1 00:00:13,985 --> 00:00:17,423 Welcome to this week's edition of Mississippi Happenings. 2 00:00:17,423 --> 00:00:18,750 My name is David Olds. 3 00:00:18,750 --> 00:00:23,385 I'm your co-host and along with me is my friend and cohort, Mr. 4 00:00:23,385 --> 00:00:24,107 Jim Newman. 5 00:00:24,107 --> 00:00:25,469 Jim, good morning. 6 00:00:25,596 --> 00:00:27,823 Good morning, Mississippi. 7 00:00:28,893 --> 00:00:30,675 How's the broken arm? 8 00:00:30,675 --> 00:00:33,279 You dealing better with that? 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:34,707 It's coming along. 10 00:00:34,707 --> 00:00:36,291 It's still attached. 11 00:00:36,817 --> 00:00:37,237 okay. 12 00:00:37,237 --> 00:00:39,099 Well, we'll just leave it at that. 13 00:00:39,099 --> 00:00:44,763 Jim, got to share something with you that I read. 14 00:00:45,124 --> 00:00:46,185 This is just crazy. 15 00:00:46,185 --> 00:00:47,526 This is crazy. 16 00:00:47,526 --> 00:00:49,067 Okay. 17 00:00:49,067 --> 00:00:51,189 And bear with me a little bit. 18 00:00:51,229 --> 00:00:57,014 A Florida couple is arrested for selling tickets to heaven. 19 00:00:57,014 --> 00:00:58,536 Ah yes. 20 00:00:58,536 --> 00:01:00,417 In Florida, imagine that. 21 00:01:00,417 --> 00:01:02,615 Tito and Amanda Watts. 22 00:01:02,615 --> 00:01:08,298 were arrested a few days ago selling golden tickets to heaven to hundreds of people. 23 00:01:08,298 --> 00:01:24,967 They sell the tickets on the street for $99.99 and they were told the tickets were made of solid gold and that each ticket reserved them a spot in heaven. 24 00:01:25,108 --> 00:01:31,295 Simply present the ticket at the pearly gates and you are in. 25 00:01:31,627 --> 00:01:34,948 And this this this, this gets better. 26 00:01:35,188 --> 00:01:39,509 Tito Watts in his statement says, I do not care what the police say. 27 00:01:39,870 --> 00:01:41,790 These tickets are solid gold. 28 00:01:41,790 --> 00:01:53,513 And it was Jesus who gave them to me behind the KFC and told me to sell them so I could get some money to go to outer space. 29 00:01:55,014 --> 00:01:59,135 Also the alien has a name. 30 00:01:59,203 --> 00:02:15,463 And the name of the alien is Stevie, who said, if I got the cash together, he would take me and my wife on this flying saucer to his planet that is made entirely of entirely of 31 00:02:15,463 --> 00:02:16,383 drugs. 32 00:02:16,383 --> 00:02:17,143 Okey-dokey. 33 00:02:17,143 --> 00:02:18,423 Well, there you go. 34 00:02:18,423 --> 00:02:19,903 There's your story. 35 00:02:20,743 --> 00:02:27,964 Police said they confiscated over $10,000 in cash, drug 36 00:02:27,964 --> 00:02:31,766 paraphernalia and a baby alligator. 37 00:02:33,087 --> 00:02:34,868 I mean, you can't make this up. 38 00:02:35,028 --> 00:02:37,189 Jimmy Fallon couldn't write something like this. 39 00:02:37,189 --> 00:02:41,892 But anyway, ah it's good to be here. 40 00:02:42,313 --> 00:02:46,975 I do want to, ah this week we're going to do something a little bit different. 41 00:02:46,975 --> 00:02:53,299 ah As you know, we always talk about politics and issues of Mississippi. 42 00:02:53,299 --> 00:02:55,258 uh In effect, 43 00:02:55,258 --> 00:02:58,909 you know, the kitchen table issues that affect people in Mississippi. 44 00:02:59,009 --> 00:03:07,271 And we're still on that, but we also want to talk a little bit, a little bit about Mississippi history. 45 00:03:07,271 --> 00:03:15,433 oh We do criticize, Jim and I do criticize Mississippi a little bit, but we also love Mississippi. 46 00:03:15,433 --> 00:03:17,234 We are Mississippians. 47 00:03:18,234 --> 00:03:25,116 And there's a lot of Mississippi history that I think seems to be forgotten. 48 00:03:25,340 --> 00:03:35,200 and other people think that's forgotten too, but we have a rich history with the Native Americans. 49 00:03:36,180 --> 00:03:48,240 And today, joining us, I want to introduce the CEO of the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation. 50 00:03:48,469 --> 00:03:49,789 joining us this day is Mr. 51 00:03:49,789 --> 00:03:51,269 Brady Davis. 52 00:03:51,726 --> 00:03:55,053 Uh, Brady, it's great to have you with us. 53 00:03:55,053 --> 00:03:59,221 And if I mispronounce something, please correct me. 54 00:03:59,543 --> 00:04:01,005 But good to have you for this. 55 00:04:01,143 --> 00:04:01,764 did perfect. 56 00:04:01,764 --> 00:04:03,563 And thank you so much for the invitation. 57 00:04:03,563 --> 00:04:04,991 a privilege to be here. 58 00:04:05,045 --> 00:04:05,565 Good. 59 00:04:05,565 --> 00:04:14,512 In going through, you know, we know what we could find in the history books and on Wikipedia. 60 00:04:14,512 --> 00:04:29,360 But if you would talk to us a little bit about the history of the Chickasaw tribe in Mississippi and some of the things, uh basically a little bit about the history and also 61 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,722 about now, what's going on now as well. 62 00:04:34,349 --> 00:04:35,440 Wonderful, yes. 63 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:42,145 So a great place would be starting with some oral history. 64 00:04:43,127 --> 00:04:46,890 One story being the migration story. 65 00:04:46,890 --> 00:04:54,576 So how do the Chickasaw people believe they came to this area? 66 00:04:54,937 --> 00:05:00,721 And there were two brothers, Chiksa and Chata. 67 00:05:01,523 --> 00:05:02,383 And... 68 00:05:02,627 --> 00:05:25,453 their group lived Pharr in the west and after having interactions, meetings with the Hopi or the prophets, they were instructed that they would need to move east. 69 00:05:26,033 --> 00:05:27,194 And so, 70 00:05:28,314 --> 00:05:49,566 they were given a sacred pole and I always uh have trouble pronouncing this uh the right way and it is the Iti Phabasa Phalitopa which is sacred pole in Chickasaw. 71 00:05:50,587 --> 00:05:55,009 and they would set this pole in the ground every evening. 72 00:05:55,009 --> 00:06:01,412 In whichever way the pole was leaning, that's the way that they would travel the next day. 73 00:06:01,993 --> 00:06:19,222 And so they never discuss how long that journey took, but eventually they came to a great river, and we believe this to be the Mississippi. 74 00:06:20,294 --> 00:06:32,439 And one other interesting part of that story is that they were protected on their travels by a great white dog, uh Ophi-Tobi-Ishhto. 75 00:06:33,660 --> 00:06:38,662 And that dog is held very... 76 00:06:39,750 --> 00:06:51,810 sacred to the Chickasaw people today it's used in a lot of different media we'll be using you the Chickasaw Heritage Center and there's also the White Dog Press today but you know 77 00:06:51,810 --> 00:07:08,690 after they crossed the river they set the pole in the ground once more and the next day there was some disagreement as to which way the pole was leaning 78 00:07:09,358 --> 00:07:21,205 Chiksa and his followers believed that the pole was still leaning to the east while Chata and his followers believed that the pole was standing straight and that they had found 79 00:07:21,205 --> 00:07:22,346 their new home. 80 00:07:22,346 --> 00:07:31,010 So the group split and Chata and his followers became the Choctaw and Chixa and his followers became the Chickasaw. 