Crystal Ridge | Chahta Anno̱pa Miya Ka̱

CHAHTA ANNO̱PA MIYA KA̱

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians


Lucille Cotton, Alexander Hickman, and Tracie Gibson


1)

Halíto sa hohchifo ato Priscilla Williams(Interviewer)

‘Hi My name is Priscilla Williams’
2)

Anno̱pa nána kiya makah chinnak pí hash makáchachikih, ti̱kba kano hachi hohchifo anót hash folótána ho̱? (Interviewer) Sa hohchifo ato (A)

‘Just say whatever words you want to say, so first of all can y'all go around and say your name?’
3)

Alexander Hickman (A), anáto Tracy Gibson (T), anáto Lucille Cotton (C), okay, hikma̱, katak (Interviewer)

‘Alexander Hickman, I'm Tracy Gibson, I'm Lucille Cotton, okay and where’
4)

hash ámi̱tih? (Interviewer)

‘do y'all come from?’
5)

Anáto Crystal Ridge pimma pako̱ a̱ttalittók siyassanoh (Lucille)

‘Me I lived over here as I was growing up (Lucille)’
6)

Katohmi afammi onah? (I) for about 50 about 40 years onah am awah(L)

‘How many about years? for about 50 about 40 years I think (Lucille)’
7)

Anáto Kosciusko áhikít iyálittók (Tracy)

‘Me, I came from Kosciusko (Tracy)’
8)

Mashulaville oklah wihattók a̱ family at, mako̱ siyassano chohmi anáto(Tracy) Hitósh mako̱ ish a̱tta ho̱ Mashulaville mako̱? (Interviewer)

‘My family they moved to Mashulaville that's where I grew up some (Tracy) So that's where you live, at Mashulaville? (Interview)’
9)

Cho pako̱ ishla ho̱? (I) pako̱ alálih (Tracy) oh ok (I)

‘Or you came here? (interviewer) This is where I came (Tracy) oh ok(Interviewer)’
10)

Anáto a̱ grandma akósh siyassanóchitok til about school iyáli fokálihma̱ (Alex)

‘As for me, my grandma is the one who raised me til about when I went to school (Alex)’
11)

Mashulaville imma attalitok (Alex)

‘I was living there in Mashulaville(Alex)’
12)

Fokálihma̱ hitokósh, school iyat hikít iyálihma̱ mako̱ Crystal Ridge pako̱ ít wihálitok (Alex)

‘From then on, when I started going to school, that's why I moved here to Crystal Ridge (Alex)’
13)

anát osi siya mo̱mah Mashulaville attalittók (Lucille) oh hiyo̱(Interviewer) hitósh Louisville imma wihat alálitok(Lucille)

‘When I was still small I lived in Mashulaville (Lucille) oh yea (Interviewer) and then I moved to Lousiville (Lucille)’
14)

Hicha pí pa̱ a̱yat mash pa̱ ishlatok?(Interviewer) a̱ha̱ (Lucille) ok, hikato, nátah ish mihchi attók?(Interviewer)

‘And this is where you traveled here from? (Interviewer) Yes(Lucille) ok, so, what did you do?( Interviewer)’
15)

Mapilla Mashulaville yohmi hash ásha kato? (Interviewer) anát allosi siya mómatok mano (Lucille) osi chiya mómatok (Interviewer) a̱ha̱ hikat (Lucille)

‘Far away in Mashulaville that you all lived there? (Interviewer) Me I was still a baby than (Lucille) you was still small (Interviewer) Yes but (Lucille)’
16)

School il ilhkólittók ikka̱nalih, that dormitory down in Mashulaville(Lucille) a̱ha̱ (interviewer)

‘I know we went to school at that dormitory down in Mashulaville(Lucille) Yes(Interviewer)’
17)

Yamma̱, van oklah il alhtósh il ilhkólahíkattók (Lucille)

‘That one, we use to go there in the van(Lucille)’
18)

Hitoko̱ after that, hihma̱ we moved away from there we came toward Louisville pimma il áyalahma̱

‘And so after that then we moved away from there, and we came toward Lousiville (Lucille)’
19)

Makattóko̱ pí(Lucille)

‘So that (Lucille)’
20)

Pimma a̱ttat siyassano, hitósh wihat pimma alálitok (Lucille) Chishnato?(Interviewer)

‘This where I grew up, so I moved here (Lucille) What about you?(Interviewer)’
21)

pí mako̱, pishnáto (Tracy)

‘so then, as for us’
22)

Like I said Kosciusko hikít iyálish mimma pit wiháli hóka̱ anáto hitósh school illa iyáli chohmitok (tracy)

‘Like I said, I started over in Kosciusko and I only moved there when I went to school(Tracy)’
23)

Hitoko̱ about 9th grade onálihmano Choctaw Central sa pílatok a̱ dad at(Tracy)

‘And about when I got to 9th grade my dad sent me to Choctaw Central’
24)

Nána (Alex)

‘What is it’
25)

Dormitory ma̱ anakmako̱ kanikma̱ iyálahíkatok hihma̱ osi siyamóma ka̱ hitokósh hapishnáto, grandma yohmi kato oklah nána (Alex)

‘Sometimes I used to go to Dormitory when I was still young, so we, grandma and all of them’
26)

highway 14 bili̱ka ma̱ attahíkatok that's about a good 2-3 miles from that dormitory (Alex)

‘she used to live close to Hwy 14, that's about a good 2-3 miles from that dormitory’
27)

Little bit more hika̱, hihma̱ onnahi̱li ma̱, 7 o'clock hikít iya ako̱ grandma hicha a̱ sister ittapíhat oklah (Alex)

‘Little bit more isn't it, and in the morning starting at 7:00, grandma and my sister all together’
28)

Nowat hikít il ilhkólahíkattók yamma̱, van oklah áchi ka̱ van ki písoh pishnáto (laughing) (Alex) hitósh nowat (Interviewer)

‘We used to start walking, they talked about a van but we didn't see a van (laughing) so, it was walking’
29)

Holisso ápisa ish iya bíkatoko̱? (Interviewer) a̱ha̱(Alex) Oh(interviewer)

‘Did you used to go school?(interviewer) Yes(Alex) Oh( Interviewer)’
30)

hikato, kanimma kiya nána, pí hachi pokni yohmi kat ná mi̱chi attókato hash ikka̱na ho̱?(Interviewer)

‘So, any of you, do y'all know what your grandmas used to do?’
31)

Ponóla amo pí nana kiya?(interviewer) ponola amólahíkatok ikka̱nalih anakmako (Lucille) hiho̱?(Interviewer) a̱ha̱ (Lucille)

‘Cotton picking or just anything?(Interviewer) I know I used to pick cotton too(Lucille) Yeah?(Interviewer) Yes(Lucille)’
32)

I never picked over 50lbs but (Laughing) 50lbs awánablichílitók kiyoh cause Dad at (Lucille)

‘I never picked over 50lbs but I didn't go over 50lbs because Dad (Lucille)’
33)

You know (Lucille)

‘You know (Lucille)’
34)

Pí, pí attat ik a̱ya siyahni okmanána atósh(Lucille)

‘He wanted me to just hang around or whatever and so (Lucille)’
35)

Ná a̱ nokówa kiyo hátoko̱ pí ano a̱yat pí kani o̱t follotat o̱t tashkit nosílih yomahíkattók, hiyátósh(Lucille)

‘He's wasn't mad at me so I would just walk around there and lay down and sleep, that's how it happened, and so (Lucille)’
36)

Oklah ímoh, ponóla oklah ímoh tákolihma̱, hapi̱ mom at tákolahí híkma̱ hapi̱ mom at (Lucille)

‘We pick cotton til noon, and our mom, before noon (Lucille)’
37)

nátah, iyah chokka il ilh-, a̱ sister í toklo ta̱kla il íyah (Lucille)

‘What is it, she goes home, and my sister and I go with her (Lucille)’
38)

hitokma̱ o̱t hopónit tahlikma̱ dad at onakma̱, i̱pat hapim alhtahakma̱ falamat il ilhkólih osápa(Lucille)

‘And then when she finished cooking and when dad came home, when we finished eating, we would go back to the field (Lucille)’
39)

Osápa oklí ma̱ya na shohbih, kanikmakhí ano you know(Lucille)

‘We would stay at the field all day sometimes you know (Lucille)’
40)

Pí stuff hót apat oklah áchi̱h il isht iyatokma̱, we-, ná chokka il áyala tok kíyoh, osapa oklah í ma̱ya na shohbahíkattók (Lucille)

‘We took stuff that we were going to eat, we didn't come home and we stayed at the field all day’
41)

Pí maki̱nih hash i̱pa? (Interviewer) a̱h, maki̱nih il áyi̱pah (Lucille)

‘You all eat there? (Interviewer) Yes we ate there (Lucille)’
42)

hitokma̱ okíyahí hikmako̱ chokka il áyalah(Lucille)

‘And then before it was evening we would come home(Lucille)’
43)

Hikma̱ anóti oklí to̱ksali mo̱mah, okíyahíh il ónahma̱ Garden at i̱ bacha̱yatokma̱ (Lucille)

‘And then we would still work when we came home before the evening, when the garden was in rows for them (Lucille)’
44)

Tobi yohmi ka̱ amo ahnikma̱, yohmi ka̱ oklah ímoh, loffih (Lucille)

‘When they want us to pick peas we picked them, shelled them(Lucille)’
45)

Mom at freezer anih, mi̱chahíkattók(Lucille)

‘Mom put them in the freezer, she use to do that (Lucille)’
46)

Yohmih hikmat, ná tamáha il ittanówa fíhna yátok kiyoh, every now and then akmako̱, we go to store (Lucille)

‘So we didn't go to town very much, every now and then, we went to the store’
47)

Hikma̱ ná o̱t ayyowat isht alatokma̱(Lucille)

‘And if they went and picked up stuff and brought it, and’
48)

Most of the time ano Dad at he was(Lucille)

‘most of the time, Dad, he was’
49)

Awattat nówah Deer ahwah yomika̱ abi mako̱ oklah ípayattók(Lucille)

‘hunting, like those some sort of deer, when he kills it, we used to eat it’
50)

So, ná tamáha il ittanówah fíhnayattók kiyoh no more than ahh(Lucille)

‘So, we didn't go to town very much, we to to town’
51)

Maybe once or twice fokálih month okma̱ we go to town(Lucille)

‘Maybe about once or twice a month then, we go to town’
52)

Makilla ahíkatok(Lucille)

‘That's all it used to be.’
53)

Hikít iyah (laughing)

‘Starting’
54)

Nátah ish ponaklotok, yamma̱?

