{"id":12678,"date":"2023-12-17T12:15:23","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T11:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=12678"},"modified":"2023-12-17T12:15:23","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T11:15:23","slug":"what-did-choctaw-call-the-mississippi-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-did-choctaw-call-the-mississippi-river\/","title":{"rendered":"What Did Choctaw Call The Mississippi River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Choctaw People of the Mississippi<\/h2>\n

The Choctaw people, who were members of the Muscogee tribe of Native Americans, had an important relationship with the Mississippi River. As members of the Muscogee tribe of Native Americans, the Choctaw people were the earliest inhabitants of what would later become the Mississippi valley, settling along the banks of the mighty river in the late 1600s. Throughout their history, the Choctaw people utilized the Mississippi River in numerous ways in order to meet their day-to-day requirements, while also living in harmony with the river.<\/p>\n

The Sacred Name of the Mississippi<\/h2>\n

In the Native American language of the Choctaw people, the Mississippi River was also known as “Ikatubbe Hapaha,” meaning “Cleansing Waters” in English. This appellative was used by the Choctaw people in order to venerate the river, and to emphasize the spiritual importance of the body of water in their culture. The religious value of the river was related to the Choctaw belief that Earth was made up of four elements: fire, water, air, and earth. While the religious heritage of the Choctaw culture is not known in full detail, it is possible that the Mississippi River was held especially sacred, due to its importance in Choctaw life.<\/p>\n

The Role of the Mississippi River in Choctaw Life<\/h2>\n

The Mississippi River was a fundamental part of Choctaw life and culture. A historical account of the Choctaws notes that they treated the river as one of their own, embracing it as “a spiritual part of their homeland and an integral part of their lives” (Johnson, 2005). As the oldest continuous settlement of indigenous people in the Mississippi valley, the Choctaw revered the river as a source of sustenance for all aspects of their existence. It was not only a source of food and fishing, but also provided drinking water, transportationaid in hunts, and even served as a spirit guide for the fortunes of the tribe.<\/p>\n

The Familial Bond of the Choctaw to the Mississippi<\/h2>\n

The Choctaw people had a strong familial bond with the Mississippi River, referring to it affectionately as Grandfather or Grandmother. “Grandfather” in particular was an appellative used to denote respect and a sense of closeness, suggesting that the Choctaw not only felt an affiliation with the river, but a deep emotional connection with it as well. For example, one Choctaw tribe, the Red Sticks, was so named as they were said to have got their distinctive red colored spears from a “spiritual quest to the bend in the Mississippi River” (Johnson, 2005). This indicates the intense personal connection the Choctaw had with the Mighty Mississippi.<\/p>\n

The Spiritual Influence of the Mississippi in Choctaw Culture<\/h2>\n