81 00:07:31,231 --> 00:07:35,993 And one interesting point of that also is that the language, you all southeastern 82 00:07:36,886 --> 00:07:50,383 Indians speak a dialect of the Muskegon language family and the Chickasaw and Choctaws language is extremely similar where they can nearly speak to each other and understand 83 00:07:50,383 --> 00:07:51,925 each other quite well. 84 00:07:52,756 --> 00:08:00,782 Well, when they were told to leave, I assume it was the US government. 85 00:08:02,675 --> 00:08:09,675 Oh, this is in time in memoriam, oh well, very, long in the past. 86 00:08:09,675 --> 00:08:17,260 You know, there's some that oh speak more than 10,000 years ago. 87 00:08:17,260 --> 00:08:30,885 There's no set time of when uh that group moved from the West to the East and found their new homeland. 88 00:08:31,146 --> 00:08:34,992 So did the Chickasaw come back across the Mississippi River? 89 00:08:36,932 --> 00:08:43,608 from east to west or west. 90 00:08:43,608 --> 00:08:50,654 So they came across during the migration they came from the west to the east. 91 00:08:50,666 --> 00:08:56,889 crossed what we believe is the Mississippi River into today, well, what is today Mississippi. 92 00:08:56,889 --> 00:09:10,014 And once they crossed into what is today Mississippi, uh Chiksa and his followers believed that the pole was still leaning, so they continued to travel and became the Chickasaw. 93 00:09:10,014 --> 00:09:17,677 And Chahta's followers believed that they had found their homeland, and so they stayed there. 94 00:09:17,677 --> 00:09:19,597 And this was... 95 00:09:19,597 --> 00:09:21,691 here in Tupelo. 96 00:09:22,187 --> 00:09:23,249 story. 97 00:09:24,194 --> 00:09:25,997 Eventually they made their way. 98 00:09:27,134 --> 00:09:33,496 So my house here in Tupelo is probably sitting on what was Native American soil. 99 00:09:34,709 --> 00:09:35,999 yes, without a doubt. 100 00:09:35,999 --> 00:09:43,581 Today's Tupelo, Mississippi is the heart of the historic Chickasaw homeland. 101 00:09:44,342 --> 00:10:02,667 All your major settlements, uh Chucalissa, uh Kunwha, Chokka' Falaa' Longtown, Iyanaka, which is just to the 102 00:10:02,955 --> 00:10:14,075 to the south of us, all those major settlements were right here in this area from the mid 1600s through removal. 103 00:10:14,435 --> 00:10:29,275 The Chickasaw are actually the first tribe that was encountered by the Desoto expedition in the winter of 1540-1541. 104 00:10:29,974 --> 00:10:36,158 as they crossed the Tombigbee River, that was a little further to the south. 105 00:10:36,579 --> 00:10:54,350 We're not sure exactly where that took place, somewhere between Aberdeen, Columbus, uh Starkville, that triangle, and between contact with the Spanish during that time in the 106 00:10:54,406 --> 00:11:06,650 mid 1600s, the Chickasaw migrated up the Blackland Prairie, which is an endangered ecological zone that ran in a crescent from part of Tennessee through northeast 107 00:11:06,650 --> 00:11:08,631 Mississippi into Alabama. 108 00:11:08,771 --> 00:11:17,230 And so it's known for its rolling hills, open prairie, and 109 00:11:17,566 --> 00:11:23,908 home to a lot of uh unique plain species, both animals and plants. 110 00:11:23,908 --> 00:11:32,731 And today it's an endangered uh ecosystem because most of it's been destroyed by agriculture and development. 111 00:11:32,731 --> 00:11:43,154 And so actually one of the largest visible areas of Blackland Prairie today that the public can see is the Chickasaw Village site on the Natchez Trays. 112 00:11:44,638 --> 00:12:01,318 Just north of Tupelo, I guess maybe 30 miles or so, an Indian burial mountains. 113 00:12:03,068 --> 00:12:10,601 so Pharr Mounds is located around 30 miles to the north of Tupelo. 114 00:12:10,601 --> 00:12:15,874 That is a middle woodland uh mound site. 115 00:12:15,874 --> 00:12:24,127 uh Middle woodland would be somewhere around 480. 116 00:12:24,702 --> 00:12:27,261 Gosh, yeah. 117 00:12:27,261 --> 00:12:34,408 um ancestors to the contemporary Chickasaw. 118 00:12:36,584 --> 00:12:39,075 And there's a lot of those mound sites. 119 00:12:39,075 --> 00:12:55,963 uh Mississippi, if we switch gears from oral history to the archaeological record, what is today the state of Mississippi had one of the largest, late prehistoric Mississippian 120 00:12:55,963 --> 00:13:01,025 populations uh east of the Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta. 121 00:13:01,025 --> 00:13:02,786 uh 122 00:13:02,942 --> 00:13:08,165 had many large, late prehistoric mound sites. 123 00:13:08,165 --> 00:13:12,534 And there were some in Northeast Mississippi as well. 124 00:13:12,534 --> 00:13:15,869 have Owl Creek Mounds, which is down by Davis Lake. 125 00:13:15,869 --> 00:13:23,433 have, of course, the Middle Woodland Complex at Pharr You have a couple of others as you head south. 126 00:13:23,433 --> 00:13:25,794 um 127 00:13:26,250 --> 00:13:32,650 And then that's, once you get down to Natchez, you know, that's where you had the Natchez Indians. 128 00:13:32,950 --> 00:13:38,270 And what's unique about the Natchez Indians is that they're a language isolate. 129 00:13:38,270 --> 00:13:43,850 They spoke a language unlike any of the other Musquegan languages. 130 00:13:43,850 --> 00:13:56,257 And they were one of the last tribes in the Southeast practicing that late prehistoric Mississippian tradition of mound building. 131 00:13:56,257 --> 00:13:59,443 when the French encountered them. 132 00:13:59,443 --> 00:14:06,204 So there's some writings out there about observations of that culture. 133 00:14:06,204 --> 00:14:06,995 It's really unique. 134 00:14:06,995 --> 00:14:08,898 oh 135 00:14:09,098 --> 00:14:13,060 One thing we haven't tell us about your education. 136 00:14:13,060 --> 00:14:20,786 mean, I know what it is, for our audience, ah how are you? 137 00:14:22,780 --> 00:14:23,500 Absolutely. 138 00:14:23,500 --> 00:14:29,804 uh And so I was always interested in history. 139 00:14:29,804 --> 00:14:36,768 uh My grandfather would tell me stories and take me out in the woods. 140 00:14:36,768 --> 00:14:45,312 And when I went to college, I discovered anthropology, specifically archaeology. 141 00:14:45,313 --> 00:14:48,112 And so I studied uh 142 00:14:48,112 --> 00:15:02,800 anthropology, history and political science at Middle Tennessee State University and then moved to Mississippi in 2009 and finished my master's at uh University of Southern 143 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:03,611 Mississippi. 144 00:15:03,611 --> 00:15:06,252 To the top, got a plug, Southern. 145 00:15:06,252 --> 00:15:09,954 uh 146 00:15:10,162 --> 00:15:21,908 There I did uh bioarchaeology, uh archaeology, some forensic anthropology that I'd also done up in Tennessee. 