‘What were you asking?’
55)

Pí chipoknit chi lawílih ish makakásh ósh pí nána kiya ish mihchi atoko̱ ahnit? (Interviewer)

‘Just, like you said, when your grandmother took care of you did you think about doing anything else?’
56)

Nána um, mano pí nátah fokálihma̱ washówat iyah am áchahíkatok

‘Something, that’s about when she used to tell me to go play,|| Alex’
57)

kanikma ná aponaklochílih yohmima̱ himot nátah

‘sometimes I asked her questions, what then’
58)

"Nokówat sa písannah," álitok ** yohmi na(Alex)

‘ “Don't look at me mad,” I said ** when it happened’
59)

"Aka̱ka lhiyólit iyah," am áchitoko̱, ano̱ti

‘ “Go chase chickens,” she told me and then’
60)

mak fokálihma̱ amáfot ano̱ti a̱nokówah

‘and then my grandfather got mad at me’
61)

"Aka̱ka ish lhiyólinnah," áchitok

‘ “Don't chase the chickens,” he said.’
62)

Grandma at, nána, fokálih mat,

‘Grandma, what was it, almost’
63)

ta̱chi yohmih iláp mihchih, mihchi yohmahíkatok mato

‘they used to do [grind] their own corn, that’s how they used to do it.’
64)

ná alhtaha yohmi cho̱pa kiyo tok, mato.

‘they never bought it pre-made [processed].’
65)

Nána, basket nána, pí fence ohmi náha mako̱

‘what is it, basket, what, it’s just like a fence but it’s not’
66)

ta̱chi [itt]ibánit tahli cha ano̱ti fan tikba hiki̱yaho̱

‘gather the corn together and place it in front of the fan’
67)

Yamma̱ aba ho̱kli ka̱ yokót shachchit yohmichit tahlik ma̱ [yohmichih attahma̱] mako̱

‘while holding it up this way after scraping it, it comes out like’
68)

nátah kernel yamma̱.

‘what, those kernels.’
69)

??

70)

Nátah hulls?

‘What hulls? ||Lucille’
71)

Yamma̱ mihchit tahli cha ano̱ti mihi̱chitok ma̱ mako̱

‘They finish doing that and then are still doing’
72)

Iláp ta̱chi yohmima̱ isht a̱ya ilahbi bíkatok ilapi̱niho̱,

‘the corn itself, they used to try to take care of it themselves,’
73)

yamma̱, garden [imá...] im a̱shahma̱ mako̱

‘that, they used to have a garden’
74)

mako̱ á mihchihósh yamma̱ áha̱tta híkatok yamma̱

‘that is where they stayed and did it’
75)

mano pi̱sali ahíkatók oklah.

‘I used to see them.’
76)

Nána,

‘Something,’
77)

máfo yo̱kato to̱ksali ilhkóli mo̱matok pulpwood

‘Grandpa and them still went to work, pulpwood’
78)

yohmitokósh,

‘that’s how,’
79)

to̱ksali, i̱boss makósh oklah o̱t hóyo kiyo̱ hitoko̱ ná ah car yomikat ik hapim iksho attók fokálih ma̱, hitokósh

‘Workers, their boss picked them up, because we didn’t have any cars then, and then’
80)

nána [ayitta]toba átok about 4-5 mile walk-alitoko̱, mako̱

‘Something, the store, about 4 or 5 miles I walked, that’s why’
81)

nána hina ma̱ il a̱ya híkatok 14 il ónah tóba ná o̱t il íshi chá fala̱t il ónahíkattók

‘what was it, we used to go on that road, we got to 14, we got our stuff at the store, and then we went back.’
82)

But once a, once a day: Hey! Ik abíko!

‘But once a day, Hey! Not getting sick!’
83)

Mak fókalih ma̱, nana, chokka a̱shaka ma̱ well taka̱litok yamma̱

‘About that time, something, there was a well behind the house’
84)

hina mako̱, we get water from there hitokma̱

‘and then, that’s where, we get water from there and’
85)

Anáto oka ishko lih!

‘Myself I drink water.’
86)

Uh-huh, mano

‘Uh-huh, that’s why’
87)

Faucet hilíchih mako̱ mihcháchikih ish imanóláchikih (yoppa)

‘If they put in a faucet, tell them to put in one, let them do it!’
88)

Hika̱

‘And’
89)

amoshi ato [a]ka̱ka hokli miyakakósh

‘My uncle, he claims to be a chicken catcher’
90)

nátah am okpaníchit im achokma mato

‘What was it, he likes to mess it up for me’
91)

nána oski íshihósh nátah ná ma̱ atíchihma̱ falammichih yohmi makósh íshiho̱ aka̱ka hoklit attatok chínitok.

‘he’d get cane, and when he poked at them, going back and forth, that’s how he used to get them,’
92)

hokli cha ano̱ti himo ano sa tohnoh "o̱t lhiyólih" a̱t siyacháchi̱h. (yoppa)

‘He caught them and now he’s coming to tell me to “go chase them” ’
93)

Pishnáto, ná, a lot of...ponola ná (Tracy speaking)

‘As for us, something, a lot of...cotton something’
94)

pick-áli kiyoh anáto.

‘I didn’t pick, myself.’
95)

A̱ mom hicha a̱ dad ato hitok hicha ná

‘My mom and my dad did, and also’
96)

kanit oklah mihchi ka̱ am anólahíkattók.

‘They used to tell me how they did it.’
97)

Hapishnáto hashshok shahli makilla oklah í mihchittók, pishnáto alla alhíha hapíya kano.

‘We carried hay, that’s all we did, us kids’
98)

A̱ uncles yómika̱ oklah olhkólihma̱ [ilhkólihma̱] il ap[ílah].

‘My uncles, when they went we helped.’
99)

"Ho mítih, hash pi apíláhi̱ka̱ [apíláchi̱ka̱]" hi̱ka hapishnáko̱ oklah hapi use-a chohmahíkattók (yoppa)

‘ “Come on, y’all are gonna help us” (they’d say) but they used to use us most of the time (laughter)’
100)

Hikma̱ oklah iti mako̱ oklah bashli hoyoh

‘And then they looking to cut those trees’
101)

Makmako̱ ta̱kla il ilhkólahíkattók

‘and in addition to that, we used to go with them.’
102)

"Kabassat, kabassat mi̱ti ka̱" ákma̱ "iti hapinnahi̱ ka̱ [happináchi̱ ka̱]" áchikma̱, ittahobbi oklí ma̱yah

‘ “Cold, cold is coming,” when they say, “we’re gonna need wood,” when they say, we’re there gathering it.’
103)

Our whole family is down there.

‘Our whole family is down there.’
104)

Nána kiya ikbi yómikano pí ilokka, fokka lo̱bo, yakómi pa̱?

‘What about making something, like dress, shirt, all these?||Priscilla’
105)

Pí shikalla okmanána pí a̱chi okma̱ yohmi ikbíno [ikbi ano] kanimma kiya.

‘Something like beads, or what about making something like blankets, or anything.||okmanána=okma̱’
106)

Chippokni chishki okmanána kiya oklah ikbi atto̱, cho

‘Your Grandma, your mom, or anyone else, were they makers, or’
107)

nána kiya taposhshik kiya ikbi attóko̱ cho nátihmittók?

‘anything, did they make any baskets, or what did they do? ||nátihmih=what’s it like, see nátohmih.’
108)

Anáno kiyo, hikakósh beads ano I don’t know.

‘Not me, but beads I don’t know. || Lucille’
109)

I’ve seen momma might have worked on a few but

‘I’ve seen momma might have worked on a few but’
110)

She made her own dress mato i̱ own dress ikbi attók

‘She made her own dress. She used to make her own dresses.’
111)

she made our dresses

‘She made our dresses’
112)

But, Dad, he wouldn't wear it

‘But, Dad, he wouldn't wear it’
113)

Dad ato Choctaw shirt fokkahí kiyoh

‘Dad wouldn’t wear a Choctaw shirt’
114)

Hihmat Mom ato that's all she'd wear was Choctaw dress hátósh ilapi̱t ikbi.

‘And Mom, that's all she'd wear was Choctaw Dress so she used to make her own’
115)

Hihma̱ Mary ítatoklo ka̱ hapim ikbih ilokka.

‘And she made dresses for Mary and me’
116)

And, but far as bead and baskets ano, akkánoh

‘And, but far as the bead and baskets, I don’t know’
117)

My Grandma, yo̱kat [yómikat] makáshi̱nittók, they made their own dresses

‘It was the same for my Grandma and them. They made their own dresses || Lucille’
118)

Hikma i̱ husband ma̱ makáshi̱nahíkattók, he wouldn't wear a Choctaw shirt.

‘And her husband used to be the same, he wouldn't wear a Choctaw Shirt’
119)

Máfo hicha grandma yómi[ka]to ná- nátokáchih?

‘My grandpa and grandma, and them, something, what did they say?||Alexander’
120)

Pi̱sali kano ná Chahta i̱ lokka yohmi ho̱ hopáki kiyoh mato nahollo i̱ lokka yohmi mako̱ oklah fokkátoko̱

‘When I saw (it/them), those Choctaw clothes, it is not like the old days, because now they wore some kind of whiteman’s clothes’
121)

mato yómi na, ikka̱nali kano, yohmi na achíba tahah.

‘those two, as far as I know, It’s been like that a long time.’
122)

Kanímihmano grandma at nána Choctaw dress i̱to̱nahmat

‘Sometimes, Grandma, what’s it, when she had a Choctaw dress’
123)

kanímihma̱ fokkakakósh ná often kíyo mato, hikat

‘sometimes she wore it but not often, and also’
124)

for the most time ano oklah nahollo i̱ lókka fokkah hicha nána

‘For the most time they wore white people's clothes’
125)

bead work yohmi mihchi ka̱ mato ná- ná mak kiyotok oklah.

‘doing like bead work -- they didn’t do that’
126)

Pí kocha nátah garden yamma̱ ná mihchi yómika̱ mama makilla chohmit isht iyahma̱,

‘She was just outside in that garden, doing garden work, mama was the only one taking care of it.’
127)

yamma̱ hicha nána hapóni yómika̱

‘that and all that cooking,’
128)

máfo ato, daybreak to...daylight to sundown nána

‘my grandpa, daybreak to...daylight to sundown’
129)

pulpwood yohmi to̱ksalit [akohmi]toko̱ mato ná yómi mihchi a̱lhitokka.

‘all he did was work on pulpwood, that’s all he really did.’
130)

Oh a̱ dad at ná ikka̱nali kano kíyoh, kíyoh am ahwah.

‘Oh, my dad, as far as I know, no, I don’t think so.||Tracie Gibson’
131)

Mom ato a̱chi ma̱ okbánah mato, mano okbahíkattók

‘Mom could make quilts, she used to make them.’
132)

Hihma̱,

‘And,’
133)

a̱ grandma at, dresses oklah okbikma̱ ilápi̱t oklah fokkah.

‘my grandma (and others), if they made dresses, they would wear it themselves.’
134)

Other than that, no.

‘Other than that, no’
135)

Hihkiya, hachi allakma̱ nánakma̱

‘So, if you all were children ||Priscilla’
136)

pí nána kiya hachim annowattóko̱ pí shokka anno̱pa "stories" áchih?

