Choctaw Labor Day Festival is all about Traditions

Chahta Toksvli Nittak Aiittvtoba Chito yvt Anumpa Isht Auehinchi Afehnvchi

Published August 18, 2025

By Chief Gary Batton

Audio in Choctaw Language

Tradition. Celebration. Sovereignty. Faith. Family. Culture. The Choctaw Labor Day Festival embodies all that the Choctaw Nation was, is and will be. People from all over the country travel to the Choctaw Nation’s beautiful capitol grounds in Tvshka Homma for this annual event celebrating all things Chahta.

From the first recorded festival in 1969 to the current weekend long gathering, we take this time to let tribal members, and everyone know that the Choctaw Nation is here, thriving and will continue to remain a strong, sovereign nation.

The festival includes sporting events, arts and crafts, food and beverages of all kinds, tradition, culture and entertainment. It is also a time to crown the new Choctaw Princess pageant winners and welcome new Tribal Council members.

I will be at the Choctaw Capitol Amphitheater at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 to welcome you to the Labor Day Festival. During the welcome, I will offer a sneak peek into the contents of the 2025 State of Nation video that will air on the Choctaw Nation website and social media channels at 10 a.m. on Labor Day (Sept. 1). Remember, if you are a tribal member, fill out the form on the website where the video will play to enter to win $2,500 in cash after the State of the Nation during the entry dates of 10 a.m. Sept.1, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. Sept. 15, 2025.

Also, during the festival this year, we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Choctaw Capitol Museum at 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 at the Tvshka Homma Choctaw Capitol Museum. There will be an unveiling of three bronze bust sculptures depicting Chief Gregory E. Pyle, Tribal Chaplin Bertram Bobb, and Former District 4 Councilman Delton Cox.

For the entire weekend there will be carnival rides, health tents, and tribal services kiosks staffed with people that can help you with any question you may have as a tribal member. I am hoping to meet as many Chahta as possible on the Capitol grounds, and I always look forward to your fellowship.

The Assistant Chief and I are always excited for the Labor Day Festival and what it means to the Choctaw Nation. The festival is a spotlight on all the great things our tribe has accomplished and shows where we are and where we are going. It highlights the Chahta Spirit of Faith, Family and Culture and gives us an opportunity to reach out to our tribal members for one-on-one conversations in a festive setting.

Remember it is going to be hot out there; so please be sure to drink lots of water, get out of the heat whenever you can, and sit and rest under the pavilion or the many shade trees on the festival grounds. Most of all, it is my sincere hope that everyone has a great and memorable time again this year as we celebrate our Chahta family.

For more information on the Choctaw Labor Day Festival schedule, events and festival map go to laborday.choctawnation.com.

Yakoke and God Bless!

Anumpa isht auehinchi. Holitoblit isht anumpuli. I kucha pehlichi iksho. Na yimmi. Chukka Achvffa. Im aivlhpesa. Chahta Okla yvt kaniohmi hosh aiasha tok, kaniohmi hosh himonasi maya, anonti kaniohmi hosh aiasha chi ka Chahta Toksvli Nittak Aiittvtoba Chito yvt mominchit itvnnvli. Afvmmaiyukali yvmohmi ilvppa, okla yvt yakni moyuma amintit Chahta Okla i chukka hanta yakni aiukli aivla.

Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali, pokoli hannali akucha chakkali yash, aiittvtoba chito yvt vmmona holisso takali tok. Nittak hullo vhli ittvhoba ilvppa, Chahta Okla yvt antta cha okla hlampkot i shahlit mahaya chi ka aiyuka il im anola chi.

Aiittvtoba chito yvt ilvppa aieninchi: washoha yvmohmi, imponna nan ikbi, illimpa micha ishko kaniohmi moma, anumpa isht auehinchi, im aivlhpesa, anonti nan isht ilaiyukpa. Chahta Ohoyo Miko himona bitelichi anonti Okla Aianumpuli ibafoka himona aiokpvchi i hvshi kanvlli aiena.

Toksvli Nittak Aiittvtoba Chito pilla hvchi aiokpvchi la chi kvt Takkon Hvshi nittak pokoli tuklo akucha chakkali, Nittak Hullo Ibaiyi okvttahha hvshi kanvlli tahlapi onak ma, Chahta Chukka Hanta Aiihlauvlli antta la chi. Aiokpvchi takla, tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi State of the Nation holbvt toba kanvlli ya tikbanlit pisa hvchimissa la chi. Toksvli Nittak, Hoponi Hvshi nittak achvffa, tabokoli ikono hvshi kanvlli pokkoli onak ma, Chahta Okla i holisso aiontalaia micha okla im anumpa aya ya holbvt toba kanvlli ma apila chi. Okla ibafoka chia hokmvt, holisso aiontalaia ma holisso ai ishit alotoli. Hoponi Hvshi nittak achvffa, tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi tabokoli ikono hvshi kanvlli pokkoli hiket Hoponi Hvshi nittak awah tahlapi okvttahha hvshi kanvlli awah achvffa micha minit pokoli tahlapi akucha chakkali takla holisso ma ish pila hokmvt tvli holisso tahlepa sipokni tuklo, tahlepa tahlapi ish habena hinla.

Himak afvmmi, Nittak Hullo Ibaiyi, Takkon Hvshi nittak pokoli tuklo akucha chakkali ya okvttahha hvshi kanvlli tuklo onak ma, Choctaw Capitol Museum im Isht Ikhana pokoli tahlapi e holitoblicha chi. Tvli holbvt toba tuchina, Chief Gregory E. Pyle, Tribal Chaplain Bertram Bobb, anonti Former District 4 Councilman Delton Cox ahobvchi ya oktvnicha chi.

Yukpali ombinili, haknip achukma im vlhtipo, micha okla i toksvli im vlhtipo yvt aiasha na nittak hullo vhli hlopulla chi. Okla ibafoka hvchia kvt na ponaklo hvsh ishi hokma okla yvt hvchi apela hinla. Chahta laua kvt kaniohma hinla ka afama la chi, ahni li. Hvchim ittibafoka hoyo li na billia.

Miko Apelvchi micha vno yvt Toksvli Nittak Aiittvtoba Chito ya isht pi anukpvlli bilia. Pim okla yvt nana chinto aiahlichi tuka aiittvtoba chito yvt atokoli. Chahta Shilombish atokoli cha pim okla ibafoka ya achvffa bika ittimanumpuli aivlhpiesa pima.

Lvshpa chi ka hvsh ikhaiyana chike. Oka lawa ishko cha vlhtipo nuta keyuk mvt iti vlhpoa nuta binilit hvsh foha chike. Moma i shahli, pi Chahta chukka achvffa e holitoblichi ka hvshi kanvlli ikhana vlhpesa ya moma kvt hvsh isha chi ka ahni li.

laborday.choctawnation.com ona cha Choctaw Labor Day Festival holisso, yvmohmi, anonti yakni isht vlhpisa vnnoa i shahli ishi.

Yakoke anonti Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!