147 00:15:22,188 --> 00:15:33,610 And from there I was hired by Chickasaw Nation tribal government as an archaeologist and a site manager to preserve uh 148 00:15:33,610 --> 00:15:42,830 a village called Chisha' Talla'a or Post Oak Grove just west of Tupelo near County Line Road where we're into Pontotoc. 149 00:15:42,830 --> 00:15:47,570 And I was the second Chickasaw Nation employee hired in Mississippi. 150 00:15:47,870 --> 00:15:52,490 Myself and one other were hired at the same time in 2012. 151 00:15:52,490 --> 00:15:55,670 There was already one, an archaeologist named Dr. 152 00:15:55,670 --> 00:15:58,030 Brad Lieb lives in Jackson. 153 00:15:58,990 --> 00:16:03,830 And, you know, we took care of Chisha' Talla'a for a few years, but our program 154 00:16:04,077 --> 00:16:06,918 began to grow exponentially. 155 00:16:06,918 --> 00:16:18,640 And today there's, we have nearly 20 Chickasaw Nation employees and Inkana Foundation employees here in the state. 156 00:16:19,659 --> 00:16:31,322 And so, yes, we are building the Chickasaw Heritage Center and there's a whole history, just with the development of 157 00:16:31,580 --> 00:16:44,414 of that center itself, uh we can talk a little bit more about history or we can go into the Inkana Foundation and the CHC if you like, whatever direction y'all want to go. 158 00:16:44,414 --> 00:16:55,918 well, we do wanna go in that direction and maybe get away from the history a little bit because I think what you're leading to is all of this is pretty history and what we could 159 00:16:55,918 --> 00:16:56,519 find out. 160 00:16:56,519 --> 00:17:09,984 ah Political science and anthropology, ah that's kind of, you have a wide range of uh experience and education on this. 161 00:17:09,984 --> 00:17:12,661 mean, that's, you know. 162 00:17:12,661 --> 00:17:18,845 You normally don't put political science and anthropology together, but I love the way that you did that. 163 00:17:18,866 --> 00:17:28,513 Yeah, let's go ahead and talk about the uh Heritage Center and what's going on now instead of what's in the past. 164 00:17:28,946 --> 00:17:30,046 Okay, great. 165 00:17:30,046 --> 00:17:41,520 Well, before we hit the Chickasaw Heritage Center, I want to just mention the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation for just a moment and really just kind of pick up from where I left 166 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,251 off with coming to Tupelo. 167 00:17:44,251 --> 00:17:54,506 uh So the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation was started in 2014. 168 00:17:54,685 --> 00:18:04,187 with a mission to preserve, protect, and interpret Chickasaw history and culture here in the historic Chickasaw homeland, which is quite large actually, all of North East 169 00:18:04,187 --> 00:18:11,149 Mississippi, West Tennessee, Pharr northwestern Alabama, and just a little sliver of southwestern Kentucky. 170 00:18:11,149 --> 00:18:22,402 But as I mentioned earlier, the heart of that homeland where the majority of Chickasaws lived up until removal is right around today's Tupelo, Mississippi. 171 00:18:22,402 --> 00:18:24,742 There were some groups out towards 172 00:18:24,906 --> 00:18:31,426 Holly Springs and some up in Florence, Alabama after a time. 173 00:18:31,466 --> 00:18:37,366 But until about 1800, most lived in this area. 174 00:18:38,066 --> 00:18:48,146 And so, as I mentioned, I started working in in Tupelo in 2012 and we were already working on 175 00:18:49,154 --> 00:18:51,745 the beginnings of a Chickasaw Heritage Center. 176 00:18:51,745 --> 00:18:56,898 Now that story goes back over 40 years and I'll hit on that in a moment. 177 00:18:57,058 --> 00:19:11,426 But the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation was a vision by Chickasaw Nation's Governor Anoatubby, to have a grassroots organization in the homeland. 178 00:19:11,730 --> 00:19:22,899 that was dedicated to the preservation and protection of Chickasaw history and culture, but also uh lead the development of a Chickasaw Heritage Center. 179 00:19:22,899 --> 00:19:36,351 And so the board of the Chickasaw Onkana Foundation is made up of many Mississippi residents as well as members in the leadership of Chickasaw Nation. 180 00:19:36,351 --> 00:19:39,953 And we've worked together for a number of years. 181 00:19:40,883 --> 00:19:46,466 to raise money and develop the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 182 00:19:46,866 --> 00:20:02,874 The Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation, not only is spearheading the Chickasaw Heritage Center, but we also do a lot of education and outreach programming, and we preserve and 183 00:20:02,874 --> 00:20:05,435 protect endangered archaeological sites. 184 00:20:05,435 --> 00:20:10,438 So we have three sites that we own and protect. 185 00:20:11,142 --> 00:20:18,669 and we have multiple programs throughout the year that we put on, a lot by request. 186 00:20:18,669 --> 00:20:25,115 We do some work in Shiloh, put on a little Chickasaw festival up there. 187 00:20:25,135 --> 00:20:36,345 We've done small Chickasaw celebrations in cities such as Tupelo, Pontotoc, Amory, towards Memphis. 188 00:20:37,198 --> 00:20:51,765 over the years and we have multiple events that we put on in Tupelo each year, one being Piominko Day, which oh as Jim mentioned earlier, there is a statue of Piominko, a very 189 00:20:51,765 --> 00:20:55,867 famous Chickasaw leader just outside of City Hall here in Tupelo. 190 00:20:55,907 --> 00:21:06,902 And what's interesting is that across the field, the plaza there, there's a statue of Elvis as well and the statue of 191 00:21:06,902 --> 00:21:13,286 Piominko was placed there before the statue of Elvis. 192 00:21:13,286 --> 00:21:19,000 And so every year we do a wreath-laying ceremony and have a program. 193 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:33,790 we've recently expanded that into uh almost a small Chickasaw festival with information tables, tools and weapons, stickball, uh crafts. 194 00:21:34,390 --> 00:21:44,777 some talks and food trucks come and we've really turned it into a half a day event instead of a two hour program. 195 00:21:44,817 --> 00:21:46,569 And so we're really excited about that. 196 00:21:46,569 --> 00:21:58,367 It brings a lot of families out because it's on what people traditionally call Columbus Day, but what many first American groups call Indigenous Peoples Day. 197 00:21:58,367 --> 00:22:03,229 But since 2008, the Chickasaw Nation has referred to it as Piominko Day. 198 00:22:03,827 --> 00:22:15,790 And so we put on uh a first American veterans program and we also have an annual gala, which is a major fundraiser for the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 199 00:22:15,790 --> 00:22:17,670 And that's coming up in November. 200 00:22:17,670 --> 00:22:27,273 uh So I believe October 13th is Piominko Day, so the second Monday in October. 