Chahta Women Helped Create This Great Nation

Chahta Ohoyo yvt Okla Chinto Ilvppa Apelvchit Ikbi Tok

Published May 1, 2026

Audio in Choctaw Language

With Mother’s Day approaching (on May 10 this year), it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the strength and intelligence of our Chahta women ancestors even as we are grateful for the many outstanding women in leadership and who are associates throughout our organization today.

Looking back at the foundations of our tribe, strong women leadership was key to the continued progress and function of the tribe. Ancestral Chahta couples lived under one roof but lived close to the wife’s parents or sometimes cohabited with the parents. Chahta men were fierce warriors and hunters and due to these dangers, there were more women than men in the tribe. A matriarchal society was created where the Chahta child’s inheritance of the tribe flowed through the mother. The men and women had separate, distinct roles in the culture, and the women were the heads of households.

In addition to the reverence given moms for their repopulation of the tribe. Chahta women had vital roles to the success of the tribe as they helped farm, cook and store food for their families. The women made clothing, tanned animal hides and helped their tribe stay warm in the winter with animal skins and hand-made fabrics.

Chahta women occupied positions of power within their tribe. When the Chahta men were away hunting or protecting the tribe, the Chahta women made decisions for the tribe and made sure the best interests of the tribal members were always regarded.

So, as you can see, our tribe runs off the hard work of all our leaders and the input we receive from our tribal members. The work of our diverse leadership, in the past, present and future, ensures that our tribe remains progressive, aware of tribal needs and has a strong voice for equality and fairness.

So, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! Take some time to also remember the sacrifices of all the mothers who came before and paved the way for where we are as a tribal nation and society. Our Choctaw history records the many plans, good deeds and sacrifices of our Chahta ancestral mothers. That strength still empowers our Chahta women today to have a strong voice for our growing tribe.

Yakoke and God Bless!

Ishki I Nittak vt minti ka, hvpi Chahta ohoyo tikba im isht ahlampko micha im ikhana anukfilli kvt aivlhpiesa chinto. Ohoyo pehlichi vlhtuka micha ohoyo ittiba toksvli hvpim ittvhoba hlopulli ka il aiokpanchi.

Hvpim okla intulahpi ya ulbalakvchit e pisak mvt, ohoyo hlampko pehlichi akosh okla maya ya nana yuhmahe vlhpesa ka e pisa chi. Chahta ittauaya tikba yvt tekchi ya iki ishki ittatuklo bilikasi vshwa tok. Kaniohmik ma, ittauaya yvt tekchi iki ishki ittatuklo ka ibai vshwa tok. Chahta hattak vt tvshka chilita micha owvtta atok. Ahleka ilvppak atok mak o, ohoyo yvt lawa kvt hattak i shahli tok. Iksa ishki isht ahvllaia yvt toba na Chahta vlla i nan immi yvt ishki hlopulla chi tok. Hattak micha ohoyo yvt im aivlhpesa vlhtuka ya ittim inla tok. Ohoyo akosh chukka achvffa ya i nushkoboka attok.

Ishki vhleha yvt okla im aioklvchechi ya aiokpanchi ima tok. Chahta ohoyo yvt okla aiahlichi kvt aiokchaya ishi tok. Osapa toksvli micha hoponi isht apela cha i chukka achvffa ya illimpa im atahli tok. Ohoyo vhleha yvt nam poa hummachit na fokka ikbi tok. Hvshtulah ma, im okla ya libesha isht apelvchi kvt nam poa hakshup micha nan tvnna ibbak isht tvna atahli tok.

Im okla anukaka ya Chahta ohoyo yvt vlhtuka aiahli halvlli tok. Chahta hattak vt owvttvt kvnia keyuk mvt okla ya atukkochih ma, Chahta ohoyo yvt okla ya anumpa vlhpisa im ikbi tok. Okla ibafoka im isht ahvllaia achukma i shaht taha yvt ikhana bilia ka ahlichi tok.

Hvpi Chahta ohoyo im ikhana micha im aiokpvchi pulla kako Chahta Okla yvt okla i shahli hlampko yosh antta. Hvpim okla yvt hvpi pehlicheka i toksvli kvllo micha hvpim ibafoka ya ibakaha il ai ishi akosh hvpim okla balilichi. Hvpi Chahta ohoyo, ashah chash, himak nittak asha, micha himak pilla asha chi, i toksvli akosh hvpim okla yvt mahaya moma micha okla nan abvnna ikhana ya ahlichi. Hvpim okla yvt ittilaui micha vlhpesa im anumpa hlampko ishi ka ahlichi.

Ishki moma ka, “Ishki I Nittak Na Yukpa!” Ishki moma kvt tikba minti kash, im isht aiokpvchi hvsh ikhaiyana pulla. Oklushi micha iksa hvpia kvt kaniohmi hosh il aivla tuk a hina hvpim ikbi tok. Hvpi hopaki isht anumpa yvt hvpishki tikba im apesa, im akaniohmi achukma, micha im isht aiokpvchi ya holisso takalichi. Himak nittak a, hvpim okla hofanti ya anumpa hlampko im ishi ka isht hlampko yvmmvt hvpi Chahta ohoyo ya atohnuchi moyuma.

Yakoke anonti Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!