‘were you told anything, any kind of hog tales or “stories” as they say?’
137)

yohmi kiya hachim anóli attóko̱ cho, pí?

‘did they tell you all anything like that, or anything?’
138)

Kani ná kiya hash ha̱klo yo̱, Stories?

‘Have y’all heard any of them somewhere, stories?’
139)

Pí kanikma̱, áfo mat kanikmat

‘Like sometimes, grandpa, sometimes’
140)

kapassa yokma̱ mi̱tikma̱ onáfa yokmat

‘when cold is coming, when it’s winter’
141)

kanikma̱ abóha hash binohma̱yakmat

‘sometimes when y’all are sitting in the living room’
142)

pí ná anólána ka̱ ano̱ti pí "jokes" oklah áchih, áchiho̱

‘they might tell something, just “jokes” they would call it, and they say’
143)

oklah anólána shohmitokako̱ yohmi kiya hachim anno̱wato̱?

‘they mostly would tell (jokes), were y'all told anything like that?’
144)

Ha, half I can't repeat in this session. (yoppa)

‘Ha, half I can't repeat in this session. (laughing) ||Alexander’
145)

Yakah! (yoppa)

‘Yikes! (laughing)’
146)

Probably did, hikako̱

‘Probably did, but ||Lucille’
147)

I guess I don’t think we payed attention to it (yoppa), kiyotok am awah.

‘I guess I don’t think we payed attention to it (laughter), I don’t think so.’
148)

Yeah mom and dad at kanikmat chi̱hat ano̱poli tokla ka̱ í ha̱klahíkattók but

‘Yeah sometimes we used to hear mom and dad sitting and talking but’
149)

we was too busy playing.

‘we was too busy playing.’
150)

Hikma̱ "washóhat ho iyah" ákma̱ we know where to go.

‘And, if they said, “y’all go play” we know where to go.’
151)

That's under the house.

‘That's under the house.’
152)

Under the house mak il iyah, hikma̱ yamma̱ a̱shwat í play-akma̱.

‘We went under the house, and we played there.’
153)

You know.

‘You know.’
154)

Nánaho̱ mihchitósh a̱shwatokmat yammako̱ ano̱polish chi̱ha ka̱ í ha̱klahíkattók, but

‘they were doing something, and we used to hear the two of them sitting there talking, but’
155)

we never did interfere.

‘we never did interfere.’
156)

Oklah, manok- mak ohmi oklah.

‘They, they are like that. ||Alexander’
157)

Assano, assanot ano̱póli "kani ilhkólih" áchitok, "kani ilhkólih,washóha ilhkóli" áchih yohmiho̱

‘The adults speaking used to say “go somewhere”, “go somewhere, go play,” they said like that.’
158)

Hihma̱ ná il i̱ takáli kiyoh.

‘So, we don’t interfere.’
159)

Kani hiki̱t hakloh pinna yohmih.

‘We mostly wanted to be standing somewhere listening. ||Lucille’
160)

We get caught too.

‘We get caught too.’
161)

Hihkiya kocha hash washówakmato na̱ta ho̱ hash washówa atok? Pí nána kiya?

‘So, when you go to play outside, what do you play? Just anything?||Interviewer’
162)

Pí kanikma̱, ná i̱la kanohmi kato ná

‘Just sometimes, some of those different things’
163)

im a̱sha kiyo ka̱ himak ohmi kato alla ato towwat oklah im a̱sha chá isht oklah washówah ano̱ti

‘they don’t have them, nowadays, kids have balls and they play with them and’
164)

ishit washówat pí Wal-Mart ish iyakma̱ ish cho̱pakma̱ ishit washówána shohmi hoka̱

‘as for toys, they can mostly play with them if you go to Wal-mart and buy them’
165)

Hopáki ano yohmi a̱sha a̱lhi kíyotokmat

‘Long time ago, when there was hardly anything like that’
166)

nátaho̱ isht hash washówatokchi pí yómika̱?

‘What did y’all play with, just like that?’
167)

Pishnáto, cans, nátah,

‘For us, can, what is it,’
168)

canned goods ma̱, átahahma̱

‘Those canned goods, when the're empty’
169)

Uh-huh.

‘Uh-huh.’
170)

Mako̱ isht í washóhah, hikmat maybe

‘We played with those, and then maybe’
171)

you know kanikma̱, nahollot trash oklah pilahma̱

‘You know sometimes, when white people throw out trash’
172)

ásht [áshat] il ittanówahmat, we found toys.

‘When we went around, we found toys.’
173)

Dolls ahwah yohmi, kani oklah pilátokma̱ yamma̱

‘Like dolls, if they threw them away, there’
174)

mak il asháchitokmat mak isht í play-akmat dirt-biscuit il ikbi ilahbih.

‘Thats where we put them and when we played with them, we pretended to make a dirt-biscuit.’
175)

Mako̱ í washówa yattók.

‘That’s what we played.’
176)

But, nahollo i̱ junk pile o̱ ásht il ittanówahíkattók,

‘But, we used to go around white-peoples's junk piles.’
177)

to find stuff.

‘to find stuff.’
178)

Kanikma̱ mom at, you know, she'll find all that,

‘Sometimes Mom, you know, she'll find all that,’
179)

patterns, nátah, materials to make quilts

‘patterns, what’s it, materials to make quilts’
180)

yohmi box alóta kahma̱yahma̱ áyówatokma̱

‘if she got those full boxes there’
181)

a̱chi ikbish bini̱lahíkattók.

‘she used to sit making quilts.’
182)

We found toys, hapishnáto

‘We found toys, we did’
183)

mako̱ isht í washówa yattók, we ná- ná toys oklah hapi̱ cho̱pa yattók kiyo.

‘That's what we used to play with, we not, they didn't used to buy toys for us.’
184)

What we find from that junk pile mako̱ isht í washówa yattók.

‘What we find from that junk pile that's what we used to play with.’
185)

Nána, main thing,

‘What was it, main thing, ||Alexander’
186)

iti kanóma ano aháchi chá nátah gravel ma̱ mako̱ isht isso[sh] attah

‘find some sticks and, what’s it, hit that that gravel with them.’
187)

Kanikma̱ alla alhiha oklah itti̱paknah, il áshahíkatok

‘Sometimes kids they compete, we used to do that,’
188)

Yamma̱, kiyokma̱, nána

‘That one, or, something’
189)

nátokáchih nána game ahwachih "it" áchihma.

‘What do they say, it's like a pretend game, it's called “it”.’
190)

Hihma̱ mak oklah ittilhiyohlit nówahíkatok, miyatok.

‘Then they used go around chasing each other, they said.’
191)

Only time pí binohma̱yachi̱kmano nána Saturday morning cartoon a̱yakmano

‘Only time they would sit down is when the Saturday morning cartoons are on’
192)

pí oklah binohlit oklah i̱pat binohma̱yah alla alhíha akósh

‘the kids, they would sit down and they would eat’
193)

tahahma̱ himo kotcha ilhkólit "kotcha ilhkólih" áhma̱, kotcha ilhkólit oklah washówat áyáshah.

‘When it’s over then they would go outside, when they said “go outside” they would go outside, and they would play.’
194)

Yeah, pí, tag yohmi oklí washówah, makilla chohmi ná ikka̱nalih yamma̱.

‘Yeah, just, we also played tag, that’s about all I know.’
195)

Same thing (yoppa).

‘Same thing (laughing). ||Tracie’
196)

Can you talk about Mashulaville?

‘Can you talk about Mashulaville? ||Jason’
197)

Mashulaville? (Yeah)

‘Mashulaville? ||Priscilla’
198)

You mentioned it

‘You mentioned it || Jason’
199)

Pí Mashulaville imma ná kiya hash ma̱ya kat, oklah míchi attóko̱? ish ikka̱na alhlhi kato?

‘Like anything about Mashulaville, y’all lived there, did they do anything? as far as you know? || Priscilla’
200)

They probably did, anáto, I was kinda young átósh,

‘They probably did, but me, I was kind of young || Lucille’
201)

I was something like 4-5 years old, fokálish

‘I was something like 4-5 years old, about’
202)

Mashulaville attók, Winston County wihat il áyalattók

‘We moved here to Mashulaville, Winston County’
203)

And weekends onakmano, a̱ dad hicha a̱ uncles at baseball oklah washóhat im achokma toklatok

‘And when weekends came, my dad and my uncles both loved playing baseball || Tracie’
204)

Nátah ish áchih?

‘What did you say?||Priscilla’
205)

Baseball

‘Baseball||Tracie’
206)

Oh, ok.

‘Oh, ok.||Priscilla’
207)

Teams at oklah afáma[t] nówahíkattók, hikma̱ dormitory tikba ma̱ field at hiki̱ya hoka̱, baseball field

‘The teams used to go and meet, in front of the dormitory, the field is there, the baseball field.||Tracie’
208)

Mako̱ oklah washówah, hikma̱ birthdays okmanána oklah hopónish ma̱yahíkattók ohóyo alhíha.

‘That's where they would play, and if it was a birthday or something, the women would be cooking.’
209)

Shokka oklah ábi cha ilapi̱t oklah askat tahlih.

‘They would kill a hog and they would prepare it themselves’
210)

Hikma̱ ta̱chi mako̱ ilapi̱t hossit oklah tahlih.

‘And then they would pound the corn themselves.’
211)

Hikma̱, day of game okma̱ oklah hopónih.

‘And then, if it’s the day of the game they would cook.’
212)

Sometimes it wasn’t even birthdays,

‘Sometimes it wasn’t even birthdays,’
213)

pí picnics (picnics),

‘like pinics (picnics), || Lucille’
214)

’cause hopákit áyalah oklah ahni átoko̱ oklah i̱pachahíkattók.

‘’cause, they thought they arrived from far away, so they used to feed them. || Tracie’
215)

And one more thing,

‘And one more thing, || Lucille’
216)

I remember my younger days, Chief Cameron Wesley mat a̱tta mo̱ma ka̱

‘I remember my younger days, when Chief Cameron Wesley was still living’
217)

yamma̱ i̱ chokka ma̱ il áyonahíkattók.

‘We used to go to his house.’
218)

Came from Louisville, il áyonah, weekends okma̱.

‘Came from Louisville, we came, if it was weekends.’
219)

They used to have people,

‘They used to have people,’
220)

Indian tribe i̱la, from all over the world, áyalahíkattókma̱,

‘Different Indian tribe, from all over the world, and when they used to arrive’
221)

used to be bunch of them, used to come there okma̱, Saturday night ma̱.

‘used to be bunch of them, used to come there, on Saturday night.’
222)

They used to make a great, big old fire in the middle of the yard

‘They used to make a great, big old fire in the middle of the yard’
223)

and oklah dance-at oklah sing-at yót ma̱ya na onnahíkattók.

