EventsMarch 30, 2023

Traditions Come to Life with Native American Student Association

Written By: Ian Silvester

The sounds of rhythmic drums and chanting were mixed in with the click-clacking of wooden sticks and laughing throughout the Lion’s Den courtyard during the early afternoon of Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Students in the Native American Student Association (NASA) gathered to share history and culture through dance and play. Guests were treated to traditional Choctaw dances, such as the Raccoon Dance, Snake Dance, and Wedding Dance.

Jade Cossey, NASA president, says these dances are meant to be social dances which is a main difference between the Choctaw and other nations. “The dances just bring us together and unite us in a way,” she said. “It’s part of our tradition to do these dances, and we like to pass them down to the younger generations so they can keep the dances going.”

But the demonstration of traditions didn’t end with a dance.

In the middle of the courtyard, a single goalpost was erected as nearly a dozen students, each wielding two sticks, Kapucha, worked to throw a small ball, Towa, to hit the goalpost to score a point. The version of Choctaw stickball, or Ishtaboli, today pays homage to its roots but is now more of a game rather than a form of conflict resolution.

“It used to be a war game,” Jade said with a laugh. “It’s still a very physical game, but now it’s co-ed, and it has grown into bigger games like the World Series Stickball.”

If you watch stickball for the first time, the game looks like a mixture of lacrosse and football. A typical game is played on a 100-yard field with two teams using their sticks in a scissor-like motion to pick up, catch, and throw the ball to teammates or to score by hitting the opposing team’s goalpost. Players can be tackled or have their sticks hit to turnover possession.

Madison says events like this help not only share traditions and culture but are learning experiences. Students, faculty, and staff can learn more about the Choctaw Nation and the Cherokee Nation, both of which are represented on the UAFS campus.

“We restarted NASA in 2021 after COVID. Slowly, we’re getting out there more, and people are starting to know that we are here,” Jade explained. “It makes me feel good to see it growing and more people, native and non-native, are interested in getting involved.”

The next NASA meeting is on Thursday, April 6, at 5 p.m. at the Boreham Library, room 209. Anyone interested is encouraged to stop by and learn more. Jade says more events are being planned for the end of the academic year, including a stickball tournament and an awareness march for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

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• Native American Student Association
• Student Activities