Choctaw Nation Photo

Jamie L. Smith, Choctaw Nation Environmental Coordinator, took two years to painstakingly locate and photograph plants during the growing season while writing the guide during the dormant season.

Chief Talks Importance of New Choctaw Plant Field Guide

Anoli Himona yvt Yakni Ilatomba I Nan Offo Na Fehna Aivlhpesa ya Na Fehnvchi

Published June 8, 2026

By Chief Gary Batton

Audio in Choctaw Language

It’s the time of year when many of us spent lots of time outside in our garden growing fruits and vegetables while adding beauty to the Reservation with flowers and plants displayed for us and our neighbors to enjoy.

Each summer, as I drive across the Reservation, I often wonder about the plants’ meaning and tradition from a Choctaw Nation perspective. Did our ancestors grow a particular plant? What is the Choctaw Language word for a plant? Well, I’m thrilled to tell you we now have a new resource that can answer our botany and agriculture-related questions through a Choctaw Nation lens. The new Choctaw Nation publication called, “Culturally Significant Plants of the Choctaw Nation Reservation” is a community resource that combines a plant field guide with cultural knowledge and the Choctaw language to help community members identify and learn about plants that hold traditional importance.

The author of the guide, Choctaw Nation Environmental Coordinator Jamie L. Smith, took two years to painstakingly locate, photograph plants during the growing season while writing the guide during the dormant season.

“I used a variety of sources including some ethnobotanical publications which date back to the early 1900s as well as herbarium records from the 1850s,” Smith said. “Dr. Ian Thompson’s Choctaw Food books (and Dr. Thompson himself) are referenced quite a bit throughout the book as well. Our language department was also very helpful in ensuring the Choctaw words were correct and accurate.”

Smith said that while researching the project she was surprised by the many documented uses that our Chahta ancestors used the plants for. She said it was interesting to see how many ailments were said to be relieved or cured by some of the plants. It made her curious to know how those would compare to modern medicine.

“I have a biased opinion of this, but I feel the plants are extremely important to our cultural lifeways,” Smith said. “Having this information is, in a way, like holding on to a connection with our ancestors and is something we can pass on to future generations.”

Smith said since the guide has been released, she’s had conversations with many people who say they are trying to learn to forage for sustenance or medicines, and they’ve used her guide to grow that skill. From an ecological perspective, Smith is hopeful the readers will become better at plant identification and lean into the native plant movement that is slowly spreading into our area.

“Culturally Significant Plants of the Choctaw Nation Reservation” features native plants found across the reservation. The guide offers tips when harvesting or foraging in wild areas, take care to leave more plants than you pick. This helps make sure the plants continue to thrive. Copies of the field guide can be found at select Community Centers and at Choctaw Nation and community-hosted in-person events. Look for them at upcoming events or request your digital copy. The guide can also be accessed online.

It is fascinating to me all the wild grasses, herbs and plant life that our ancestral Chahta used for food, medicine and weaving. Learning more about our ancestors and what our tribe used to thrive is an interesting read and a good chance to get out into nature, exercise and learn more about the world around us. Pick up a copy today, get out there and start identifying plants that built our tribe.

Yakoke and God Bless!

Afvmmi hvshi kanvlli vla ka, hvpi lawa kvt kucha maya hosh hvpim osapushi anuka ya nan vni micha na waya il offochi. Hvpishno micha hvpi chukka apanta yvt e pisa chi ka yakni ilatomba aiukli achakvli kvt na pakanli micha nan offo yopisachi.

Toffa aiyuka, yakni ilatomba hlopullit aya lik mvt, Chahta imanukfila ano, nan offo i miha micha aivlhpesa ya himonna isht anukfilli li. Hvpi hattak tikba yvt nan offo fehna offochi ttok o? Chahta anumpa ya ‘plant’ vt nanta? Himak ano, aianukcheto himona akosh hvpi nan offo anukfilli micha osapa toksvli na ponaklo ya anumpa falama ikba hinla il ishi ka hvchim anoli li kvt sv na yukpa. Chahta Okla anoli himona yvt “Culturally Significant Plants of the Choctaw Nation Reservation” hohchifo. Okla aianukcheto yvt nan offo oktak tikba heka ya im aivlhpesa ikhana micha Chahta anumpa iba fokkichi. Okla ibafoka yvt nan offo aivlhpesa na fehna ishi ka atokolit imma ikhvna ka apelvchi.