‘and they danced, they sang, they used to be like that all night.’
224)

Till daylight next day.

‘Till daylight next day.’
225)

And they was people from everywhere, incoming Indian tribe

‘And they was people from everywhere, incoming Indian tribe’
226)

Hikásh nána imma mihchi kato ish ikka̱na kiyo̱?

‘But you don't know what they were doing it for? || Priscilla’
227)

Oklah meeting oklah i̱ ma̱yat oklittimano̱polih, they talk hikmat

‘They would have a meeting, they would talk to each other, they talk || Lucille’
228)

hikako̱, when we kids ato, we’re not allowed to be over there.

‘But, when we kids we’re not allowed to be over there.’
229)

Hitoko̱, we be on the other side the house okma̱ they in front of the house

‘So, we be on the other side the house and they in front of the house’
230)

Ma̱ o̱t oklah í ma̱yatok mako̱ when they fixin’ to talk

‘Even when we were over there when they fixin’ to talk’
231)

’bout business okma̱, we get out the way, yohmi attók.

‘if it’s about business, we get out the way, that’s how it used to be.’
232)

Hikma̱ oklah láwahíkatok used to come out there

‘And so, there used to be a lot of them who would come out there’
233)

and I don’t know if that home place still there or not

‘and I don’t know if that home place still there or not’
234)

It burned down

‘It burned down ||Tracie’
235)

It burned down

‘It burned down || Lucillle’
236)

Hiyo̱ Chahta lawah katik fokálish ma̱yah himaka̱ Mashulaville mano? Cho lawa a̱lhi kiyot tahah?

‘So about how many Choctaws are there at Mashulaville? Or are there not many? || Priscilla’
237)

Probably about 20, 20, 20 or less.

‘Probably about 20, 20, 20 or less. ||Alex’
238)

Four families ako̱, about 4 families

‘Four families, about 4 families. ||Lucille’
239)

Yeah.

‘Yeah || Alex’
240)

Shirley, Bobby and those two.

‘Shirley, Bobby and those two. || Lucille’
241)

Pí makallash ma̱yah mo̱ [mo̱ma] mimma.

‘That's about all of them still living over there. || Alex’
242)

Pí hilha ahwakmato nátaho̱ hilha yo̱ míchi, míchi attók?

‘What about dances, what dances did they do? ||Priscilla’
243)

Pí Abóha Hilha, cho?

‘Like House Dance, or?’
244)

Yeah.

‘Yeah. ||Lucille’
245)

Abóha tikba.

‘Front porch.’
246)

Porch kotcha yohmi oklah hilhahíkattók.

‘They used to dance on the porch, outside, all that.’
247)

Katash oláchih hikma̱?

‘Who played? || Priscilla’
248)

I really don’t know, back then ano

‘I really don’t know, back then || Lucille’
249)

Hikako̱ oklah híiilha ka̱ pi̱salahíkattók. (Yoppa)

‘But I used to see them daaance (laughing).’
250)

Fiddle at óoola kaníyah

‘Fiddle is really playying.’
251)

mano pi̱salahíkattók, but I don’t know who played, kana attók ak ikkánoh.

‘I use to watch that, but I don't know who played. I don’t know who it was.’
252)

Hikásh earlier years pano we have seen RJ Willis-at came down to RB's house

‘But, earlier years, we have seen RJ Willis, came down at RB's house’
253)

Hihma̱ house dance all night, Charlie Hickman

‘And house dance all night, Charlie Hickman’
254)

and, what was the other name, Albert Frazier?

‘and, what was the other name, Albert Frazier?’
255)

Uh-huh.

‘Uh-huh. || Alex’
256)

And, yo̱kat [yomikat] oklah áyona cha RB i̱ chokka ho̱ dance oklah ma̱ya na onnahíkattók.

‘And when they got there, to RB’s house, they used to be dancing until morning. || Lucille’
257)

Hikma̱ Ms. Loleen, it’s RB's wife

‘And Ms. Loleen, it’s RB’s wife’
258)

she get out there, she’ll cook a big dinner that night

‘She get out there, she’ll cook a big dinner that night’
259)

hikma̱ oklah i̱pah bannakmat ittibáyi̱pat

‘and if they wanted to eat they ate together’
260)

okla hi̱lha na, oklah i̱pah bannakmat oklah i̱pah yohmi na, onnahíkattók.

‘they were dancing, if they wanted to eat, they ate, and they did all that until morning’
261)

She did all of that.

‘She did all of that.’
262)

And I believe she still can do it if doctor would let her right now hikako̱

‘And I believe she still can do it if doctor would let her right now, but’
263)

(yoppa)

‘(laughter)’
264)

Hika̱ ohóyo mat hi̱lha na onnahíkattók pi̱salahíkattók pist a̱shalahíkattók.

‘And that, that woman used to dance all night, I used to watch her, I used to sit there watching her.’
265)

Ohóyo mat assanochi kat a̱ shahli kat

‘That woman is older than me’
266)

"ohoyo mat a̱ shalihchih" álahíkattók.

‘I used to say “that woman did better than me.” ’
267)

That woman used to dance all night long.

‘That woman used to dance all night long.’
268)

everytime music at hikít iyahma̱ she’s dancing, híkattók.

‘Everytime music starts she's dancing, she used to.’
269)

A̱tta mo̱maho̱ hitoko̱?

‘Is she still living? || Priscilla’
270)

Mm-hmm, she’s still living.

‘Mm-hmm, she’s still living. || Lucille’
271)

Hiyo̱?

‘Really?’
272)

And lot of people, young people these days they talking about

‘And lot of people, young people these days they talking about’
273)

I having a problem, I can't quit drinking, oklah áchih, that's what they say

‘I having a problem, I can't quit drinking, they say, that's what they say’
274)

RB and Loreen, if anybody knew them, they,

‘RB and Loreen, if anybody knew them, they,’
275)

they can quit drinking if they want too.

‘they can quit drinking if they want too.’
276)

Them two people start drinking antiseptic when in there young age

‘Them two people start drinking antiseptic when in there young age’
277)

when they got married.

‘when they got married.’
278)

They did it until how many years ago?

‘They did it until how many years ago?’
279)

Woo, I want to say about.

‘Woo, I want to say about. ||Alexander’
280)

Kiyoh, how long since they been quit?

‘No, how long since they been quit? ||Lucille’
281)

Mak makálih, it's about since, I want to say about 2004, 2006, somewhere around there

‘That's what I said, it's about since, I want to say about 2004, 2006 somewhere around there || Alex’
282)

They quit, they just decided to quit

‘They quit, they just decided to quit || Lucille’
283)

They’d drink everyday, everyday they take a

‘They’d drink everyday, everyday they take a’
284)

a bottle of water with them, they go to the store get a bottle of antiseptic they mix it, start drinking

‘a bottle of water with them, they go to the store get a bottle of antiseptic they mix it, start drinking’
285)

It was everyday thing and they just decided to quit, and they quit.

‘It was everyday thing and they just decided to quit, and they quit.’
286)

Mato a̱shwa mo̱ma tokla ho̱?

‘Are they still living?’
287)

Mm-hmm, they still living, both them still living today.

‘Mm-hmm, they still living, both them still living today.’
288)

Was there, what’s that phrase for, bring out the anti?

‘Was there, what’s that phrase for, bring out the anti?’
289)

Shannih.

‘Twist it.’
290)

Shannih, shannih, áh.

‘Twist it, twist it, they say.’
291)

(yoppa) Shannih, shannih oklah áchihma̱, every, some, some people know what the code word means.

‘(Laughing) Twist it, twist it, every, some, some people know what the code word means.’
292)

(yoppa) Anno̱pa ma̱, oklah ikka̱na kaníyah mak makáhma̱.

‘When they say that word, they know it really well.|| Priscilla’
293)

That means shaking that antiseptic, (uh-huh) that’s what it was.

‘That means shaking that antiseptic (uh-huh) that’s what it was.|| Lucille’
294)

"Shannih" áchi ho̱? (Uh-huh)

‘They say “twist it”? (Uh-huh). ||Priscilla’
295)

Mm, ok.

‘Mm, ok.’
296)

Hapishnáto "tiwáchih" oklah il áchiho̱, it was just a phrase they use, "shannih, shannih," áchihma̱.

‘Us, we say “stir it,” it was just a phrase they use, “twist it, twist it,” they said.’
297)

Grandma ato, Noline, hihma̱ up until a couple years ago,

‘Grandma, Noline, up until a couple years ago, ||Alexander’
298)

she still was heavy at it, dancing, álahíkattók.

‘she still was heavy at it, dancing, I used to say.’
299)

She'll, she’ll get out, she’ll she get out there and dance hilhahíkattók, mato.

‘She'll, she’ll get out, she’ll she get out there and dance, she used to dance, that one.’
300)

Himittowa alhíha oklah "kí hilha, kí hilha," áhma̱

‘When teenagers said “Let’s dance, let’s dance,” ’
301)

"mítih akma̱" áh kaníya "ki[l] ilhkóli," áchikat íyyat takálih, íyyah.

‘When she says “come on then” she’d say “let’s go,” as she’s going, and she goes.’
302)

Still she want to do it now don't she?

‘Still she want to do it now don't she? || Lucille’
303)

Oh, foha, foha bannakmano, foha bannakma̱ ano̱ti kanimma ka̱ anóti "mítih kí hilha" áhma̱, "kilhkóli" mah áchih íyya yohmahíkattók.

‘Oh, if she wanted to rest, if she wanted to rest, and then somebody said “come on let’s dance,” she would say “lets go,” she used to go on like that.’
304)

Hika̱ himakano himitfowáchi pí yót iyat, iyat ilhkólahí kiyo ka̱ sipokni ato ilhkoho̱litok mako̱.

‘But now, teenagers just can’t go, go, go like that, even elders keep going.’
305)

Mm-hm.

‘Mm-hm. ||Alexander’
306)

Kaník akhí ato hofahyah ilahbih, "iyah chishnáko, iyah"

‘Some of them act shy, “you go, go” || Lucille’
307)

oklah itti toblih kaníyah. (yoppa)

‘they’re pushing each other. (laughing)’
308)

Hika̱ ná lawa oklí pi̱sah oklah míchána ka̱, hika̱

‘But there are lots of things we see that they can do, but || Priscilla’
309)

himak ohmika̱ alla himitfowáchit a̱lhahí kiyot tahah, hikásh

‘nowadays, teenagers can’t be serious any more, but’
310)

Pí tóli ahwah yohmikano, oklah isht i̱ponna akinih

‘Like they're good at playing ball’
311)

Isht i̱ponnah, tóli alhíha

‘There are good, the ball players’
312)

Hikásh "kocha hopónih," ákmano, ilhkolahí kiyo. (a̱h)

‘But when someone says “cook outside,” they won’t go. (yep) || Lucille’
313)

Yohmih.

‘Like those. || Priscilla’
314)

Kocha hopóni ano hash míchi chohmih, cho?

