A recent journey took me through the Chickasaw Nation, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Above: Chickasaw cuisine served at the Aaimpa’ Café, Chickasaw Cultural Center. In the basket are corn cribs (kernels wrapped in fried dough balls). There's also an "Indian taco" on fry bread, possum grape dumplings (sort of like candied cherries) and pishofa (hominy and pork). Plus sauces.
Learned that Tishomingo is the Chickasaw capital, and Wewoka, the Seminole capital. Will return to check out the Citizen Potawatami Nation's cultural center in its capital, Shawnee.
Came across Lightning Ridge, and near Sesakwa, menacing parts of the Seminole Nation, a back road with a sign that read: "Hitchikers May Be Escaped Inmates."
Chickasaw Nation Community Radio (89.5 FM) played an excellent swampy blues mix with tracks like "Going Back to My County Home" and a gritty soing about bounced checks and ending up paying $127 for a cheese sandwich and a bag of Fritos.
"Indian Removal" in the 1830s. At the time, Indian Territory (Oklahoma) was at the edge of the USA, a buffer on the Mexican border. Texas was still Mexican territory, where slavery was officially banned -- until forcefully taken over by Americans, who brought slavery back to Texas. The Chickasaw Nation (as well as other tribal groups) brought slavery with them during the relocation to their new lands. Legal entanglements are still being sorted out and challenged even now, in 2011. Formal slavery was abolished in tribal areas only in 1866 -- after the American Civil War.
Image above: within the Chickasaw Nation, at the cultural center.
Today's Rune: Separation (Reversed).
3 comments:
The Hawaiians too long for their own nation back. Some want 'tribal' type status and land base; others WANT THE ISLANDS BACK. I would then be a Hawaiian/USA dual citizen!
Warm Aloha from Waikiki;
Comfort Spiral
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I had an indian taco when I was in New Mexico. Oh man it was good.
I had one in New Mexico too. Delicious.
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