Today is Turtle Surprise Day.
Luksi is the Choctaw word for Turtle. Each family or clan chooses a creature that becomes "who" they are and is passed down from generation to generation...much like a last name.
Our clan is the turtle clan. My entire Choctaw family is and always will be the turtle clan.
My sister obtained her Indian name this summer and she is "Turtle Mother".
Because of this, one of the rooms in my new/old house will be the nature room. I know it's kookie but you shouldn't expect any less than I would name all my rooms.
A while back, I made some ebay purchases that included an empty turtle shell, a book about turtles, a vintage turtle print that will all be in this new/old room. These are to go with a few other turtle items I've collected before.
What's strange is that in today's mail...I got all of these...and a nice surprise is this year's Christmas ornament from our chief is a turtle.
The ornament says--"The seemingly plodding turtle, thriving now, as it has for millions of years. Its home integrated within its body has many lessons to teach us. Among these teachings are: persistance, patience, protection, self-sufficiency, and oh yay...long life." (I put in the yay part)
Man I really really like these kind of cool surprises
2 comments:
Halito!
We enjoyed your article.
Like you, we are Choctaws.
I see that you and your family are enjoying the nice Christmas ornament that Chief Pyle sent out this year. I believe it is the best one yet.
Luksi is very important to me. We live in a very rural, foothills area in a dense hardwoods forest. I have many good friends in these woods—Deer, Wild Turkey, Rabbit, Bobcat, Tree Frog, Coyote, Fox, Owl, Kestrel and Hawk, Woodpecker, Hummingbird, Canada Goose during fly-over times, Tarantula, Possum, and much more. From spring through fall, two Luksi arrive at my porch every morning about dawn. They wait patiently for me to come with food for them. They love tomato, squash, melon, and above all—cat food! Me, my wife and my mother (86 years old) really enjoy feeding them. They eat, then quietly return to the woods. I smile at the Luksi because they act very dignified, and they are quite intelligent.
If you come this way, you should go to the Five Civilized Tribes Museum to see the wonderful antique Luksi shells filled with dry beans. They are attached to the leg and used for dancing. The sound the dancers make is truly mesmerizing. Beautiful.
Nice to see another Choctaw online. We liked your article.
God bless you and all our Choctaw People.
I am inquiring on the ornament. Trying to find that same design in a necklace. Is there such an item?
Pwr2thefml12@yahoo.com
Post a Comment