‘Do y’all hardly cook outside, or?’
315)

Anáto pí makilla siyassanoh.

‘Me, thats all I grew up with. || Lucille’
316)

Am allat oshtash ma̱yah

‘I have four kids.’
317)

everyone of them oklah i̱ponna bánoh.

‘everyone of them they are very good.’
318)

Himaka̱, doctors care

‘Now, I'm in doctors care’
319)

Fire áyattahí kiyo ahnikma̱, you know, kocha ánonáchi a̱ cha̱politósh

‘When he says [I] can’t stay out by fire, you know, I like outside cooking so’
320)

"Alla, kocha oklah a̱ hopónih" álikma̱, ilhkólih.

‘When I say, “Kids, cook outside for me,” they go.’
321)

Pí, they ask me what to cook oklah i̱ makat tahlish bini̱lilikma̱ ilhkólih, yohmi atósh ná ishit siyataklama kiyoh anáto.

‘Just, they ask me what to cook, and when I finish sitting there telling them, they go, they’re like that, I don’t worry about anything myself’
322)

You know, "kocha hopónih," álikma̱, they go.

‘You know, when I say, “cook outside,” they go.’
323)

Grandma yo̱kako̱ o̱t apíla shahlilih, nána oklah kocha hopónáchi̱hma̱

‘I always help Grandma and them when they go to cook outside || Alex’
324)

pí, nána ná wíki lawwi bannáchi̱kmano mako̱ apílalih.

‘Like, if they gonna want to lift something heavy, I help them with that.’
325)

Hikat, birthdays or

‘Like, birthdays or’
326)

pí just get together kaníkma̱ Grandma ilápi̱nih pí, kocha hopónih bannah, kocha hopónahí kiyotokmako̱, kocha hopóni a̱ttatokma ohoyo mat haklahí kiyoh. (yoppa)

‘Like, just get together, sometimes it's just Grandma on her own, and she wants to cook outside, she’s not supposed to cook but she cooks outside, that woman won’t listen. (laughter)’
327)

Hika̱ yohmih.

‘That’s what she’s doing, right.’
328)

Ná yohmi na achíba tahátokósh isht imómat tahatokósh.

‘She’s been doing that a while and she’s used to it.’
329)

Yeah.

‘Yeah.’
330)

Anakmásh taka̱li[li] mo̱ma aki̱lih, kaníkma̱, a̱ cousin ’chaffat ikkanah banna kaníyatoko̱

‘Myself, I’m still hanging on too, sometimes, one of my cousins really wants to learn ||Tracie Gibson’
331)

pit í taka̱lahíkattók im ábi̱chilitokma̱ Chahta im anno̱pa okmako̱ kaníkat

‘we used to hang on, also while I’m teaching Choctaw language, sometimes’
332)

how to place the, náchíni ma̱

‘how to place the, that thing’
333)

I guess the fire wood nána tobaksi tobat tahahma̱

‘I guess the firewood, becoming the embers’
334)

"Chahi ish use-akma̱," álih, kiyokma̱ "ishpiha," álikma̱ mash nátaho̱ áhkaníya (laughing)

‘When I say “use the shovel,” or, I say “hoe,” he really says what is that?’
335)

Yohmih lawahokih.

‘There's a lot of that.’
336)

Am alla yohmi, aki̱ni, "ishpíha," álikma̱, oklah ik sam ikkánoh, yakót pisat kaníyalikma̱

‘My kids are like that, too, when I say ’hoe’, they don’t understand me, when I really look at them this way (shows facial expression)’
337)

"Uhhh, you taking about the shovel?" áchikma̱. "Yeah" [h]álih. (yoppa)

‘If he says, “Uhhh, you taking about the shovel?” “Yeah,” I say. (laughing)’
338)

Chim anólilásh kiyoh I just say what I am saying, hikma̱

‘I am not going to tell you I just say what I am saying, and’
339)

pí yakot pisat kaníyalikma̱ they gonna stand there and think about it.

‘I just look at them this way they gonna just stand there and think about it.’
340)

Alla alhíha, kaníkma i̱ yoppalahíkattók, oklah nána Chahta im anno̱pa ano̱pólahí kiyoh ilahbih

‘Kids, sometimes I used to laugh at them, they pretend they can’t speak Choctaw ||Alexander’
341)

yohmitoko̱ ano̱ti ippokni ash i̱pa̱ya "hash i̱pachi̱ ka̱" ahmano

‘but it was like this, their Grandma calls, when she says “Y’all are going to eat,” ’
342)

Alla kanimma[t], "Time to eat!"

‘One of the kids “Time to eat” ’
343)

"Alla, hika̱ yammano ishkánaho̱" áli na (yoppa)

‘I say, “Child, so you know that one?” and (laughing)’
344)

hofáya yohmih i̱ chokka pit ballilih.

‘they get embarrassed and run to their house.’
345)

Yohmi ka̱ i̱ haklahí kiyoh ilahbitokma̱ Chahta im ano̱póli haklahí kiyotok mash,

‘When they act like they can’t hear them, even when spoken to in Choctaw they can't hear it, || Priscilla’
346)

yohmih akmano (Yeah, chíkosi ilhkólih.)

‘even those [like the one’s Alex mentioned] (Yeah, they go quickly.) ||Alex (and Lucille)’
347)

What that mean? What that mean? Oklah á kaníyahma̱,

‘What that mean? What that mean? They are saying,’
348)

anáto kaníkma sa nokówa kaníyánah "Chahta chiyah kiyo hátoko̱?," álih! (yoppa)

‘Me sometimes I can get really mad, “You’re not a Choctaw?,” I say! (laughing)’
349)

Hika̱ i̱p, kocha hopóni i̱pah achokma ka̱ abóha hopóni i̱shalihchi ka̱ (Mmm-hmm) cha̱pólika̱ kocha ilappato?

‘And so, ea, outside cooking food is good, it’s better than inside cooking (Mmm-hmm), this outside is more delicious? || Priscilla’
350)

Yep.

‘Yep.’
351)

Yeah.

‘Yeah.’
352)

Hika̱ himáka̱ himitfówachi kiya iláwít iyat mihchichih chinnah mako̱

‘Now, when you try to take teenagers and you want to make them do it, || Priscilla’
353)

ná oklah ikkanah ik banno kiyokma̱ (uh-uh) oklah ikkanash kiyo ka̱.

‘If they dont want to learn,(uh-uh) they will not learn.’
354)

"Fire lashpah, lashpah," oklah áchih

‘ “Fire is hot, hot,” they say.’
355)

"Church ish nówa kiyokma̱ lashpa ma̱ i̱shahlih ish iyash kiyo̱" im álih. (yoppa)

‘ “If you don’t go to church you will go to a much hotter place,” I say. (laughing)’
356)

Hitósh katimmaho̱ ayittanáha ilhkóli chohmi híkatok pa̱ ma̱ya kato?

‘Where about did they used to go to church, those around here? || Priscilla’
357)

Anáto Mennonite iyalih, Nanih Waiya ma̱.

‘Me I go to Mennonite, in Nanih Waiya. ||Lucille’
358)

Kaníkato Choctaw Christian.

‘Some of them Choctaw Christian.||Alexander’
359)

Katásh isht a̱yah mano?

‘Who takes care of that one?||Priscilla’
360)

Gordon, I mean Jordan Kanagy, Rosalie Kanagy ma̱ i̱ son.

‘Gordon, I mean Jordan Kanagy, Rosalie Kanagy's son.||Lucille’
361)

Tell me about people from here take care of Nanih Waiya or people up there little bit more, something about it?

‘Tell me about people from here take care of Nanih Waiya or people up there little bit more, something about it? || Jason’
362)

Pí Nanih Waiya immakako̱, kanat pa̱ hash ma̱ya kat pí

‘Like around Nanih Waiya, anyone of y’all that lives here like || Priscilla’
363)

iyat o̱t ayiskachi yo̱? cho pí kanimmat ná kiya á mihchit ma̱yaho̱? Nanih Waiya mound ma̱ kiyokma̱ cave okmanána?

‘go and clean it? or does someone do anything out there? At Nanih Waiya mound or maybe the cave?’
364)

Cave mano, ná kanat alótahí kiyoh. (Hiyo̱)

‘That cave, no one can get in there. (Really)||Lucille,’
365)

Nah-uh, they, lock gates oklah lock-achih tahlih, nahollo ma̱

‘Nah-uh, they, lock gates they completely locked it, those white people’
366)

Hihátoko̱, ná kanash chokwahí kiyoh, cave mano.

‘And so, nobody can’t get in there, that cave. || Lucille’
367)

Hikásh Mound mano, yeah, Alex at grass amót iyahíkatok. (yoppa)

‘But that Mound, yeah, Alex has been going to cut the grass. (laughing)’
368)

Hikma̱, you know, kaníkma o̱t oklah il ittahóbat

‘And, you know, sometimes we get together’
369)

nátah maybe after church okmanána, ma̱ ma̱yat oklah il i̱pakma̱ allat mound oklah á washóhah.

‘What is it, maybe after Church maybe, we’re there and while we’re eating, the kids play at the mound.’
370)

Hikano̱t what last month

‘And then, what, last month’
371)

last month ásh átoka̱? (amowa̱lhih [amahwa a̱lhih]) They had that Cry ceremony over there

‘was it last month? (I think it was) They had that Cry ceremony over there’
372)

Uh-huh.

‘Uh-huh.’
373)

(Cry ceremony) Oh, nátaho̱ oklah mihchitok mano?

‘(Cry Ceremony) What did they do at that? || Priscilla’
374)

Cry ceremony áchih ma̱

‘They call it Cry ceremony.’
375)

Cry ceremony katash mihchih?

‘Who does the Cry ceremony?’
376)

Earlene Willis másh

‘It’s that Earlene Willis || Lucille’
377)

(tikba hikíyatok) tikba hikíyatok makó

‘(was the lead of it) she was the lead of that.’
378)

Oh, nátachish mihchitok mato?

‘Oh, how did they do that?’
379)

Well (i̱...) Earlene i̱ niece mat illitok, hikma̱ RJ Willis and

‘Well (her..) Earlene’s niece passed away and RJ Willis also’
380)

i̱ mako̱ oklah akshóchish mihchitoka̱.

‘that’s how they did funeral service.’
381)

Oh, pí like prayer okmanána míchih?

‘Oh, just like do they do something like prayer?’
382)

Uh-uh, cry illah.

‘Uh-uh, only crying.’
383)

Yáya yohmih? (Mm-hm)

‘Like crying? (Mm-hm)’
384)

Yáya yohmih mihchih.

‘They do something like crying.’
385)

We got one coming up, in Mashulaville.

‘We got one coming up, in Mashulaville.’
386)

Ms. Loleen at i̱ son at i̱ kaníyatósh, ma̱ mihcháchi̱h

‘Ms. Loleen’s son passed away, she’s going to do that.’
387)

Mihcháchi̱h? (Mm-hm) Katík fokáli kano?

