siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL Al^D CEEEMONIAL, LIFE 13
Early on the next morning the chief went to observe the leader's pole, which,
at the moment of sunrise, danced and punched itself deeper into the ground;
and after some time settled in a perpendicular position, without having nodded
or bowed in any direction. Seeing which the chief said, " It is well. We have
arrived at our winter encampment." He gave instructions to the tool carriers
to lay off the encampment for the iksas and mark on posts their appropriate
symbols. He ordered them to allow sufficient space for the iksas, having par-
ticular regard to the watering places.
It was several days before the people had all reached the encampment.
Those who were packing the double loads of bones came in several days later,
and they complained of being greatly fatigued. They mourned and said, " The
bad spirit has killed our kindred ; to pack their bones any further will kill us,
and we shall have no name amongst the iksas of this great nation. Oh ! when
will this long journey come to an end?"
There were plenty of pine and cypress trees and palmetto; and in a short
time the people had constructed sufficient tents to shelter themselves from the
rain. Their hunters with but little labor supplied the camps with plenty of
bear meat ; and the women and children collected quantities of acorns and
oksak kapko, and kapun (large hickory nuts, and scaly barks). It was an
extremely plentiful land, and the whole people were rejoicing at the prospects
for a pleasant and bountiful winter. Their camps being completed, the chief
gave instructions, to have sufficient ground prepared to plant what seed corn
might be found in the camps. Search was made by Isi maleli (Running Deer)
for the corn. He found a few ears only ; they had been preserved by the very
old people, who had no teeth. The corn they found was two years old, and
the.v were very much afraid that it was dead. The minko suggested to Isi
maleli, that as the tool carriers had iron [!] implements with which to break
the ground, it would be best to detail a sufficient number of them to prepare
ground to grow it. So the minko called out twenty of the tool carriers for the
purpose, and appointed the wise Isi maleli, to direct them, and to select the soil
for growing the corn properly, and to preserve it when it matured.
One end or side of the encampment lay along the elevated ground—bordering
the low lands on the west side of the middle creek. Just above the uppermost
camps, and overhanging the creek, was a steep little hill with a hole in one side.
As it leaned towards the creek, the people called it the leaning hill (nunih
waya)."" From this little hill the encampment took its name, "Nunih Waya,"
by which name it is known to this day.
The whole people were healthy at Nunih Waya. Full of life and cheerfulness,
Ihey danced and played a great deal. Their scouts had made wide excursions
around the encampment, and finding no signs of the enemy in any direction,
they consoled themselves with the idea, that they had traveled beyond his
reach. The scouts and hunters, on returning into camps, from their exploring
expeditions, were often heard to say, " The plentiful, fruitful land of tall trees
and running waters, spoken of by our great and wise chiefs, who saw it in a
vision of the night, is found. We have found the land of plenty, and our great
journey is at an end."
They passed through their first winter at Nunih Waya quite pleasantly.
Spring opened finely. Their few ears of corn came up well and grew off
wonderfully. The creeks were full of fish and the mornings rang with the
turkeys and singing birds. The woods everywhere were full of buffalo, bear,
deer and elks; everything that could be wished for was there, and easily
procured. All were filled with gladness.
1=" The spelling of Nunih Waiya is not quite accurate.