Each spring, Choctaw Princess ceremonies held in each District help make this a favorite time of the year on the Choctaw Nation calendar of events. While the Choctaw Princess ceremonies officially began in April, there are quite a few ceremonies in May as well. It is always amazing to see the work that these young Chahta ohoyo put into their presentations, tribal dress and Choctaw heritage. It gives me great hope for the future when I attend these pageants and see the dedication and smiles on the faces of each contestant.
While only one contestant can be crowned, each participant should be proud of their work. The poise and culture the contestants display each year bring pride to our tribe. I’m sure our ancestors would also be honored and filled with delight if they could see how our tribe has grown and flourished, as evidenced by the dedication of each new generation of Chahta ohoyo taking part in our Choctaw Princess ceremonies.
There were three pageants held in April, and more scheduled for the month of May. Be sure to check out the Choctaw Nation website’s Events Calendar to see if there is a ceremony near you. If you have never been to a princess pageant, I highly recommend that you take a moment to attend a pageant in your area. It is a great experience to see the Choctaw Nation’s heritage and culture on full display.
Many of these young Chahta ohoyo work year-round to get ready for this event every year. The beaded tribal wear, tribal dance practice and dedication to the Chahta heritage are a wonderful sight to see. Contestants chosen to represent their district for a full year will gather memories that will last a lifetime, representing our tribe.
Annually, the Choctaw Nation crowns local princesses in each of the tribe’s 12 districts. Qualifying contestants are judged on talent, poise and traditional wear. During district pageants, one representative is chosen in each division. The district princesses then advance to compete in the Choctaw Nation Royalty Pageant held during the annual Labor Day Festival at the Choctaw Capitol at Tvshka Homma. Three young women are crowned Little Miss, Junior Miss, and Miss Choctaw Nation and serve as ambassadors for the following year.
Each year, the application process opens online in Chahta Achvffa on Feb. 1 and closes on March 15 at 11:59 p.m. If you have a family member who wants to represent our tribe as a Choctaw Princess, I would highly encourage you to encourage them to apply, work hard and make our tribe proud!
And even if you don’t know any of the princess candidates, I would recommend that you make plans to come out and witness a Choctaw princess ceremony – you’ll be glad you did. To all the contestants this year, I want to give you a Yakoke Fehna for all your hard work and dedication to keeping our Chahta heritage alive and well.