Category: Uncategorized
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Carpenter, Rumbarger recognized at Chickasaw Inkana Foundation Legacy Gala
TUPELO — The history of the Chickasaw is paved with both hardship and friendship, and that is what the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation’s annual Leadership Legacy Award is all about: honoring a culture that outlasted adversity and paved the way toward cooperation.
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2025 Piominko Day Celebration
On Monday, October 13, 2025, the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation celebrated Piominko Day with a wreath laying ceremony at the Piominko statue in Fairpark in front of Tupelo City Hall. Hosted by the CIF, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Tupelo, the event had over 100 people in attendance. With several educational stations for families learning Chickasaw language words, playing stickball, and learning about Chickasaw history and culture. The Chickasaw Dance Troupe also participated and provided the celebration with a significant interpretive element with their social dancing demonstrations. We are thankful to the City of Tupelo and all our supporters for helping make this Piominko Day a meaningful celebration of unity, culture, and the enduring spirit of the Chickasaw people.
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2024 CIF “Choctaw Code Talkers” Screening
On Friday, November 15, 2024, the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation commemorated the World War I Choctaw Code Talkers with a film screening at the Tupelo Link Centre. This event had over 50 individuals in attendance who were excited to learn about First American military service history.
The Chickasaw Honor Guard also participated by Posting the Colors and leading the Pledge of Allegience. This is the first time since 1993 that the Chickasaw honor guard has participated in an event in the historic Homeland. We are thankful to Melanie Deas and all Link Centre staff for helping make this event possible.
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2024 CIF Native American Heritage Month Luncheon
On November 2nd, the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation hosted our 4th annual Native American Heritage Month Luncheon. Our special guest storyteller, Dixie Brewer, was presented the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation Appreciation Award, and we raised over $2,000 toward the Chickasaw Heritage Center Journey Home Capital Campaign. Thank you to all of our supporters, our emcee Matt Laubhan, and to all those in attendance!
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Shiloh Chickasaw Celebration 2024
On Saturday, October 26th, the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation and the Chickasaw Nation’s Heritage Preservation Division held a Chickasaw Celebration at Shiloh National Military Park, which is also the home to Shiloh Mounds. Both school children, and the public had the opportunity to play stickball, enjoy traditional Chickasaw storytelling and learn more about the historic Homeland. This event also featured a presentation on the Chickasaw Nation and Inkana Foundation’s work in the Homeland from the Director of the forthcoming Chickasaw Heritage Center, Mr. Brad Deramus.
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Chickasaw Inkana Foundation and Tupelo celebrate Piominko Day
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) — The Chickasaw Inkana Foundation not only celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day but also Piominko Day. The foundation held a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday, Oct. 14 in Fairpark in downtown Tupelo. A monument sits there in honor of Chickasaw Chief Piominko who lived in the 1700s and who held a friendship with President George Washington. “In 2008, the Chickasaw Nation dedicated the second Monday in October as Piominko Day,” Chickasaw Inkana Foundation CEO Brady Davis said. “And every year since 2012, the city has also proclaimed that day Piominko Day as well.”
