MC showcases vibrant Native American culture
Special to The Clinton Courier
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) have inspired Mississippi College faculty, staff, and students for generations.
From their ancestors’ resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity to the kindred values of faith and family, members of the only federally recognized American Indian tribe living in Mississippi are cherished contributors to the campus culture at MC.
The Christian University’s ties to the MBCI were solidified in 2022, when MC President Blake Thompson and MBCI Chief Cyrus Ben signed a memorandum of understanding to create a valuable tuition assistance program for Choctaw students. The agreement also established a cultural exchange between the institutions that culminated last spring in “Choctaw Expressions,” an educational display of the present-day Choctaw people’s customs.
Just before the campus closed for the holidays, MC’s Quad was transformed into an authentic Choctaw festival with all of the sights, sounds, and scents of traditional tribal celebrations. Participants were able to enjoy the delicate artistry of skilled jewelry makers and basket weavers, the lively shouts and graceful movements of brilliantly clad community dancers, the dynamic skill and coordination of athletic stickball players, and the tantalizing smells and original flavors of traditional Choctaw dishes during the exhibition.
For individuals of Choctaw lineage like Lauren Ben, an MC alumna and first-year graduate student in MC’s Administration of Justice Program from Choctaw, Mississippi, there’s no better way to share the best parts of her heritage with her classmates than the event sponsored by MC’s Multicultural Student Association and the MBCI Cultural Affairs Program.
“Many people do not know anything about Native Americans, much less Choctaws,” said Ben. “Some see Native American culture as a form of entertainment. This [was] a chance to help people understand what it means to be a Mississippi Choctaw.”
Ben’s fellow MBCI member Afton Johnson, a junior kinesiology major from Conehatta in Newton County, Mississippi, said events like Choctaw Expressions help students understand why the name “Choctaws” is special.
“You cannot use the name Choctaws and not have any representation of the culture that shows why the name is being used,” said Johnson, who participates in the Choctaw Chorus at MC. “It’s important to keep the relationship with my Tribe active, because of the name this private institution is using.”
“Choctaw Expressions is welcome exposure for my people. It shows those outside of the Tribe that we are still here, we are still strong, and we will continue to survive,” continued Johnson. “My culture needs preserving, and this spotlight may be one way for our people to help revive it.”
This fall, MC unveiled its new on-field personality: Tushka, a majestic Eagle adorned in blue and gold feathers and important symbols of Choctaw culture. Chosen by the Mississippi College student body, the name means “warrior” in the Choctaw language.
Ben said the MC-MBCI relationship – and events like Choctaw Expressions – do more than simply acknowledge the Choctaw people are still in Mississippi. It allows today’s Choctaws to do what their ancestors weren’t able or allowed to do: share their culture with others.
“MC embraces the Choctaw culture with respect,” she said. “I grew up going to a tribal school, but I am glad to see a little bit of home on the MC campus. Just like Chief Ben said at last spring’s Commencement, ‘Choctaw by blood and Choctaw by education.’ I am proud of both.”
