On the third Sunday in June, Americans take time to honor fathers and their role in the family and community. Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. It is a special time for us to honor the most important men in our lives–the men who raised us, who inspired us, and taught us important life lessons.

Choctaw fathers are traditionally described as strong protectors. Many generations ago, in Choctaw society, they provided for their families by hunting, making tools and crafting weapons to defend their communities.

They were also teachers who passed on valuable lessons to younger generations.

As I reflect on what a father stands for, I can’t help but think about my own father, the sacrifices he made and the wisdom he instilled in me. I look forward to getting to spend time with him this Father’s Day. It is such a blessing to have the opportunity to continue making memories with my father. Over the years, I have learned so many valuable lessons from him. Without my father, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. He instilled in me the Chahta values of working hard and caring for others. I am passing those same lessons on to my children, who will hopefully continue the legacy of our ancestors for generations to come.

One thing this pandemic has taught me is to cherish what time you have with your loved ones. Our time together on this earth is short and precious. Now that we have access to vaccinations, we have the opportunity to celebrate holidays together safely. If you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, I encourage you to do so. Staying healthy and safe in the coming year will allow us more time to spend with our loved ones and continue to make special memories together.

For some, Father’s Day isn’t a time for celebration. It can be a time of grief if they have experienced the loss of their fathers. If you have lost a father, I hope that you can find comfort and peace with the memories you have.

I encourage the men in our community to strive to be the best fathers and role models our children need and deserve. If you need help on your journey to becoming a better father, the Choctaw Nation is here to help.

We provide several services that can assist our men in bettering themselves for their families. The Nation provides vocational training assistance and other educational programs to help our members complete their education. Our housing department assists tribal members with their efforts to meet their housing needs adequately. The Guiding Adolescent Parents project and the Fatherhood Initiative provide comprehensive and integrated services to improve family health, education, social, and safety outcomes for expecting and parenting teens and their babies by providing medically accurate and comprehensive service including linkages to critical resource, ongoing support for health and education, and positive parenting and relationship skills instruction using an evidenced based nationally validated model.

We offer many other programs and services designed to help our tribal members live successful, healthy and productive lives. Together, we are continuing the Chahta Spirit of our ancestors for our children and the generations to come. For more information and to find other tribal services, visit https://www.choctawnation.com/tribal-services.