‘She is? (Mm-hm) About when? || Priscilla’
388)

The 10th, 10th akósh last day áchika.

‘The 10th, it’s the10th, they say it’s the last day.’
389)

This, this Sunday ano oklah fóhahma, ano̱ti next Sunday, 10th makósh, oklah last one mihcháchi̱h amahwah.

‘This, this Sunday they will rest, then next Sunday, it’s the 10th, I think they’re going to do the last one.’
390)

Yammat pí, Cry ma̱ mihchi kat pí prayer okma̱ hicha pí yót binnít

‘That, doing the Cry, is it just prayer or just like sitting there || Priscilla’
391)

Yáya oklah áchihmat ná kiya oklah isht o̱poholmaho̱?

‘When they call it the Cry, is there anything they cover with?’
392)

Prayer ato ikshoh (Ikshoho̱?) pí anno̱pa ishtika illah.

‘There’s no prayer (No prayer?) only the messenger.’
393)

Oh, ok másh pí ná anólikma̱ (Mm-hm) [**]

‘Oh, ok it’s that, if he’s just telling something (Mm-hm)...’
394)

Ok.

‘Ok.’
395)

Yohmi ano kanah mihchi ná a̱lhi kiyo taha ka? (uh-uh) Kiyo tahah?

‘Nobody really does that anymore ? (uh-uh) Not really? || Priscilla’
396)

That's a lot, lot of hard work.

‘That's a lot, lot of hard work.’
397)

Hikat a̱lhi.

‘That’s true.’
398)

Hika̱, here recently ano kanomóna í pisa hika(t)

‘But here recently we’ve seen several, and’
399)

achíba taha kano, ná kanah mihchi a̱lhi kiyotoko̱

‘It’s been a while, nobody didn’t really do it.’
400)

ikkánali, ikkánali kano, nána amoshi achaffa Robert Wallace

‘That I know of, something one of my uncles Robert Wallace’
401)

makósh oklah oklí mihchitok last time, ohchásh ma̱

‘that’s the one we did last time, back then’
402)

it's been 6, 7 years fokálih.

‘it's been about 6, 7 years.’
403)

hitok himáka̱ ano̱ti ittiyapishi Waddell mako̱, mako̱ oklí mihchihma̱,

‘And so, right now his brother Waddell that’s who we’re doing it for,’
404)

mako̱ Sunday makósh last one-ánatok, we've had...

‘that Sunday is supposed to be the last one, we’ve had...’
405)

Next Sunday.

‘Next Sunday.’
406)

Next Sunday, next Sunday másh last one amahwah.

‘Next Sunday, next Sunday I think it’s the last one.’
407)

Pí every Sunday-o̱ mihchi ho̱ cho, pí, pí, (uh-uh) day-ho̱ mihchi ho̱?

‘They do it every Sunday or, just, just, (uh-uh) do it in the day? || Priscilla’
408)

The day oklah hoppit tahlikma̱, that Sunday ma̱,

‘The day they finished burying them, that Sunday, || Lucille’
409)

yamma̱ micháchi̱h (oh) hitokma̱ mishsha Sunday ma̱,

‘they’re going to do that (oh) and the next Sunday,’
410)

they haul wood and make tables.

‘they haul wood and make tables.’
411)

Makátokma̱ one Sunday oklah skip-áhi̱h, "rest Sunday" oklah áh.

‘And so, one Sunday they skipped, “rest Sunday” they say.’
412)

Hitokmato on the 4th Sunday ma̱, másh last one.

‘And so, on the 4th Sunday that’s the last one.’
413)

Hicha mako̱ mihchih (It goes four Sundays)

‘And that’s how they do it? (It goes four Sundays). || Priscilla’
414)

Ok, ak haklo hósh ha̱klolih mano.

‘Ok, I haven’t heard that until now.’
415)

Hikásh mound, mound mako̱, apakna mako̱ mihchi ho̱ cho pí lapálika?

‘Were they doing that on top of the mound or just beside it?’
416)

Pimma̱ makátok himaki̱ni kano Mashulaville oklah mihcháchi̱h.

‘Right now its over here, but they're going to do it at Mashulaville. || Lucille’
417)

It's coming up, too.

‘It's coming up, too.’
418)

’Cause Earlene yómikato, mound mako̱ where that pear tree is, tree notáka mako̱ oklah ámihchitok.

‘’Cause Earlene and them, that mound where that pear tree is, under that tree is where they did it.’
419)

Nakni akósh i̱pah oklah last day am ahwa fíhnahósh nakni ósh oklah i̱pah, oklah serve-ah hicha table set-a yohmih

‘Those men eat, I think they do it on the last day, the men eat, they serve food and set they table like that||Alexander’
420)

Ain't that but one meal, (mm-hm) shokka nipi hicha biscuit illah.

‘Ain’t that but one meal, (mm-hm) only hog meat and biscuit.|| Lucille’
421)

Hicha kafi yat, (kafi) kafi hikmakáchi̱h hicha.

‘And coffee, there has to be coffee, and||Alexander’
422)

Just coffee and shokka nipi.

‘Just coffee and hog meat. ||Lucille’
423)

Shokka nipi ma̱, like nakni alhíha mat plates oklah shokka nipi oklah áni chá table ma̱

‘That hog meat, like, the men they put shokka nipi on the plates, and that table’
424)

they gonna set it all the way down hikma̱ biscuit ano pí table apakna ashácháchi̱h.

‘They gonna set it all the way down and they’re going to put the biscuits on top of the table.’
425)

Hikma̱ you eat what you want out of that plate, á chi kayyahma̱, they take that plate, pour it back in other pot

‘And you eat what you want out of that plate, and when you're full from it, they take that plate, pour it back in other pot’
426)

Ná kani lhipíláchi̱ kiyo, other pot ma̱ pit anáhi̱h.

‘They are not going to spill it out, they just gotta pour it in that other pot.’
427)

Hikma̱ ik chi káyyokmat out of one plate, you go to the other plate, ná okla chi̱ serve-ahí kiyoh himakma̱,

‘And if you are not full out of one plate you go to the other plate, they can’t serve you again,’
428)

you just go to the other plate, mak yohmih.

‘you just go to the other plate, that's how it is.’
429)

Hikma̱ when you get through with that plate okma̱, they don't wash the plate they take it and dump that meat in the other pot

‘And when you get through with that plate, they don't wash the plate they take it and dump that meat in the other pot’
430)

and get some more meat and put in there and set it on the table for others needs them.

‘and get some more meat and put in there and set it on the table for others needs them.’
431)

Áyi̱patok mako̱?

‘Even if they ate off of it? ||Priscilla’
432)

Mm-hm, mako̱ mihchit iyah.

‘Mm-hm, that's how they do it. ||Lucille’
433)

Oh, okay.

‘Oh, okay. ||Priscilla’
434)

During those 4 weeks the people that are mourning do they do anything?

‘During those 4 weeks the people that are mourning do they do anything? ||Jason’
435)

You know, wear certain clothes or?

‘You know, wear certain clothes or?’
436)

Traditional clothes, (uh-huh) they wear Choctaw dresses, womens, and mens wear Choctaw shirts.

‘Traditional clothes, (uh-huh) they wear Choctaw dresses womens, and mens wear Choctaw shirts. ||Lucille.’
437)

It especially stressed during the last one am ahwa fíhnahma̱.

‘It especially stressed during the last one, I think it is. || Alex’
438)

Yeah, the last day.

‘Yeah, the last day.||Lucille’
439)

On the 4th day, mak ish maka ho̱?

‘On the 4th day, that they say? ||Priscilla’
440)

On the 4th Sunday ma̱.

‘On that 4th Sunday. ||Lucille’
441)

observers ano, you know, I'm assuming they're welcome to dress however hikakósh

‘Observers, you know, I'm assuming they're welcome to dress however but ||Alexander’
442)

the ones, main ones that are involved in the isht i̱ yáya, cry ceremony

‘the ones, main ones that are involved in the isht i̱ yáya, cry ceremony’
443)

oklah traditional clothing fokkah makáchi̱h.

‘They have to wear traditional clothing.’
444)

You can wear traditional dress if you wanna, if you go out there you want to, it's up to you.

‘You can wear tradtional dress if you wanna, if you go out there you want to, it's up to you. ||Lucille’
445)

But the one that's going do the crying they got to wear the Choctaw dress.

‘But the one that's going do the crying they got to wear the Choctaw dress.’
446)

Anything about Crystal Ridge is unique or something about this community that, you know like (I'm a chop it off) you think other people.

‘Anything about Crystal Ridge is unique or something about this community that, you know like (I'm a chop it off) you think other people. ||Jason’
447)

(Yoppa) Get a new one.

‘(Yoppa) Get a new one. ||Lucille’
448)

"We need a new community," áchih

‘She says, “We need a new community.”||Priscilla’
449)

We need a new community (yoppa). (Uh-oh).

‘We need a new community (laughter). (Uh-oh).||Lucille’
450)

It ain't going, it' ain't going to happen mahli chitóli yat pi̱ tiballichih shahlika.

‘It ain't going, it' ain't going to happen tornado always misses us. || Alexander’
451)

(yoppa)

‘(laughing)’
452)

Pí hachi áwanabli bíkah?

‘It usually goes over y’all? || Priscilla’
453)

Uh-huh, either come this straight toward us and then go that way, or go that way.

‘Uh-huh, either come this straight toward us and then go that way, or go that way. ||Lucille’
454)

Well I told you that man, what did I say that man said, (Oh) 'bout.

‘Well I told you that man, what did I say that man said, (Oh) 'bout.’
455)

Was it late october or early november? (A̱h)

‘Was it late october or early november? (Yes)’
456)

He said we going get that great storm, big storm coming in.

‘He said we going get that great storm, big storm coming in.’
457)

I hope that storm shelter is ready.

‘I hope that storm shelter is ready.’
458)

Gáh-lih! (yoppa) Hikmanah.

‘Golly! (laughter) Maybe. || Alexander’
459)

Hihkiya, nána kiya ibáni hachinna mo̱matok kiya?

‘Anyway, did you want to add any thing more? || Priscilla’
460)

Well nána, there was a story one time

‘Well something, there was a story one time || Alexander’
461)

Mashulaville imma nána am óshi Larry Wallace, we call him "Moose."

‘about Mashulaville, something my uncle Larry Wallace, we call him “Moose.” ’
462)

Nána, i̱ takáchit a̱ttatoka̱, nátah, pond achaffa pa̱ átokósh

‘so, when he was fishing, at this one pond’
463)

nána, across the pond yamma̱, nána, upper embankment yohmih taka̱lih yammat, nána [***] there

‘like, across the pond there, like the upper embankment that’s there, [***].’
464)

Okíyat táha fíhnahma̱, yammat nána, drum bóli haklo hikít iyah, miyatok, hina mako̱

‘When it’s right at evening, they start hearing drum beating, he said, and then’
465)

nána, "Na̱táchi̱h?," ahni chá aba pisátokakósh.