201 00:22:27,273 --> 00:22:32,074 And then the gala will be September, Thursday, September 13th. 202 00:22:34,122 --> 00:22:43,126 oh And so to talk a little bit about the Chickasaw Heritage Center, which has been 40 years in the making. 203 00:22:44,907 --> 00:22:53,511 In 1980, there was a group of individuals in the Tupelo area. 204 00:22:53,511 --> 00:23:00,573 uh One being Miss Jamie Joiner, another being Miss Doyce Deas 205 00:23:01,038 --> 00:23:02,879 and Jack Reed Sr. 206 00:23:02,879 --> 00:23:20,554 uh made up three of the members of that group and they wanted to find a way to build a Chickasaw museum here in the homeland and they were able to receive some money that 207 00:23:21,135 --> 00:23:29,661 brought down an archaeologist from Harvard for two years and identified uh many Chickasaw sites. 208 00:23:30,106 --> 00:23:33,588 but nothing ever came out of that. 209 00:23:33,588 --> 00:23:39,032 uh So the project has kind of ebbed and flowed over time. 210 00:23:39,032 --> 00:23:53,582 It picked back up in 1990 when the city of Tupelo was looking at providing some land for a Chickasaw Heritage Center in East Tupelo. 211 00:23:54,743 --> 00:23:57,925 And that never materialized either. 212 00:23:57,925 --> 00:23:59,883 uh 213 00:23:59,883 --> 00:24:11,183 there was a large Chickasaw site unearthed in 1994 where the Pain Management Center is for North Mississippi Medical Center. 214 00:24:11,183 --> 00:24:18,223 And at that point, there were 22 burials located at that site. 215 00:24:18,323 --> 00:24:25,163 And that culminated in the first repatriation of 216 00:24:26,058 --> 00:24:27,978 Chickasaw ancestors to the homeland. 217 00:24:27,978 --> 00:24:32,558 Those were reburied in 96 with a large ceremony. 218 00:24:32,658 --> 00:24:45,978 And Governor Anoatubby provided a quote at that time mentioning that around eight years ago, they had discussed a Chickasaw Heritage Center and that was still on the agenda and 219 00:24:45,978 --> 00:24:51,878 that it's time for the Chickasaw people to have a presence in the homeland. 220 00:24:52,838 --> 00:24:55,698 And so it kind of 221 00:24:56,650 --> 00:25:11,089 you know, fell off a little bit for a while after that, but in the early 2000s, after the acquisition of Chishitala by the Archaeological Conservancy, which is now managed by 222 00:25:11,482 --> 00:25:26,525 Chickasaw Nation, the desire to build a Chickasaw Heritage Center uh came back up to the surface and uh the late uh Senator Thad Cochran was able to appropriate a couple million 223 00:25:26,525 --> 00:25:30,886 dollars to the Department of the Interior for some feasibility studies. 224 00:25:30,886 --> 00:25:41,226 So there was a working with Department of the Interior, Chickasaw Nation, we were looking at building a small interpretive center 225 00:25:41,226 --> 00:25:51,866 that was likely going to be at the Chickasaw Village site on the Natchez Trace, which is between McCulloch Boulevard and Jackson Street here in Tupelo. 226 00:25:52,106 --> 00:26:01,006 And so that project went from around 2012 to 2015, but there was no funding ever provided for construction. 227 00:26:01,666 --> 00:26:06,606 And I remember I started my first day. 228 00:26:07,198 --> 00:26:11,818 Working with the tribe was my birthday, August 12th, 2012. 229 00:26:11,818 --> 00:26:25,058 uh And so not long after that, I was in some of the first meetings with the National Park Service and the tribe discussing those plans. 230 00:26:25,930 --> 00:26:38,050 and around 2015 it was decided, this is a year after the Inkana Foundation was started, in 2015 it was decided that 231 00:26:39,466 --> 00:26:48,066 the Chickasaw Nation and Department of the Interior would go their separate ways and we would look at another way of developing the Heritage Center. 232 00:26:48,066 --> 00:26:56,326 And so the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation purchased 163 acres behind the Chickasaw Village site. 233 00:26:57,426 --> 00:27:01,586 So, Gun Club Road neighborhood near the airport. 234 00:27:01,586 --> 00:27:05,006 And so we purchased 163 acres. 235 00:27:05,194 --> 00:27:12,877 and began the process of developing uh our own Heritage Center. 236 00:27:12,877 --> 00:27:23,782 And at that time, the Department of the Interior also provided a right of way so the access point to the Heritage Center would be off the Natchez Trace itself, which is a 237 00:27:23,782 --> 00:27:31,305 rarity uh to have access to a facility such as this uh off a national park. 238 00:27:31,885 --> 00:27:34,145 And so that began the 239 00:27:34,154 --> 00:27:45,754 the fundraising effort and the planning for what we are seeing being constructed today that started in 2016. 240 00:27:47,054 --> 00:27:59,554 And I was over the Homeland Affairs, tribal government offices here until 2019, moved over to the foundation in 2019 to help. 241 00:28:00,427 --> 00:28:06,147 push the continued development and the fundraising for the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 242 00:28:06,147 --> 00:28:15,167 We received our first $50,000 in 2019 and since then we've raised over $44 million of the $60 million dollar project. 243 00:28:15,167 --> 00:28:24,887 So we still have a little ways to go in terms of fundraising, but we have everything that we need for phase one of the project. 244 00:28:25,887 --> 00:28:29,687 so construction is broken up into two phases. 245 00:28:30,414 --> 00:28:44,466 Phase one is a 10,000 square foot exhibit hall, an art gallery, gift shop, multi-purpose room, uh a beautiful lobby atrium with very tall windows that looks to the east uh as 246 00:28:44,466 --> 00:28:47,608 traditional Chickasaw structures did. 247 00:28:47,829 --> 00:28:58,378 And we're restoring over 30 acres of Blackland Prairie uh right out of that window next to a uh large open plaza there that... 248 00:28:58,378 --> 00:28:59,096 Yes. 249 00:28:59,096 --> 00:29:06,643 go back to where you were talking about the windows looking out east as traditional. 250 00:29:07,784 --> 00:29:09,520 I didn't quite understand that. 251 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:15,681 yes, so traditional Chickasaw structures, the opening faced to the east. 252 00:29:16,904 --> 00:29:18,372 Faces to the east. 253 00:29:18,558 --> 00:29:19,855 Yes, that's correct. 254 00:29:19,966 --> 00:29:20,528 Is that a? 255 00:29:20,528 --> 00:29:22,998 ah 256 00:29:24,019 --> 00:29:29,343 or lack of a better word, a religious thought. 257 00:29:29,343 --> 00:29:32,383 of the rising sun. 258 00:29:33,503 --> 00:29:35,163 So beginnings. 259 00:29:37,443 --> 00:29:50,643 But yes, so with the restoration of the Blackland Prairie, that'll connect to the Natchez Trace Parkway's Blackland Prairie restoration as well. 260 00:29:51,763 --> 00:29:56,923 Phase two of the facility will be a full cafe and a theater. 