Chickasaw Reunion ready to welcome all May 1-2

KULLIHOMA CAMPGROUND – The wild onions and mushrooms are harvested. The grounds are manicured and prepped. Camping locations are groomed. In just days the celebration will begin.

Everyone is welcome.

The 18th Annual Chikasha Ittifama – Chickasaw Reunion – will begin May 1 at the Kullihoma Campground, located a few miles east of Ada on state Highway 1. It continues May 2 with a full slate of activities for families, children, elders, and friends.

Attendees are encouraged to dine with the Chickasaw on both days. Vendors will show and sell traditionally crafted bows, arrows, garments, gorgets, pelts and intricately beaded accessories.

FRIDAY, MAY 1

Celebrants will gather at 6 p.m. for the traditional welcome and prayer. The Chickasaw Nation Honor Guard will present the colors, dinner will be served and storytelling will begin.

A domino tournament commences at the Council House at 6:30 p.m. and continues until 8:45 p.m. At the same time, a social stickball game will be underway. Men, women and children will be competing to determine the best stickball team in a fun filled game.

A social stomp dance will start at 8:45 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. Prepare yourself to participate because all are welcome to dance with the Chickasaw. When the dancing ends, the Chickasaw Nation will show a critically acclaimed film in the Council House titled The Cherokee Word for Water, a film following the early life of late Cherokee Nation leader Wilma Mankiller and her tribe’s effort to provide the community of Bell, Oklahoma, with water via a 16-mile pipeline which residents dug themselves. The project gained attention as a model of tribal self-determination in Indian Country.

During May 2 activities, the award-winning documentary First Encounter will be shown in the Council House from 3-4 p.m. Winner of the Trail Dance Film Festival Short Documentary, the film aired recently on public television. It follows the Chickasaw Nation’s initial contact with European explorers in 1540, specifically the expedition of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto.

SATURDAY, MAY 2

The day begins with breakfast, served from 7-10 a.m. Throughout the day, festivities include a fishing derby, cornstalk shoot, chunky tournament, cultural classes, horseshoes, youth archery, turtle races, martial arts demonstrations, stickball and stomp dancing.

One of the more interesting activities will be a traditional men’s stickball contest from 7-9 a.m.

Stickball was once used as a tool to avoid war between tribes, a diplomatic buffer in which disputes were decided on the stickball field and not on the battlefield.

Chickasaw Nation Rangers, employees and volunteers will be there to greet you and direct you to locations of interest.

18th Annual Chikasha Ittifama Schedule May 1-2

Friday, May 1

6-6:20 p.m. – Welcome and Prayer; Presentation of Colors by Chickasaw Nation Honor Guard

6:20-7 p.m. – Dinner and Storytelling

6:30-8:45 p.m. – Domino Tournament

6:30-8 p.m. – Social Stickball Games

8:45-10 p.m. – Stomp Dance

10 p.m. – Cherokee Word for Water

 
Saturday, May 2

7-10 a.m. – Breakfast

7-9 a.m. – Traditional Men’s Stickball Game

8:30-8:50 a.m. – Welcome and Prayer, presentation of colors.

8-10 a.m. – Fishing Derby for 17 and under; Chickasaw Removal Remembrance 5K and Walk

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Cornstalk Shoot

10:30-11:15 a.m. – Chunky Tournament

10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Children’s Tent. Crafts and other children’s activities will be offered.

10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Cultural Classes. Class times are 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m.

10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Trail Rides

11:20 a.m. to noon – Loksi (Turtle) Race

12:30-1 p.m. – Language Video

12-1:30 p.m. – Washer Tournament

12-12:20 p.m. – Flag Retirement Ceremony

12:30-2 p.m. – Traditional Meal; History of Kullihoma

1:30-2 p.m. – E-Book ‘C’ is for Chickasaw

1:30-5 p.m. – Horseshoe Tournament

2-3 p.m. – Squirrel Stick Throw Competition

2-3:30 p.m. – Youth Archery Tournament

3-4 p.m. – First Encounter film – Council House

3:30-5 p.m. – Adult Archery Tournament

4-10 p.m. – Adult Stickball Tournament

5:30-6 p.m. – Martial Arts Demonstration

6-7 p.m. – Dinner; Children’s Language Club Performance

6:30-8 p.m. – Social Stickball Games

7:30-8:30 p.m. – Concert and Open Mic

8:30-9 p.m. – Slideshow

9-11:30 p.m. – Stomp Dance

10:30-11:30 p.m. – Stickball Participants Dinner