Tikba heka holissochi, Choctaw Nation Environmental Coordinator, Jamie L. Smith, vt afvmmi tuklo ho, nan offo yvt offo aiona takla ahochit hobachit ikbi tuk. Luma aiona takla tikba heka holissochi tuk.

“Aminti ilaiyuka, kanimi kvt okla im aivlhpesa fehna hosh nan offo isht vtta tok anukfilli, 1900’s aminti, micha nan offo ilatomba holisso, 1850’s aminti, aieninchi hosh isht vla li tuk,” Smith vt achi tuk. “Dr. Ian Thompson i Choctaw Food holisso (micha Dr. Thompson ilap akinli kvt) holisso ya hlopullit vnnoa. Hvpim anumpa kashkoa ak kia Chahta anumpa yvt vlhpesa micha ahli ka ahlichit apelvchi tuk.

Smith vt aiahni hoyo fehna takla kvt hvpi hattak tikba yvt nan offo nana kanihchi tuk a isht vtta lawa hosh holisso tuk a isht anukhlakancha tukvt miha tuk. Nan offo kanimi kvt abeka kanohmi ho apelvchi kia hlakoffichi miha kvt nana fehna ka achi tuk. Yvmmvt himak ikhish a kaniohmi hosh hobacha hinla ka ikhvna bvnna tuk.

“Ilvppa tikbanlit imanukfila ishi li, kia nan offo yvt hvpim okchaya ya nana fehna,” Smith vt achi tuk. Ikhana ilvppa ishi kvt hvpi hattak tikba ittvtakvli ohmi, micha nana ho unchululi himak pilla ya il onocha hinla.

Tikba heka yvt kucha tuk ittitakla okla lawa hosh ilhpak kia ikhish hoyo ikhvnvt pisa ka ittim anumpuli tukvt, Smith vt achi tuk. Smith i tikba heka isht vtta hosh imponna ma i shalihchi tuk. Nan okchaya ittibai asha imanukfila aminti ano, hochefo vhleha yvt nan offo atokoli kvt achukma i shahla chi ka Smith vt ahni. Aivtta nan offo ilhkoli yvt hvpi yakni fullota ka svlaha hosh fimimpvt chukkoa ka okla yvt takla vtaya chi ka ahni aiena.

“Culturally Significant Plants of the Choctaw Nation Reservation” vt yakni ilatomba hlopulli ka aivtta nan offo aiasha ya na fehnvchi. Kowi anuka hoyo ya tikba heka yvt ikhana achukma ima, ahah ahni hosh nan offo ish issa kvt ish aiowa ka i shahla chike. Nan offo yvt i shahlit mahaya chi ka ilvppvt ahlichi apelvchi. Oktak tikba heka vlbitvt holisso yvt Okla Aiittvhoba aiyoba, Chahta Okla, micha okla vlbina ilap fena yvmohmi aiasha. Yvmohmi minti ka ahoyo kia chim vlbitvt holisso asilhha: choctaws/culturally-significant-plants. Tikba heka yvt ittvtakvli achaka ya aiona hinla aiena: https://online.fliphtm15.com/vnklx/urnx/

Hvpi hattak tikba yvt hvshuk nukshopa, haiyukpulo, micha nan offo okchaya ya ishi cha ilhpak, ikhish, micha tvna isht vtta tok vt sv chukvsh yukachi. Hvpi hattak tikba imma i shalihchit ikhvna micha nana ho hvpim okla yvt isht vtta hosh i shahli tuk vt hochefo ahvllaia. Kuchvt aiimoma chukkoa, imomvchi, micha yakni moma hvpi apakfopa imma i shalihchit ikhvna chi kvt yvmmak fokalechi achukma. Himak nittak a, vlbitvt holisso eshi cha kucha iat nan offo hvpim okla ikbi tok a atokolit isht ia.

Yakoke! Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!