261 00:29:57,394 --> 00:30:03,305 playground and we're working on the athletic field stickball field right now. 262 00:30:03,305 --> 00:30:15,628 There'll also be trails throughout the entire property that will eventually connect to the National Scenic Trail of the Natchez Trace Parkway and if you've heard about the potential 263 00:30:15,628 --> 00:30:26,731 Greenway project in the city of Tupelo we'll have uh our own access off of the Greenway trail as well. 264 00:30:26,941 --> 00:30:39,454 But one of the most interesting and personally, I believe the most vital theme of the Chickasaw Heritage Center is that it will tell the history and culture of the Chickasaw 265 00:30:39,454 --> 00:30:43,656 people through their lens, through their experience. 266 00:30:43,656 --> 00:30:45,666 And so it's a heritage center. 267 00:30:45,666 --> 00:30:48,577 You can call it a museum as well. 268 00:30:48,577 --> 00:30:54,088 But you're learning about not only Chickasaw history, but Chickasaw culture. 269 00:30:54,088 --> 00:30:56,605 Who the Chickasaw people are. 270 00:30:56,605 --> 00:31:00,237 and how they see themselves in the world and their traditions. 271 00:31:00,977 --> 00:31:11,003 And of course, most of that is pre-removal history and culture, uh oral histories, uh information about... 272 00:31:11,003 --> 00:31:12,343 uh 273 00:31:15,061 --> 00:31:16,928 elements of culture, language. 274 00:31:16,928 --> 00:31:18,775 uh 275 00:31:20,895 --> 00:31:23,828 I'm trying to think of a couple of specifics. 276 00:31:23,828 --> 00:31:29,701 uh Language, different types of activities and why those were important culturally. 277 00:31:29,701 --> 00:31:32,112 Our warriors. 278 00:31:32,112 --> 00:31:38,315 uh Different treaties. 279 00:31:38,516 --> 00:31:43,098 And then also a little bit about Chickasaw dances. 280 00:31:43,318 --> 00:31:50,322 And then information about how life changed through time from the 281 00:31:50,353 --> 00:31:53,764 late prehistoric through the historic period. 282 00:31:53,764 --> 00:32:02,306 And of course, it'll also discuss some more difficult topics such as removal itself. 283 00:32:02,406 --> 00:32:09,227 But one of the interesting exhibits that I'm excited about is Chickasaw people today. 284 00:32:09,227 --> 00:32:15,549 And so when people think about first Americans, they immediately think about the past. 285 00:32:15,689 --> 00:32:20,370 They don't think about who these people are today. 286 00:32:20,402 --> 00:32:43,562 And the unconquered and unconquerable Chickasaw Nation is a very successful tribe today with a vibrant contemporary culture and they understand the importance of their past as 287 00:32:43,562 --> 00:32:44,402 well. 288 00:32:44,402 --> 00:32:48,746 One of the neat things is there's a Rosetta Stone Chickasaw. 289 00:32:49,714 --> 00:32:54,516 uh And so uh there's a language revitalization program. 290 00:32:54,516 --> 00:32:59,278 There's the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. 291 00:32:59,278 --> 00:33:08,482 uh And in terms of economic developments, they have Chickasaw Nation Industries. 292 00:33:09,122 --> 00:33:12,423 And of course, they have the Chickasaw Nation Department of Commerce. 293 00:33:12,423 --> 00:33:18,866 And so the Chickasaw Nation itself has made great strides in 294 00:33:19,236 --> 00:33:27,735 and economic development uh in Oklahoma uh where they were removed to and also beyond. 295 00:33:27,735 --> 00:33:32,760 And I encourage people to do some research into Chickasaw Nation industries. 296 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,101 It's very interesting. 297 00:33:34,101 --> 00:33:35,764 uh 298 00:33:35,764 --> 00:33:40,079 concentration of Chickasaw Native Americans? 299 00:33:40,441 --> 00:33:41,781 In Oklahoma? 300 00:33:41,982 --> 00:33:44,044 Yeah. 301 00:33:44,265 --> 00:33:45,666 North of Tulsa. 302 00:33:46,148 --> 00:33:48,625 No, south of Oklahoma City. 303 00:33:48,858 --> 00:33:50,502 South of Oklahoma City. 304 00:33:50,502 --> 00:33:52,526 okay. 305 00:33:52,851 --> 00:34:02,656 today's Chickasaw Nation runs from around Norman south to the border of Texas. 306 00:34:04,617 --> 00:34:06,288 So it takes up a... 307 00:34:06,450 --> 00:34:10,246 I familiar with the Indian population there. 308 00:34:10,246 --> 00:34:14,922 the Muskogee Creeks are there, absolutely. 309 00:34:14,922 --> 00:34:17,506 uh Yes. 310 00:34:17,506 --> 00:34:24,649 earlier in the conversation, you did mention when the foundation started roughly 40 years ago. 311 00:34:25,165 --> 00:34:33,363 I think you mentioned Jack Reed Senior as one of the uh founding members, is that correct? 312 00:34:33,828 --> 00:34:39,354 Yes, and uh Jack Reed Jr. 313 00:34:39,354 --> 00:34:41,445 is a member of our board today. 314 00:34:41,601 --> 00:34:42,161 Good. 315 00:34:42,161 --> 00:34:43,541 Okay, good. 316 00:34:44,041 --> 00:34:45,401 That's good to know. 317 00:34:45,401 --> 00:34:50,161 We had a great conversation with Jack Reed Jr. 318 00:34:50,421 --> 00:34:58,181 when we were talking about desegregation in Mississippi and how Jack Sr. 319 00:34:58,181 --> 00:35:07,441 was so involved in that and the 13, 14 years it took to get desegregation in Mississippi. 320 00:35:07,961 --> 00:35:08,323 So. 321 00:35:08,323 --> 00:35:15,331 Jamie Joyner, who was also in that 1980s group, she is our current chairperson. 322 00:35:15,331 --> 00:35:25,781 And so there's a lot of continuity through time in the families and individuals that have been interested in helping create this center. 323 00:35:26,035 --> 00:35:34,528 They say it sounds like they've just really dug in and stayed in, is uh admirable that's for sure. 324 00:35:34,528 --> 00:35:48,371 ah So you give us the 40 year history and what's going on, let me, mean, and I may have misunderstood. 325 00:35:48,452 --> 00:35:53,053 So the heritage, the Chickasaw Heritage Center, 326 00:35:53,937 --> 00:35:55,621 It's up and running. 327 00:35:55,621 --> 00:35:58,197 that what I just did? 328 00:35:59,067 --> 00:36:01,591 okay. 329 00:36:01,591 --> 00:36:02,445 Okay, thank you. 330 00:36:02,445 --> 00:36:05,411 ground in June of 24. 331 00:36:05,638 --> 00:36:16,257 And just a few weeks ago, the concrete pad is nearly finished and we have structural steel framing in the phase one facility. 332 00:36:16,257 --> 00:36:20,471 So we're very excited about the progress that we've made. 333 00:36:20,471 --> 00:36:24,328 We'll be opening phase one in November 26. 334 00:36:24,328 --> 00:36:25,266 Okay. 335 00:36:25,266 --> 00:36:38,366 And one of the neat things that I haven't mentioned yet about the Heritage Center, in terms of economic development, we're looking at $5.66 million annual economic impact, 336 00:36:38,366 --> 00:36:40,746 upwards of 100,000 visitors a year. 337 00:36:40,746 --> 00:36:45,938 We're creating around 25 jobs. 338 00:36:45,938 --> 00:36:54,146 uh give or take one or two for phase one and we still were not 100 % sure how many will be created throughout the whole project. 339 00:36:54,146 --> 00:36:58,329 And I mentioned that this is 160 acre plus campus. 