Pushmataha A Choctaw Leader and His People by Gideon Lincecum
_Pushmataha : A Choctaw Leader and His People
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In the book Pushmataha : A Choctaw Leader and His People by Gideon Lincecum , the
theme of survival and leadership are the main points of the story . Greg O ‘brien , professor of
history at the University of Southern Mississippi wrote the introduction . This important
historical book has two parts namely : Life of Apushimata ‘ and Choctaw Traditions About
Their Settlements in Mississippi and the Origin of Their Mounds Lincecum tells the story
of Choctaw chief Pushmataha whom he met when he [banner_entry_middle]
and his family lived in Tombigbee
River region during the period 1818 until mid-1830 . He has written a most useful
of Pushmataha ‘s life story . Lincecum also wrote a part of the traditional history – the so-
called Skuk-haanumpula of the Choctaw tribe as verbally narrated by Chata Immataha , the
oldest man in the world and who knew everything . It explains how and why the sacred
Nanih Waiya mound was erected and how the Choctaws built new villages and it describes
the structure of leadership in their society
Choctaw chief Pushmataha was born on the Noxubee River near present-day Macon
Mississippi at around 1764 . According to Lincecum , he involved himself in warfare from an
early age , initially against the Creek Indians , who had been in conflict with the Choctaws
from 1765 until 1777 . Since warfare was the basic test to every Choctaw Indian boy to
become a man or earn a title , he was allowed to participate in war parties at an early age
Successful war parties will prove that a Choctaw male had at least a knowledge on spiritual
power since it was needed to have a spiritual protection and performance of rituals in to
win an Indian war . Those who won in war will be expected to more responsibility within the
Choctaw tribe . Pushmataha became a renown fearless warrior because of his successful war
exploits against Caddo and Osage Indians west of the Mississippi River His greatness as a
warrior and hunter earned him the respect of the Choctaws and the leaders bestowed on him
the title of Pushmataha , his name literally mean one whose tomahawk is fatal in war or
_Pushmataha : A Choctaw Leader and His People
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hunting . He assumed a diplomatic position in the Six Towns Division of the Choctaw
Confederacy . Then later on , sometime around 1800 Pushmataha became a chief and
participated in negotiations with the Americans . He became an eloquent speaker and
persuaded both the Choctaws and the Americans with his reasoning ability and played an
important role in all the negotiations . He helped General Andrew Jackson in fighting against
the Creek Indians and thus , received benefits for many years from the American government
In 1824 , Pushmataha traveled to Washington to negotiate the Treaty of Doak ‘s Stand which
was the removal of Choctaw people to Oklahoma Territory but he became sick and died
there . He was buried and given full military honors in the Congressional Cemetery at
Arlington
A long time ago… [banner_entry_footer]
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