Hohchvffo Iskitini Hvshi
October is Little Hunger Month in the Choctaw Calendar. Chafo Iskitini Hvshi (literally Little Hunger Month) came at the end of the main growing season, but before frost. Read more at iti fabvssa.
Upcoming Events
Tvshka Trials | Now – Oct. 24 | 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Choctaw Wellness Centers & Online | The Tvshka Trials is an online fitness competition for Choctaw Nation Wellness Center and tribal members. Proceeds benefit the Foster Care & Adoption program. Tickets available until Oct. 17, donations until Oct. 24.
Cinema at the Center | Oct. 11 | 1 p.m. | Choctaw Cultural Center | 1919 Hina Hanta Wy, Calera, OK 74730 | This monthly series features a wide range of films designed around a fun, family-friendly theme. This month, check out Disney’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” We’d love to see you there!
2025 Indigenous Archaeology Day | Oct. 11 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Choctaw Cultural Center | 1919 Hina Hanta Wy, Calera, OK 74730 | Don’t miss an opportunity to dive deep into Choctaw artforms and lifeways and be part of an all-day educational and fun, free event. All ages are welcome.
Choctaw Cultural Center Fall Festival | Oct. 17 – 18 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Choctaw Cultural Center | 1919 Hina Hanta Wy, Calera, OK 74730 | How do Choctaws celebrate fall? Come find out at the Choctaw Cultural Center’s Fall Festival! There will be a corn-eating contest, cultural demonstrations, and we will be mudding the chukkas in the Living Village! It will be a great day out for the whole family.
Tuesday Talks | Oct. 14, Oct. 21 | 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Wheelock Academy Historic Site | 1377 Wheelock Road, Unit C, Garvin, OK 74736 | Please join us on Tuesday evenings for a series of presentations covering valuable community information and different aspects of the Choctaw Nation and local history. Please RSVP to reserve your spot by phoning 580-746-2139 or emailing [email protected].
Car Seat Checks and Safety Information Event | Oct. 24 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Coalgate Choctaw Community Center | 103 E California Ave. Coalgate, OK 74538 | It’s important to make sure car seats are properly installed.
12th Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Walk| Oct. 21 | 1 p.m. | Choctaw Wellness Center Walking Trail | 304 Chahta Circle Hugo, OK 74743 | Please join in our effort to raise awareness and end domestic violence. For more information, please call Choctaw Nation’s Family Violence Prevention Project EMPOWER’s Tasha Mitchell at 580.642.6042 or Vicki Perez at 580-642-6038.
Choctaw Cultural Center Heritage Festival | Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Choctaw Cultural Center | 1919 Hina Hanta Wy, Calera, OK 74730 | Kick off the 2025 Choctaw Powwow and Native American Heritage Month! Join us at the Choctaw Cultural Center as we celebrate with cultural events, dancing, singing, and many other events.
2025 Wellness Canned Food Drive | Oct. 20 – Nov. 21 | All CNO Wellness Centers | Members who bring five canned food and/or non-perishable items will be entered into a prize drawing. Prizes vary at each facility, and every five items donated earns an additional entry. For more information, please visit your local Wellness Center.
2025 Wellness Center Toy Drive | Nov. 3 – Nov. 21 | All CNO Wellness Centers | Members who bring in a new, in-package toy with a minimum value of $5 will be entered into a prize drawing. Prizes vary at each facility, and every toy donated earns an additional entry. For more information, please visit your local Wellness Center.
Veterans Day Ceremony | Nov. 11 | 10 a.m. | Tushkahoma | Council House Rd, Tuskahoma, OK 74574 | Join us as we honor the brave men and women who have served our country.
Hominy Indigenous Heritage Day Celebration | Oct. 11 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Main Street | Hominy, OK | Join us for the Hominy Indigenous Heritage Day Celebration, featuring the sizzling Third Annual Meat Pie Contest, Native fashion show, car & motorcycle show, youth dancers, food, music and family fun! Admission is Free. For more information on the event, email [email protected] or [email protected].
OK Chahta Tribal Alliance Indian Taco Sale | Oct. 11 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | American Legon Post 73/VFW Post 9969 | 5000 SE 24th St. | Del City, OK | Join the OK Chahta Tribal Alliance for a delicious Indian Taco Sale in Del City! Enjoy an Indian taco with tea for just $10. A variety of vendors will be on-site for your shopping enjoyment, and the OK Chahta Tribal Alliance Children’s Language Class will be selling soda and bottled water. À la carte desserts will also be available for purchase. Come out for great food, community, and fun while supporting local cultural programs!
Programs & Services
Choctaw Country Market Double Up Oklahoma –When shopping with a SNAP-EBT card at a participating Choctaw Country Market, every $1 spent on SNAP-eligible items will earn you $1 in Double Up Bucks, up to $20 per day, for buying eligible fruits and vegetables. Simply use your EBT card, keep the Double Up voucher that prints with your receipt, and bring it on your next visit to redeem for fresh produce. Hand the voucher to the cashier at checkout. No sign-up needed!
NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Annual Viking Festival at Heavener Runestone Park
On Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26, step back in time for the Annual Viking Festival at Heavener Runestone Park! Enjoy two days of Viking-themed vendors, food trucks, artisan crafts, live entertainment, and spirited contests. Dress in your best Viking Warrior or Shield Maiden attire, sip mead in the festival tent, shop blacksmith wares, and join in the fun.
Experience historical reenactments, immerse yourself in Norse culture, and tour the legendary Heavener Runestone. Gather your crew for a weekend you won’t forget!
For more information, visit www.heavenerrunestonepark.com or www.faceook.com/heavenerrunestonepark.
The Feast of the Dead is a time of celebration for families and the community to give remembrance to those who have passed on. Join us in this traditional Choctaw burial custom to honor and remember our loved ones.
Saturday November 8, 2025, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., Choctaw RV Park, 3650 Enterprise Dr, Durant, OK 74701
Potluck Style Meal: 5:30 p.m.-6: 30 p.m. (Bring a dish to share
Family Heritage Crafts: 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (Rope Braiding & Family History Activity)
Memorial Reflection & Ceremony: 7:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (Share stories about loved ones)
The Choctaw Nation Growing Hope program invites past participants to share their feedback through a brief survey, helping us improve the program and make future experiences even more impactful. Scan the QR code to take the Growing Hope survey.
2025 Harvest Carnival
Join us for the 2025 Harvest Carnival!
Friday, Oct. 24 | 6 p.m.–9 p.m. | Choctaw Capitol Grounds | 163665 N. 4355 Road | Tuskahoma, OK 74574
Don’t miss a night of family fun at the 2025 Harvest Carnival! Enjoy games, prizes, a costume contest, a classic Halloween movie, and spooky attractions like the Trail of Terror and Haunted House. There’s something for everyone. Come celebrate the season with us at Tvshka Homma!
Note: Strollers or walkers are NOT allowed in the Trail of Terror or Haunted House.
Check with your local Choctaw Nation Community Center for bus pick-up times and seat reservations.
For more information, call 877-285-6893.