340 00:36:59,411 --> 00:37:02,353 This is going to be an anchor. 341 00:37:02,564 --> 00:37:06,679 not only for cultural heritage tourism, but an anchor for the community. 342 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:11,044 The property itself will be free to access. 343 00:37:11,506 --> 00:37:15,171 The cost will be associated with the exhibit hall. 344 00:37:15,171 --> 00:37:19,896 And then once we have the theater and the cafe, if you want something to eat. 345 00:37:19,917 --> 00:37:20,817 But. 346 00:37:21,102 --> 00:37:36,610 If you can name me another place in Northeast Mississippi that sits on a hundred plus acres that will have trails, a playground, a cafe, a theater, and also an immersive 347 00:37:36,610 --> 00:37:43,713 educational experience about First American history and culture, you know, it doesn't exist. 348 00:37:44,333 --> 00:37:46,314 This will be a place where 349 00:37:46,609 --> 00:38:03,451 regional families, people in Tupelo, Shannon, Nettleton, Booneville, Holly Springs and beyond come on a Saturday morning to play, to walk trails, to see an educational video, to 350 00:38:03,451 --> 00:38:10,136 walk through the exhibit halls, to experience the reconstructed Chickasaw village overlooking the Blackland Prairie. 351 00:38:10,136 --> 00:38:12,728 uh I have two children. 352 00:38:12,766 --> 00:38:20,110 They're 10 and 11 years old and we'll be at that site often. 353 00:38:20,190 --> 00:38:33,267 one of the neat things that the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma does is they have a big, huge theater there, but they do Sundays, $5 for a drink and popcorn and 354 00:38:33,267 --> 00:38:34,558 do a movie. 355 00:38:34,598 --> 00:38:42,662 And while our theater will be smaller than that, we'll be able to put on programming like that as well too. 356 00:38:43,054 --> 00:38:52,361 And so I always, when I'm pitching this to people, I'll say, you know, my kids are 10 and 11 in the playground. 357 00:38:52,361 --> 00:39:01,647 But, you know, once you get into December, when we're still wearing shorts in early December, you can come walk the trails, get something to eat. 358 00:39:01,647 --> 00:39:06,000 And, you we might have a Christmas story playing on a Sunday afternoon. 359 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:12,644 So, you you and your family can come enjoy the Chickasaw Heritage Center, learn about Chickasaw history and culture. 360 00:39:13,330 --> 00:39:26,530 enjoy a traditional meal or a contemporary meal as our cafe will have traditional Chickasaw dishes as well as other contemporary American fare and then, you know, buy a 361 00:39:26,530 --> 00:39:30,990 ticket, get a drink and some popcorn and watch a Christmas story with your family. 362 00:39:30,990 --> 00:39:40,284 And so we'll be able to provide an abundance of activities, not only associated with Chickasaw history and culture, but 363 00:39:40,284 --> 00:39:46,321 family activities and areas of the center will be rentable for corporate and family events. 364 00:39:47,484 --> 00:39:58,838 And so that brings me back around to this anchor for the community, a place where families and individuals and others can come and have a good experience. 365 00:39:58,867 --> 00:40:12,541 Well, I'm excited and I live in Olive Branch, so I'm north of you, but I can see this as number one, I'd love to bring my six grandkids to there. 366 00:40:12,541 --> 00:40:16,842 know that they would enjoy it as well. 367 00:40:16,842 --> 00:40:26,975 So I could see people all over Mississippi, you know, and of course, Tennessee, coming to your facilities. 368 00:40:26,975 --> 00:40:28,205 mean, it's... 369 00:40:28,819 --> 00:40:33,179 It sounds like a tremendous opportunity, number one, for education. 370 00:40:33,509 --> 00:40:36,109 And also, you know, to have a good time. 371 00:40:36,109 --> 00:40:38,263 We all need walking trails, so. 372 00:40:38,263 --> 00:40:50,846 tourism is booming in the state of Mississippi and we have civil rights, civil war, the blues, rock and roll. 373 00:40:50,922 --> 00:40:57,668 A lot of times that first American history and the depth of that history is overlooked. 374 00:40:57,668 --> 00:41:04,814 so now, know, the Choctaws down in Philadelphia, they have a cultural center and they have some other uh 375 00:41:04,814 --> 00:41:16,405 amenities as well and Mississippi's two museums when that was built, you know, they have a section on First American history too, but the Chickasaw Heritage Center will be the first 376 00:41:16,405 --> 00:41:22,750 of its kind uh in terms of size and what it'll offer. 377 00:41:22,770 --> 00:41:30,717 And so we're just looking to be another piece in that puzzle of cultural heritage tourism for the state of Mississippi. 378 00:41:30,773 --> 00:41:36,820 would tell us a little bit about the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation. 379 00:41:37,452 --> 00:41:45,122 Yes, so the Chicksaw Inkana Foundation was started in 2014. 380 00:41:45,514 --> 00:41:50,857 with a mission to preserve, protect, and interpret Chickasaw history and culture in the historic homeland. 381 00:41:50,857 --> 00:42:01,381 And of course that homeland is northeast, north Mississippi, northwest Alabama, western Tennessee, and Pharr southwestern Kentucky. 382 00:42:01,702 --> 00:42:07,244 And we preserve endangered archaeological sites. 383 00:42:07,244 --> 00:42:10,696 We provide uh public outreach and education. 384 00:42:10,696 --> 00:42:15,568 And then we also are pushing the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 385 00:42:16,838 --> 00:42:31,494 This cultural center, Brady, just, I'm so impressed and grateful for people that have vision uh and dreams. 386 00:42:33,378 --> 00:42:51,866 And I can see that even in my own education in Kansas City, there was so much about the Native American ah experience that was never taught. 387 00:42:52,806 --> 00:43:02,138 And with this cultural center, I can see busloads of high school students weekly coming. 388 00:43:02,138 --> 00:43:03,905 to learn about. 389 00:43:06,032 --> 00:43:08,584 that real history of Mississippi. 390 00:43:09,346 --> 00:43:22,542 I'm willing to bet that 99 % of the people don't realize that, ah I don't know if it came up as Pharr as Tupelo, but it came awfully close, that the Gulf of Mexico extended all the 391 00:43:22,542 --> 00:43:23,392 way up. 392 00:43:24,976 --> 00:43:28,967 past Jackson and almost to Tupelo. 393 00:43:29,867 --> 00:43:34,809 We have so much history that is not taught. 394 00:43:35,649 --> 00:43:41,531 And I think that that is part of the problem we're facing today. 395 00:43:41,531 --> 00:43:53,974 You've got a degree in political science, you may agree or disagree, but I think if we don't teach where we have been, we are bound to repeat it. 396 00:43:55,176 --> 00:43:57,699 And that's not always good. 397 00:43:57,922 --> 00:44:03,286 I'm with you 100 % uh as a lover of history and a lover of culture. 