical journey.

Keeping history like this alive is why Native ChocTalk exists today. It’s officially Native American Heritage Month and I’m grateful in this latest episode to partner with Seth Fairchild – a man also on a mission to preserve our Native stories via the Choctaw Nation’s Chahta Foundation.

Friends, even if you’re not American Indian, Seth and I would like to invite YOU to join us in preserving YOUR family’s history and stories!

 

Chahta Foundation: https://chahtafoundation.com/

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

 

S1, E11: Welcome to First Americans Museum: Welana Queton, Osage/Cherokee/Creek

Have you visited the new First Americans Museum (FAM) in Oklahoma City? If not, it’s a must-see! Welana Queton, Curatorial Specialist, was kind enough to walk us through the meaningful layout of the museum and the story around the precious artifacts of our Indigenous past.

My sister, Stacy and I visited FAM on opening day and were in awe of the many beautiful colors – from regalia to art to feathers to jewelry to artifacts. What a breathtaking site to see that day, as Natives from across our 39 different tribes of Oklahoma were in full regalia, ready to dance, drum and sing.

I highly recommend taking some time to visit FAM and while you’re there, be sure to visit the FAM store which includes Oklahoma-centric treasures created by local artists (or by Oklahoma tribes living elsewhere). You’ll also love the children’s area filled with toys, books and unique finds by Native Americans for children of any age. So pack up the family, go visit the First Americans Museum and get ready for a new experience!

 

First Americans Museum:

Website: https://famok.org/

Address: 659 First Americans Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73129

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10-5, Saturday and Sunday 11-5. Closed Tuesdays

 

Season 1, Episode 11: “Welcome to First Americans Museum: Welana Queton, Osage/Cherokee/Creek”

https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

S1, E10 - You Won’t Find This in the History Books, Solomon Tonihka, Choctaw

Did you know that at one time, “Mexican bandits” rode through Oklahoma’s Choctaw country and tried to take down the tribe? The Choctaws banded together and killed their enemies, allowing their bodies to float down the river.

I once spoke to my guest, Solomon Tonihka, Choctaw, about this and other stories his family had passed down over time, one ancestor to another, the traditional oral way that Native Americans have preserved their stories and history for centuries. And these are things you just won’t find in the history books.

Hear about:

• Solomon as a first language (Choctaw) speaker, detailing stories in Mississippi Choctaw dialect
• The Steel family homestead – a Sooner family with 40 acres right next to the Tonihka allotments
• Choctaw folklore (“folklore” according to some) such as big foot, shape shifters and witches
• Could there once have been mermaids in Oklahoma?
• Take a ride with me around Solomon and his family’s 160 acres – their original Native land allotments
• Stickball of old and the blood that was spilled nearby
• The family graveyard on the Tonihka property
• Banaha and Indian frybread like you’ve never heard about it before

Yakoke and enjoy!

 

Season 1, Episode 10: “You Won’t Find This in the History Books: Solomon Tonihka, Choctaw”

https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

S1, E9 - Fawn Tsatoke: The Kiowa Woman Who Came Back with a Vengeance

WARNING: Some of the stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in this episode may be disturbing for some listeners so please be advised.

“Don’t let anyone tell you you’re just a stupid little Indian girl”, was the advice her father gave her many times over. And later these words would run through her mind as she had to muster strength, determination and sheer will power to survive and escape the unthinkable. 

More than once, she herself was nearly deemed a missing or murdered Indigenous woman. And now she donates that strength and determination to help other Indigenous people. 

Meet the Kiowa Chapter President of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), “Fawn Tsatoke: The Kiowa Woman Who Came Back with a Vengeance”. I hope that you’ll listen with your all heart and mind and that her story she has so bravely come forward to tell will inspire you to help others too. 

Praying these words over our Indigenous people, from Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV Bible):

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

Season 1, Episode 9: “Fawn Tsatoke: The Kiowa Woman Who Came Back with a Vengeance”
https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/ 
https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

 

S1, Ep8 - LeRoy Malaterre, the Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Reservation

He’s the Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Reservation and his name means “King of the Badlands”. He’s LeRoy Malaterre and he stays busy - from story telling to pow wow dancing and even to ballroom dancing.

Hear LeRoy’s views on:

• How the movies shaped the way the world viewed Native Americans
• Why his Metis language was called a “nasty” language
• How his job supported his efforts for sobriety after his time in the service
• Why the Chippewa cheered when Lincoln was assassinated
• And more…

Season 1, Episode 8, “LeRoy Malaterre, the Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Reservation”

https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

S1, E7 Francine Bray, Choctaw Ponies - the Unsung Heroes of the Trail of Tears

They carried our Choctaw people and supplies across hundreds of miles from Mississippi to Indian Territory. Loyal to the end, very few lived through the the rigorous 10-mile per day journey, due to lack of food, harsh weather conditions and fatigue. 

They are the unsung heroes of the Trail of Tears – the Choctaw ponies.

What became of the few ponies that did survive? Find out more from my guest who I affectionately call the “Mother of the ponies”, Francine Locke Bray.

Learn about Blackjack Mountain, Antlers, Oklahoma, a couple of must-read books on the topic, and more about these unsung heroes of the Trail of Tears.

Season 1, Episode 7, “Choctaw Ponies – the Unsung Heroes of the Trail of Tears”: Francine Locke Bray, Choctaw
https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/ 
https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast