Essay About Chickasaw Culture

Since the assimilation of the native American tribes into white culture, there has been many cultures that have disappeared. Some cultures have been lost forever, but fortunately there has been an awakening and a willingness to preserve certain cultures and languages. One specific example is the Chickasaw culture. One way to reclaim their history and heritage is through the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. The cultural center is located on 109 acres of land and includes a museum, village replica, restaurant, and art gallery. After visiting the center, I learned more about the Chickasaw people’s history, the way they lived, and the foods they ate.
When I first arrived at the center, I was amazed at the open space and the large pond near the entrance. I was able to easily find the museum and check-in. Outside there was a monument that represented the leaning pole. The leaning pole is a representation of how the Chickasaw people found their eastern lands. There was also an eternal flame that connected to the mound at the village replica that I would visit later in the day. The flame is sacred and …show more content…
Aaimpa means “a place to eat” in Chickasaw. I wanted to try some authentic Chickasaw food and I definitely got what I was seeking. My grandmother had told me that she had grape dumplings growing up and when I came to the Café I was surprised to see it on the menu. I ordered the special that came with an Indian taco, grape dumplings, and pashofa. I don’t think the Indian taco was authentic, but it was still very tasty. The grape dumplings were delicious and sweet. It tasted like regular dumplings in grape juice, but the juice was not tart. The pashofa was my least favorite because it had the least amount of salt. Pashofa is made of pearl corn and pork. After I added an American size serving of salt, I was able to eat it even though it wasn’t my favorite