398 00:44:03,667 --> 00:44:14,057 If we don't look back on what has happened in the past, it's very hard for us to see where we're going. 399 00:44:14,858 --> 00:44:18,601 And so, and not to make the same mistakes. 400 00:44:19,078 --> 00:44:22,690 Yeah, were the Chicksaws a peace-loving nation? 401 00:44:23,954 --> 00:44:36,601 uh The Chickasaw people were known uh for their great ability to defend themselves. 402 00:44:36,801 --> 00:44:37,741 Well. 403 00:44:37,860 --> 00:44:39,031 Wonderful. 404 00:44:39,754 --> 00:44:40,375 Wonderful. 405 00:44:40,375 --> 00:44:42,238 ah 406 00:44:42,399 --> 00:44:57,720 so, you know, one of the things in the Heritage Center that you'll learn about are the French conflicts uh in 1736 that happened here in Tupelo where the Chickasaw defeated the 407 00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:01,513 French uh and their Choctaw allies twice. 408 00:45:01,733 --> 00:45:08,528 One battle being the uh Battle of 409 00:45:08,930 --> 00:45:19,863 Chucalissa or the battle of Okla Chitoka that's in Choctaw which took place over off Brooks Road around the TVA service center and then one two months later that happened 410 00:45:19,863 --> 00:45:23,274 behind the middle school and what's today Lee Acres. 411 00:45:23,274 --> 00:45:35,635 uh And so those two major battles against the French really weakened uh their ability to take control of 412 00:45:35,635 --> 00:45:40,615 land this Pharr up close to the Mississippi River. 413 00:45:41,495 --> 00:45:55,135 Of course, those conflicts began in 1699 when the French landed in the Gulf of Mexico and eventually started trading with inland tribes, specifically the Choctaw. 414 00:45:55,135 --> 00:46:00,915 And so you had the English that were making their way west from the colonies. 415 00:46:01,195 --> 00:46:03,775 Had been trading with the Chickasaw for a while. 416 00:46:03,775 --> 00:46:16,450 You the French coming up from the south and Trading with the Choctaw and the French wanted control of the trade and the English wanted to maintain You their their control of the 417 00:46:16,450 --> 00:46:16,830 trade. 418 00:46:16,830 --> 00:46:22,522 So the French became quite aggressive uh in trying to 419 00:46:24,304 --> 00:46:26,196 have more influence. 420 00:46:26,257 --> 00:46:43,796 And so, you know, the French began encouraging consistent aggravation, which eventually culminated in the battle of 1736. 421 00:46:44,038 --> 00:47:04,215 It seems to me that the Tupelo area, and it's probably all the other areas in the country, but I am really impressed with the amount of history that the Tupelo area provides ah in 422 00:47:04,215 --> 00:47:08,498 the development of the northern half of Mississippi. 423 00:47:09,119 --> 00:47:13,282 I'm just astounded by it, the more I learn. 424 00:47:13,898 --> 00:47:20,345 and the placard ah back by the middle school. 425 00:47:21,167 --> 00:47:28,477 I've read it several times, but can you tell us a little bit about that battle with the French? 426 00:47:28,477 --> 00:47:30,188 What was it over? 427 00:47:30,610 --> 00:47:34,550 So that was the second of two battles. 428 00:47:34,850 --> 00:47:43,530 The first one took place March 25th, 1736, and that was the one over by the TVA Service Center. 429 00:47:43,530 --> 00:47:48,290 And then on May 26th, 1736, the Battle of Hikki'ya took place. 430 00:47:48,290 --> 00:47:52,790 And that's the marker that you're talking about. 431 00:47:53,570 --> 00:47:57,659 And so Governor Bienville, who 432 00:47:57,659 --> 00:48:16,083 was over the French colonies, uh wanted to destroy the Chickasaw, partially because of the 1729 revolt at Fort Rosalie in Natchez, where the Natchez Indians revolted against the 433 00:48:16,083 --> 00:48:23,905 French, and that began the French Natchez War, in which the Natchez were defeated. 434 00:48:24,179 --> 00:48:26,246 But there were 435 00:48:27,676 --> 00:48:42,102 contingents of Natchez that the Chickasaw took in and brought to this area and that infuriated the French even further so they decided that they needed to uh annihilate the 436 00:48:42,102 --> 00:48:57,838 Chickasaw and so they made their way up uh the Tombigbee River and met with around 800 Choctaws around Amory and started making their way towards what's today Tupelo. 437 00:48:57,850 --> 00:49:11,760 At the same time, Pierre D'Artaguiette and a contingent of uh allied First Americans and French made their way down the Ohio River to the Mississippi and landed at Chickasaw 438 00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:13,661 Bluffs, which is today Memphis. 439 00:49:13,661 --> 00:49:18,084 So that group traveled from Memphis to what is today Tupelo. 440 00:49:18,525 --> 00:49:20,436 And they were on time. 441 00:49:20,436 --> 00:49:24,688 Bienville and the others coming up to Tombigbee were running late. 442 00:49:24,749 --> 00:49:25,989 And so... 443 00:49:26,726 --> 00:49:39,150 the first battle, it was meant for both groups to coalesce and then attack the Chickasaw villages together, but it didn't happen that way, fortunately. 444 00:49:39,170 --> 00:49:45,431 so Pierre D'Artaguiette and his group were defeated in that first battle in March. 445 00:49:45,912 --> 00:49:52,894 And then uh two months later, Bienville and his group are late. 446 00:49:53,991 --> 00:50:08,683 And they're making their way to what is today Tupelo and the Choctaw uh lead them to the southern villages instead of the northern villages because there was a battle a couple 447 00:50:08,683 --> 00:50:13,467 years before that where a Choctaw leader had been killed. 448 00:50:13,467 --> 00:50:17,231 so the Choctaw wanted to attack the southern villages first. 449 00:50:17,231 --> 00:50:18,066 so 450 00:50:18,066 --> 00:50:20,786 Bienville didn't really have much of a choice. 451 00:50:21,346 --> 00:50:33,426 And so the goal was to attack and defeat Ackia and then move on to where the French were defeated two months ago. 452 00:50:33,426 --> 00:50:37,686 But of course, that didn't work out for the French too well. 453 00:50:39,326 --> 00:50:40,366 No, no. 454 00:50:40,366 --> 00:50:47,386 So they, around three o'clock in the afternoon on May 26th, the battle began. 455 00:50:47,458 --> 00:51:04,490 and French forces and others were making their way up the ridge line to attack the forts and they were caught in a crossfire uh between two different forts and uh they lost around 456 00:51:04,490 --> 00:51:17,358 70 soldiers very quickly and it turned into uh the French being hunkered down behind some uh scattered 457 00:51:17,362 --> 00:51:31,842 houses and structures and they had these very early forms of grenades at this time where they had to put the wick in and then they had to light it and they had to throw it but the 458 00:51:31,842 --> 00:51:38,922 the French were leaving the wicks too long and so the the Chickasaws were just picking them up and throwing them throwing them back. 459 00:51:39,722 --> 00:51:43,102 The entire battle didn't last too long. 460 00:51:43,502 --> 00:51:45,231 A retreat was ordered 461 00:51:45,231 --> 00:51:51,576 and the Choctaw were on a ridge just behind there, you know, giving volleys to help the French retreat. 