‘ “What is that?,” he wondered, and looked up.’
466)

Nána hopáki alhíha Chahta alhíha oklah hilhat ma̱yah oklah shinniya hiyohma̱yah hitoko̱,

‘Choctaw people in the past, they were there dancing, they stood there chanting [shinniya] and so,’
467)

hitoko̱, pí hiki̱yatokako̱ anóti kanimma ano folótat písa chá,

‘so, because he was just standing there, and one of them turned around and looked,’
468)

"Yakah! Nani hapi̱ ho̱kopa ka" áchi chá

‘and said “Look! They stole our fish!” ’
469)

"mi̱tih hikít iyah" miyatok átoko̱ "oka apaknaka oklah balít mi̱tih miyah" maka na

‘and he said “they're coming,” and he said “they’re running on top of the water,” ’
470)

nokshopa ka i̱ chokka pit balílitokka yamma̱.

‘he got scared and actually ran to his house there.’
471)

hitoka̱ grandma "chi katihmih" im áchitokako̱, "yamma̱ yohminih" átoko̱

‘And so, Grandma asked “What is wrong with you,” he said, “that happened.” ’
472)

"Makta drum bóli ha̱klolitokka" áh kaníyatok.

‘ “That’s why I actually heard that drum beat” she said.’
473)

This is like about 5 miles away hikma̱ grandma ha̱klotok kiyo̱.

‘This is like about 5 miles away and grandma heard that.’
474)

Grady akmásh oklah ha̱klotok kiyo̱ hokma̱, Noxapater swamp ma̱

‘Even Grady heard it at that Noxapater Swamp ||Lucille’
475)

about that big old mound up there in the wooded area (mm-hm)

‘about that big old mound up there in the wooded area (mm-hm)’
476)

Said they was fishing over there and mound bíli̱ka ma̱, áyónahma̱, drum bólit hikít iyahma̱, oklah tasáhah kaníya oklah ha̱klotok miyatók.

‘Said they was fishing over there and near that mound, when they got there, when the drum started beating, they say they heard them whooping.’
477)

They did not know what it was pí lómat hiyohma̱yatokáko̱.

‘They did not know what it was so they were just standing there quiet.’
478)

Mound mako̱ sound at mi̱tiho̱.

‘That sound was coming from that mound.’
479)

Nátah, pí sound mat it was getting louder and louder

‘What is it, like that sound was getting louder and louder’
480)

yohmihma̱ oklah balílittók, miyattók.

‘When it happened they ran, they said.’
481)

Hihokat sacred mound oklah áchikma̱ pí or ittomma pí ná kiya a̱shatokmat

‘So when they say it’s a sacred mound, or, close to anything that was there ||Priscilla’
482)

ola, I mean, hilhat, olat ma̱ya yattókmat, oklah iksho tahah yokma̱ makósh?

‘the sounds, I mean the dancing, the sounds that were there, those ones are now long gone?’
483)

Ít oklah hayákaha̱chih chim ahwah?

‘You think they were the ones appearing?’
484)

Hika̱, mound mat hiki̱ya mo̱mahoka̱ hayáka anóka ma̱.

‘Isn’t it, that mound is still there in the woods.||Lucille’
485)

Ain't nobody ever did nothing to it no

‘Aint nobody ever did nothing to it no’
486)

Natah mound ish áchi cho?

‘What mound did you say? ||Priscilla’
487)

Its just like that Nanih Waiya Mound, mak ohmih. (Ohmi ho̱?)

‘Its just like that Nanih Waiya Mound, just like that. (Just like it?)’
488)

Yohmish hiki̱yah, I went to it one time but I wouldn’t go back if I (yoppa)

‘That's how it stands, I went to it one time but I wouldn’t go back if I (laughing)’
489)

Snake at lawa chámo (yoppa) hikma̱

‘There were a lot of snakes (laughing) and’
490)

drum bólih fokálikma̱, balít kani ittólalánah anáto.

‘about when the drums beating, as for me, I’ll probably run somewhere and fall.’
491)

Mak fokálikma̱ hiloháchi̱h. (yoppa)

‘Right then it’s gonna thunder. (laughing) ||Alexander’
492)

Ittólalikma̱ earthquake chim ahwahnáha̱.

‘If I fall you'll almost think it’s an earthquake.||Lucille’
493)

Nána one morning ano fokáli kano

‘Early one morning || Alexander’
494)

am áfo hicha pokni attatok, ittommatok fokálihma̱, George Hickman hicha Emma Hickman

‘my Grandpa and Grandma, George Hickman and Emma Hickman, were close by at that time’
495)

Yappat gym mishshahmat yammat trailer house osi tala̱yatok yappa̱, mako̱ ma̱yahíkattók, ma̱yattók mato.

‘That gym over there, there used to be a small trailer house there, that’s where they used to live.’
496)

Hika̱ school iyáláchi̱hósh am alhtáha cha

‘And I was getting ready to go to school’
497)

kocha iyalih, onálikako̱, olimma ma̱ tana̱po tokahchi hakloli na

‘I went outside, when I got there, I heard a gun fire over this way and’
498)

"Oh ná kiya kanihmi kiyo akiṉih," áli cha

‘ “Oh I hope nothing is happening,” I said and’
499)

balít alat im ano̱poli kiyotokma̱ nána

‘I came running and if I didn’t talk to him [whoever shot the gun]’
500)

máfo atósh makáchitok nána, iti ma̱, naksi ma̱

‘Grandpa said something, that tree, that branch’
501)

nána ho̱ hochífotok am iyaksi hikakósh

‘I forgot what he called them’
502)

Pí shíki chito chohmih ohmih ahwah kaníya holba náha hika̱, nána

‘Might be something like a big buzzard but,’
503)

ibbak, iyyi, iyyi ibbak hakshop áchih, yamma̱ folóha chohmitok, miyatok, hicha yammato, nána

‘Hands, feet, and talons, they call them, they said they were really long, and that one’
504)

alla alhihat oklah alla chopo̱ta, oklah hikít a̱yahmat, yohmánah.

‘the kids, the little kids, when they're wandering around it can happen.’
505)

Oklah nishkobo apakna mako̱ íshi, íshi chá isht iyánah yohmi ho̱, isht ano̱poli miyatokma̱

‘They grab the top of the head and they can take them like this, he used to talk about it.’
506)

Yohmi bini̱nitokósh mako̱, tana̱po pit o̱ tokahchi yattók.

‘He was sitting that way, he shot the gun at it.’
507)

Mako̱ pí am anólitok.

‘That’s what he told me.’
508)

I seen where he unloaded the shots on that branch. (Mm-hm)

‘I seen where he unloaded the shots on that branch. (Mm-hm)’
509)

He had a name for it, amiyaksit tahah, it’s been a long time.

‘He had a name for it, I completely forgot, it’s been a long time.’
510)

Hikásh, Crystal Ridge ano oklah

‘But, in Crystal Ridge they’
511)

Everybody has their differences oklah ná kaníkma̱ ittim ikka̱na kíyo ásha, ahwah kaníyakakósh anóti

‘Everybody has their differences they sometimes don’t understand each other, it seems it, but then’
512)

Nána there been two or three times that I’ve known of oklah, alla

‘but there have been two or three times that I’ve known of, when a kid’
513)

Alla kaníya mano, kana mako̱ oklah ittafámat taha cha oklah hóyot áyyashah oklah aháchiki̱nih miyatok, hihmako̱ oklah

‘When a child is lost, everybody gets together and they look for them, they find them too, they said, and they’
514)

Nána we all have each others back aki̱ni hikako̱ ittim ikka̱na mano

‘they know, we all have each others back, and so’
515)

Ittapílat achokmat ma̱yah.

‘They’re good helping each other.||Priscilla’
516)

Achokma aki̱ni mano, at least on that one ano.

‘It’s good, at least on that one.||Alexander’
517)

Hika̱ mo̱t Chahta ano̱polish ma̱ya bánoh?

‘But do they all speak Choctaw language? ||Priscilla’
518)

Chahta ano̱poli kiyo bánoh.

‘They all don't speak choctaw.||Lucille’
519)

kiyo, kiyoka̱. Kiyoho̱?

‘No, no, nope, No? ||Group’
520)

Ik láwot taha ho̱?

‘There aren’t many?||Priscilla’
521)

The generation behind me másh mak fokáli kano, mako̱ oklah makilla alhlhi am ahwah.

‘The generation behind me, about that one, I think it's only them left.||Alexander’
522)

Olbaláka chohmi mano oklah Nahollo illa ikka̱nah.

‘Those way behind they only know English’
523)

Chahta im ikka̱na mako̱ anóti, ano̱poli kano Nahollo illa ano̱poli ka̱.

‘They understand Choctaw but when speaking, they only speak English.’
524)

Hitokma̱ anóti Chahta ano̱poli ilahbihma̱ anóti, oklah i̱ yoppahma̱ hasháyánah.

‘And so then, when trying to speak Choctaw, when they laugh at them they get upset’
525)

"Just sounds different" oklah áchih.

‘They say “just sound different.” ’
526)

Himáka̱ sipoknít hachi̱ la̱wa kiyo ho̱ ma̱yaka̱?

‘Right now, are there not a lot of elders living with y’all.||Priscilla’
527)

Mm-mm, kiyoh.

‘Mm-mm, no.||Lucille’
528)

Sipokni a̱lhi ma̱ya kat Alex i̱ grandma grandpa másh

‘The real elders living, those are Alex's Grandma Grandpa.’
529)

Másh a̱shwah Mashulaville hikma̱, Ms. Gloria Hickman

‘Those two are living in Mashulaville, Ms. Gloria Hickman’
530)

Másh bini̱likakósh mato i̱ mind-at mak attók ohmih kiyoh.

‘She’s sitting there but her mind is not like it used to be.’
531)

Hikma̱ Earlene at a̱ttah ilahbikako̱ mano I don’t know, you know I can't say on it be alright

‘And, Earlene is acting like she’s there but that I don’t know, you know I can't say on it be alright’
532)

Houston! Makhít ná chim anólahí kiyoh! (yoppa)

‘(Houston!) Even him, he can’t tell you! (laughing)’
533)

Akkáno ákma̱! Kani o̱bini̱nihmat alháchi̱h.

‘[Houston will say] “I dont know then!” He’s gonna be sitting around somewhere and that will be the end of it.’
534)

Ma̱ pilla ish i̱ yimmiho̱? (yoppa)

‘You belive him that much? (laughing)||Tracie’
535)

Ná mak pí hochífoli kiyo̱! (yoppa)

‘Nah, I just named him! (laughing) ||Alexander’
536)

Oklah ittibá achaffa ilahbih binohma̱yah.

