Schedule

Chickasaw Removal is the most traumatic chapter in Chickasaw history. View this poignant historical presentation to learn how Chickasaw families were met with hardship and death along the Removal, traveling hundreds of miles in extreme cold and heat; however, Chickasaws suffered less than other tribes because we controlled our departures and chose favorable seasons to travel. This undoubtedly saved many lives that otherwise could have been lost.

Learn a children’s bedtime song in the Chickasaw language. Second language learner, Kendra Farve, teaches the Chickasaw words for sleep, thirsty, hungry and more! Learn more about Chickasaw Nation language preservation and education resources at Chickasaw.net/Language.

Enjoy a virtual tour of the Chickasaw Cultural Center Honor Garden. This beautiful monument is dedicated to individuals inducted into the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame.

Located in Sulphur on the campus of the Chickasaw Cultural Center, the garden’s peaceful setting invites visitors to reflect and view the etched granite plaques commemorating each inductee. The garden includes bronze statutes including “The Arrival” and “The Warrior,” and features the Kochcha' Aabiniili' Amphitheatre, and the Aba' Aanowa' Sky Pavilion. This is one location you do not want to miss. To learn more, visit Chickasawculturalcenter.com.

Traditionally made of leather, bark, fibers, wood, furs and other natural materials, it had to be strong enough for arrows not to pierce through when carrying. On the Great Seal of the Chickasaw Nation, the quiver, made of deerskin, represents the hunting prowess of the Chickasaw warrior, as well as his willingness to defend his people.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about quivers and the process of making them.

Culture and Humanities leads viewers on an Art Gallery Virtual Tour. Explore the Chokma'si gallery, located in the arts & humanities building in Ada, Oklahoma. Peruse a variety of First American artwork, featuring the Chickasaw Nation's permanent art collection, as well as new exhibits highlighting the art of Chickasaws and other Southeastern tribes.

The Chickasaw Princess Pageant is a long-standing tradition during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival, taking place to select the next Chickasaw Princesses who will serve as Chickasaw Nation royalty.

Candidates exemplify the servant leadership core value while carrying out the mission to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.

Watch each candidate compete for the honor of serving in the 2021-2022 court.

Learn more about the princess pageant and see a list of former princess at Chickasaw.net/Princess.

Go on a guided tour of the Chickasaw Bank Museum for a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the first bank of the Chickasaw Nation Discover the history behind the first bank of the Chickasaw Nation.

Join us on a virtual tour of the Colbert-Walker site in Tupelo, Mississippi for a unique experience. Learn how archaeology is being used to investigate and restore these significant and sacred site locations for historic preservation, heritage tourism and Chickasaw reconnection purposes.

The Chickasaw Nation virtual memorial service honors the lives of Chickasaw citizens and Chickasaw Nation employees lost this past year with prayer and remembrance. Watch this evening at 7 p.m. (CDT) on Chickasaw.net/Memorial.

Celebrate 15 years of Chickasaw Press! Cultivating non-fiction, fiction, reference materials, children’s books, and Chickasaw authors, the Chickasaw Press is an innovative avenue for sharing Chickasaw history, tradition, language, art and literature with the community.

Learn new sport terms in Chickasaw! The Chickasaw language is a very important piece of Chickasaw culture. Beginning at 10 a.m. there will be a language flash card presentation. This would be a great time to get the whole family interested in the Chickasaw language.

Make a joyful noise in Chickasaw at 4 p.m. with a concert of hymns. Download the Choctaw Hymns app from the Google Play or Apple store and have your own sing-a-long at home. Hymns have long been an important part of Chickasaw spiritual life, and this is a great opportunity to share in this connection to our past. It is also a great chance to hear the Chickasaw language in a new way!

• Opening/Welcome
• Invocation
• Award Presentations: Silver Feather, SEASAM
• Chickasaw Press & White Dog Press Release
• Grape Dumplings Cooking Demonstration
• Stomp Dance Demonstration
• Blow Gun and Darts Demonstration
• Closing Comments

Chickasaw Nation officials elected during the Aug. 3, 2021, general election will be sworn into office during a special video presentation of the Chickasaw Nation Oath of Office Ceremony.

Legislators Toby Perkins, Ada; Nancy Elliott, Ada; Shana Tate Hammond, Ardmore; David Woerz, Ardmore; Scott Wood, Tishomingo; and Supreme Court Justice, Linda English Weeks, Newcastle, will reaffirm their oaths of office.

Archaeology and historic preservation is a means of interpreting objects and determining the relationship of the objects to the people who made or altered them.

Learn more about how we discover our history and roots as a people and the impact it has. Chickasaw citizen, Catie Hamilton provides an overview of the science behind capturing accurate stories about the past.

Since being elected Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in 1987, Bill Anoatubby has delivered the State of the Nation Address to the Chickasaw people each year as part of Chickasaw Annual Meeting.

The address reports on tribal progress, as well as future plans of how the Chickasaw Nation is working to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people. Through the State of the Nation Address, the Chickasaw Nation keeps citizens informed, displays accountability and maintains a tradition that began with the grassroots Seeley Chapel Movement.

Headquartered in the Chickasaw Homeland in Mississippi, the Chickasaw Inkana foundation works to preserve, protect and interpret Chickasaw culture and history. Learn more about this non-profit organization and its impact on the community. Read more at Inkana.org.

The whole family will enjoy Chickasaw storytelling, featuring a traditional about our red-headed guardian, the woodpecker, told by Chickasaw storyteller Dixie Brewer.

Basket weaving is an ancient craft in Chickasaw culture that is still practiced and celebrated today. Get an up-close look at the materials and techniques while learning their cultural significance during this unique demonstration.