462 00:51:51,576 --> 00:52:01,094 uh And so, you know, neither battle ended well ah for the French. 463 00:52:01,094 --> 00:52:09,350 And there's a lot of interesting history there that I encourage people to look into. 464 00:52:09,390 --> 00:52:14,794 There's a great book ah by a man named uh 465 00:52:15,438 --> 00:52:22,702 Jim Atkinson, who was an archaeologist and worked for the National Park Service for years. 466 00:52:22,702 --> 00:52:29,306 He was really ahead of his time uh in terms of preserving Chickasaw history and culture. 467 00:52:29,306 --> 00:52:34,018 He was very vocal about preserving that. 468 00:52:34,018 --> 00:52:44,624 He actually is the one that drove by where the Pain Management Center was being built and knew that there was a Chickasaw village there. 469 00:52:44,830 --> 00:52:54,028 and went up there and saw the work was being done, saw that they had found a village and actually had the work stopped, or Mississippi Department of Archives and History had to 470 00:52:54,028 --> 00:52:57,120 come in and contract with Mississippi State to do the excavations. 471 00:52:57,120 --> 00:53:05,827 uh And so he wrote a book called Splendid Land, Splendid People, Chickasaw History to Removal. 472 00:53:06,088 --> 00:53:14,634 And it was a fantastic, fantastic book that gives a glimpse into uh 473 00:53:14,738 --> 00:53:17,140 early Chickasaw history. 474 00:53:17,382 --> 00:53:26,352 It was supposed to be two volumes and around 800 pages, but the University of Alabama Press condensed it into about 321 pages. 475 00:53:26,713 --> 00:53:34,116 And the full manuscript is actually down at Mississippi State uh in their archives. 476 00:53:34,116 --> 00:53:35,756 And the name of the book is... 477 00:53:36,292 --> 00:53:43,298 splendid lands, splendid people, uh Chickasaw Indians to remove. 478 00:53:44,324 --> 00:53:48,739 This has been so very educational. 479 00:53:49,260 --> 00:54:00,794 And I think this is what our podcasts are about, educating people, whether it's politics or history or whatever. 480 00:54:00,794 --> 00:54:01,624 But. 481 00:54:03,317 --> 00:54:04,215 Absolutely. 482 00:54:04,215 --> 00:54:24,699 think I'm safe to say that nobody in our listening audience has heard any of this history of the Chickasaws, let alone, yeah, it's not taught in the schools, ah in high school 483 00:54:24,699 --> 00:54:25,189 anyway. 484 00:54:25,189 --> 00:54:30,313 ah I guess you get it when you get in college and you get into anthropology. 485 00:54:30,313 --> 00:54:32,414 ah 486 00:54:34,041 --> 00:54:34,888 history but 487 00:54:34,888 --> 00:54:37,650 are we are looking at changing that. 488 00:54:37,650 --> 00:54:44,574 So Chickasaw Nation has developed curriculum that is shared with schools in Oklahoma. 489 00:54:44,574 --> 00:54:48,426 And we've been sharing it with schools here in Mississippi. 490 00:54:48,426 --> 00:55:03,234 We actually have uh programming where some individuals from Chickasaw Nation will come out with some educators and provide curriculum and an education on teaching that curriculum. 491 00:55:03,234 --> 00:55:08,837 and we've done that in Memphis and we'll be doing it in uh Tupelo later this year. 492 00:55:08,837 --> 00:55:11,178 And so we're working on it. 493 00:55:11,178 --> 00:55:20,881 We're working on getting that history and that culture uh included into Mississippi history curriculum. 494 00:55:20,942 --> 00:55:21,875 Absolutely. 495 00:55:21,875 --> 00:55:30,036 whatever we could do to help you, would be, you just, you know where you are and you know how to find us. 496 00:55:30,036 --> 00:55:34,612 So yes, this has been tremendous and we appreciate it. 497 00:55:35,094 --> 00:55:37,812 Now I do, yes. 498 00:55:37,812 --> 00:55:39,212 let me interrupt you for a second. 499 00:55:39,212 --> 00:55:50,348 ah Brady, if somebody's interested in more information about the Inconna Foundation, how do they go about joining it or finding information about it? 500 00:55:50,663 --> 00:56:01,286 Yes, so you can go to incana.org and learn about the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation and you can join the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation as well. 501 00:56:01,286 --> 00:56:10,468 And then to learn more about the Chickasaw Heritage Center, you can go to chickasawheritagecenter.com and learn about what we're doing there. 502 00:56:10,468 --> 00:56:15,109 We have a new website that we're going to be releasing here in the next couple of months. 503 00:56:15,109 --> 00:56:20,690 And so the old one is up right now and you can actually become a charter member. 504 00:56:21,046 --> 00:56:29,971 of the Chickasaw Heritage Center and so you can find out ways to join that and help us uh finish the center. 505 00:56:29,971 --> 00:56:31,151 Join our journey. 506 00:56:31,151 --> 00:56:43,834 The capital campaign is the journey home and we want everyone to feel like they can uh join us and join this journey to help complete the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 507 00:56:43,834 --> 00:56:46,071 What does it cost to join the journey? 508 00:56:47,145 --> 00:57:04,985 So charter membership starts at $250 and you get a beautiful limited edition medallion and certificate, but there are levels that go you know upwards through corporate level giving 509 00:57:04,985 --> 00:57:09,925 with different different perks that you can learn about on the website. 510 00:57:10,173 --> 00:57:21,253 But if people are interested but don't have $250 but can afford like $25 a month, is there a payment plan? 511 00:57:22,106 --> 00:57:22,917 Absolutely. 512 00:57:22,917 --> 00:57:32,613 You know, you can provide whatever donation you can to the Chickasaw Heritage Center. 513 00:57:32,613 --> 00:57:37,895 then like I mentioned as well, uh you can join the Chickasaw and Inkana Foundation. 514 00:57:38,276 --> 00:57:47,031 We provide different programs and then we also uh send out newsletters and updates for what we're doing. 515 00:57:49,627 --> 00:58:06,516 living here in Tupelo, I am really excited about this and have been, and I'm glad to know now that I can join the Encada Foundation and become part of making history continue to 516 00:58:06,516 --> 00:58:07,138 live on. 517 00:58:07,138 --> 00:58:09,127 Okay, all right. 518 00:58:09,127 --> 00:58:11,971 Well, this has been Mississippi Happenings. 519 00:58:11,971 --> 00:58:15,153 We do appreciate you listening, please. 520 00:58:15,333 --> 00:58:23,299 Questions, comments, suggestions, you can reach us at mshappenings1 at gmail.com. 521 00:58:23,299 --> 00:58:29,382 That's mshappenings1 at gmail.com. 522 00:58:30,263 --> 00:58:34,640 As always, may we never become indifferent to the suffering of others. 523 00:58:34,640 --> 00:58:35,683 Thanks, bye. 524 00:58:35,683 --> 00:58:36,717 add one?