‘They sitting there acting like they agree with each other.’
537)

Hika̱ Dancing Rabbit Cemetary mano oklah

‘But that Dancing Rabbit Cemetary, they’
538)

We still carry on tradition oklah nána,

‘We still carry on tradition they,’
539)

hapishnáki̱t oklí kollih graveyard ma̱.

‘We dig the graveyard ourself.’
540)

Everyone of them, himáka̱, to̱ksali to̱ksali pa̱ a̱yalikat

‘Everyone of them, work, this work I’m doing now’
541)

five onah amahwa̱ or four apílalika̱ yamma̱ hika̱

‘I think it’s five or four [years] I help there, but’
542)

machine, machine oklah ná yamma̱ chokwahí kiyo ahnitoka̱, yamma̱

‘they agreed that they are not supposed to bring in machines’
543)

Pí, mako̱ kollit í tahlihma̱, like

‘Like, when we finish digging, like’
544)

Nána,

‘Something,’
545)

kánásh funeral yohmi isht a̱yachi̱hma̱ yammásh oklah ittimatahlihma̱ ano̱ti

‘Whomever will take care of funeral, they make arrangements together and then they’
546)

oklah, o̱t onnahma̱, oklah grave yard mako̱ [okla] alhkóli chá kanommona oklah

‘They, the next day, they went to that grave yard and some of them they’
547)

kollit hikít ilhkólih, about 8-10 people ohmi fokáli hihma̱ nána

‘start digging, about eight-ten people and something’
548)

usually it takes us about 8 hours.

‘usually it takes us about eight hours.’
549)

Eight to ten hours fokáli oklí ma̱yah oklí kollih

‘About eight to ten hours we're there, we're digging’
550)

Four feet kanikma̱ five feet oklah áchi yohmi hitoko̱, hikásh

‘sometimes they say about four feet, five feet, but’
551)

Nátah, lawah ma̱ya kat chíkosána [ahwah kaníya] kakósh

‘There were a lot of them and it seemed like we should finish quick but’
552)

palammi náhahíkatókásh oklí tahla, tahla, tahli[*]haki̱nitok yamma̱, hika̱.

‘it was almost a struggle, we finally finished and’
553)

Chaffillahósh [Achaffa illahósh] oklah, nána machine oklah allow-atok mano nána ato Erskin Dixon.

‘Only one they, what was it, that they allowed the machine for, some thing, that person was Erskin Dixon.’
554)

Makillatok mano big guy, alright, big guy.

‘Only for him, big guy, alright, big guy.’
555)

Hika̱ other than that ano, everything else ano hapishnáki̱nih oklí kollih hihmano̱ti

‘But, other than that, everything else we dig ourselves, and than’
556)

oklí lommáchi̱hma̱ mak mako̱ lokfi oklil o̱poholma̱ yohmi apakna hapishnáki̱t oklah í mihchih.

‘also when we go to bury, we cover it with dirt on top, we do it ourselves.’
557)

Mak kiya alhkama yo̱ cho kanat pí onat oṯ pisánaho̱?

‘Is that also closed, or can someone go and see?||Priscilla asked because the cave mound is closed.’
558)

Mm-hm, kanat mano o̱t pisánaho̱,

‘Mm-hm, anybody can go see that,||Lucille’
559)

it's just graveyard, hiko̱

‘it's just graveyard, but’
560)

Cameron Wesley ásh when he first signed that treaty ma̱,"Machine at chokwahí kiyo," makáchittók

‘Cameron Wesley was when he first sign that treaty, he said “Machine cannot go in.” ’
561)

Hina̱, I don't know how true it is hikako̱ ha̱kloli kano "Machine oklah fokkikma̱,

‘And, I don't know how true it is but what I heard is that if they put the machine in (grave yard)’
562)

Hilóha palammáchi̱h" áchahíkattók.

‘ “It's gonna be a severe thunder storm,” they used to say.’
563)

And which it did happen.

‘And which it did happen.’
564)

Erskin a̱ oklah kollit tahlitoko̱ machine oklah fokkitoko̱

‘Because they finished digging for Erskin, and because they put in the machine’
565)

that weekend ma̱ we had a bad storm attók.

‘that weekend we had a bad storm.’
566)

Hikat a̱lhitok.

‘It was real.’
567)

Yammat Mi̱ko alhíha ohmish kama̱yaka?

‘That is where Chief's are buried? ||Priscilla’
568)

Mm-hm. (Hika)

‘Mm-hm. (Right)’
569)

Yeah, Cameron Wesley Chief mat itto̱lah.

‘Yeah, that Chief Cameron Wesley is buried there.’
570)

Hikma̱ tali mat hiki̱ya hoka̱

‘And that rock standing there’
571)

you can read what's on there.

‘you can read what's on there.’
572)

Tree mat hiki̱ya mo̱maho̱?

‘Is that tree still standing there?’
573)

That used to be a little tree right there by that stone.

‘That used to be a little tree right there by that stone.’
574)

Kiyo am ahwah ak písokako̱ yamma̱.

‘No I don't think so, I haven't seen that. || speaker changes, probably Alex’
575)

Hitosh, yamma̱ hash, isht ittanoho̱wa mo̱maho̱? (Mm-hm)

‘So, y'all, you still take care of that? (Mm-hm) || Priscilla’
576)

Yómika̱ mimma̱ ak fólototok achíbat tahah.

‘I haven't gone around over there to these places in a while.’
577)

cave man, mound ma̱ ayínaka̱.

‘Also that cave man, mound.’
578)

Cave mat áchokmahíkatókako̱ nahollo mat yakni mimma bili̱ka ma̱ ishihmat

‘The cave used to be pretty but when the white people got the land close to over there’
579)

i̱hollot gate akammit tahlitoko̱ ná kánásh chokwahí kiyoh.

‘being stingy, they closed up the gate so no one can get in.’
580)

I don't know what they going do about that.

‘I don't know what they going do about that.’
581)

Hikiya mano kana, kanat áyonakma̱ nánahmat nokshoblih yohmit a̱shahma̱ cho kiyo aki̱nih?

‘Anyway, when somebody, if somebody happens to arrive there, are scary things there or not there? || Priscilla’
582)

Cave (ná cave ma̱) pí kanat áyillitokma̱.

‘Cave (that cave), like since somebody died there.’
583)

I don't know, I wouldn't stay there at night I tell you that, night time okmano.

‘I don't know, I wouldn't stay there at night I tell you that, when it's night time’
584)

Katína mano?

‘Why is that?’
585)

You hear too many things, scary things, yeah.

‘You hear too many things, scary things, yeah.’
586)

You don't see nothing but you can hear, but you don't see anything.

‘You don't see nothing but you can hear, but you don't see anything.’
587)

I think, la̱wakat oklah pí i̱kanallih chohmi am ahwah nána ná kanímitokma̱ back in '96.

‘I think, lot of them they really just stay away I think, because something that happened back in '96.’
588)

Chahta tohchína illi cháshma̱ yammakósh oklah yappa̱ átokma̱ ná kanat oklah ána a̱lhi kiyoh. yamma̱.

‘Because those three Choctaws that died back then, this is why they don't hardly go there.’
589)

I̱ takáchi, i̱ takachi yohmi makallachi̱ho̱ hikakósh

‘Fishing, fishing is about all their gonna do, but’
590)

that's the serious one makakósh other ones mano ná pí oklah i̱ka̱na achokmatok yamma̱, after that okma̱.

‘that's the serious one. As for the other ones, it used to be okay and they were good friends, but after that’
591)

Kaníkato oklah hopáki cháshma̱ bridge hiki̱yahíkattók yamma̱.

‘Some of them a long time ago, they used to stand on the bridge there.’
592)

Ná (swing bridge) cave, swing bridge, yeah yamma̱.

‘Some (swing bridge) cave, swing bridge, yeah that.’
593)

Hikma̱ kaníkat oklah pi̱sah miyah nána.

‘And some of them they seen something.’
594)

Nátah áchih, mermaid?

‘What do they call it, mermaid?’
595)

Pa̱sh, nátokáchih, comb-ah?

‘Hair, what do they say, combing?’
596)

Ít bini̱nitokako̱ (It's true).

‘Just sitting there facing us (it’s true)’
597)

Ít bini̱nitok, (It's true, huh?)

‘Sitting there facing us, (It's true, huh?)’
598)

Ít bini̱nitoko̱ ano̱ti oklah, kanat pi̱sah akóstiníchi ahnihma̱ yamma̱, oka ano̱ka pit kaníyah (Akka kaníyah).

‘just sitting towards and then it (the mermaid) notices that someone is looking at her, she disappears into the water (Disappears down).’
599)

I've seen it, me and my sister.

‘I've seen it, me and my sister.’
600)

We was walking, going towards the cave il a̱yatok.

‘We was walking, going towards the cave we went.’
601)

Sallaha̱t il a̱yatok, it was hot.

‘We were going slow, it was hot.’
602)

Hitoko̱, yakot pimma il iyatok, hitoko̱ this great big old stump

‘So, we went this way, and so this great big old stump’
603)

in the middle of the water ma̱.

‘in the middle of the water there.’
604)

Hikma̱ mermaid mat bini̱litok, she had blonde hair, orange tail.

‘Hikma̱, that mermaid was sitting there, she had blonde hair, orange tail.’
605)

Hihmásh bini̱litósh she was combing her hair with

‘And as she was sitting she was combing her hair with’
606)

by the look of that comb was, fish bone ahwah kaníyatok, what she was using combing her hair.

‘By the look on that comb was, it seemed like fish bone, what she was using combing her hair.’
607)

And we stopped and we looked at each other, and

‘And we stopped and we looked at each other, and’
608)

"A̱lhiyo̱?," il áchitók.

‘ “Is that for real?” we said.’
609)

Hihma̱, we just stood there and look, and she just sitting there combing her hair.

‘Then, we just stood there and look, and she just sitting there combing her hair.’
610)

Hihma̱, we thought it was just our imagination hapim ahwatok.

‘Then, we thought it was just our imagination it seemed to us.’
611)

We thought.

‘We thought.’
612)

Hitósh il íya mo̱mat bili̱ka il ónahma̱ she looked up seen us

‘Then when we went and got closer, she looked up and seen us’
613)

she just flipped in the water.

‘she just flipped in the water.’
614)

All you can hear is tail slapping that water.

‘All you can hear is tail slapping that water.’
615)

Hikmat, and we [ju]st, from that day to this day.

‘And, and we st, from that day to this day.’
616)

I don't know if I, I always say, "Was that my imagination or was that for real?"

‘I don't know if I, I always say, “Was that my imagination or was that for real?” ’
617)

And Sammy Lou told me that she seen one over there too.

‘And Sammy Lou told me that she seen one over there too.’
618)

I don’t know but,

‘I don't know but’
619)

I know I wasn’t drunk.

‘I know I wasn’t drunk.’
620)

(Yoppa) Ohhh, man.

‘(Laughing) Ohhh, man.’