In 2024, become involved in the Choctaw Nation

Halito,

Each year, following the holiday season, it gives me a chance to not only reflect on the past year, but to look forward and ponder where we are going as a Nation.

Our sovereign rights as a recognized tribal nation have come under fire in the political arena, and it is our duty as Chahtas to do all we can to educate people on what our Nation stands for. We must take steps to ensure that our Nation will always maintain its sovereign status. A good first step to become more involved in our Choctaw Nation is learning more about our Choctaw language. We desperately need more Chahta in our language programs so that our native tongue will always be heard on the reservation.

We talk about Chahta pride and sovereignty, but we always must be willing to ask ourselves if we can be doing more to show that the Choctaw Nation is here and will be here for generations to come. To help with this answer, we must be razor sharp in our focus on maintaining our sovereignty. We must take the steps necessary to maintain Chahta pride and remain a sovereign nation. For many the first step is getting more involved in our tribe by helping us maintain our culture, heritage, and language.

I challenge you to do more this year. Become more involved in the classes and cultural aspects of the Choctaw Nation. You will never regret being more educated on who you are and how you got here, so I urge you to become more involved in this great Nation. Promote our programs, invite people in to see what the Choctaw Nation has to offer, and become an ambassador for the Choctaw Nation. Without you, the Choctaw Nation will cease to grow and prosper; so, involve yourself and your family and discover what Chahta pride and sovereignty really mean.

We have a lot to be proud of in the coming year. Our associates have worked hard to grow the Choctaw Nation into what it is today – a thriving, vital economy that provides for its tribal members and state. The accomplishments of 2023 that I talked about in my last letter were great, but we also have a great number of things to look forward to in 2024.

First, I urge everyone to tune into Disney+ or Hulu and watch the Marvel series “Echo.” The hero of the story is a young Choctaw woman who is fighting against an evil crime syndicate that she broke away from. The Choctaw Cultural Center and Choctaw language department played a huge role in this worldwide series. The series creators wanted an authentic Choctaw experience, and our associates were up to the task. The series is TV-MA rated, so keep that in mind when viewing. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the Chahta language being spoken as well as some surprising Choctaw actors and highlights.

There are some exciting developments coming in 2024 as we continue to grow and expand services within the Choctaw Nation. Here are just a few new projects coming in 2024:

• Three Rivers Meat Processing (Investment Partnership) – January 2024
• Talihina Forestry / Fire Hall – March 2024
• Durant Multi-Family Apartments – March 2024
• Choctaw Landing – Hochatown – March 2024
• Broken Bow Multi-Family Apartments – March 2024
• Tvshka Homma Council Building – April 2024
• Housing Development Playgrounds – June 2024
• Hugo Tribal Services Building Expansion – August 2024
• Daisy Ranch Makerspace – August 2024
• Broken Bow Park and Walking Trails – September 2024

We have a lot to be proud of as Chahta. We continue to grow, expand and promote our culture on a global scale. I am excited to see what the future has to offer, and, with your help, there is no obstacle we can’t overcome as a proud, sovereign nation.

Yakoke and God Bless!