The Choctaw-Irish Friendship Festival was March 13 and 14 at the Choctaw Cultural Center to celebrate the long friendship of the two cultures.
The festival, now in its third year, commemorates the historic connection between the two nations. Ties binding the Choctaw and the Irish began in 1847, when the Chahta people, who had little to share after the tragedy of the Trail of Tears, raised $170, equal to more than $6,200 in today’s money. The funds were donated to the Irish, who were suffering through the Great Famine. The Choctaw gift is credited with saving thousands of lives, and the Irish have never forgotten the kindness.
Choctaw Nation Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. spoke during the opening ceremony, and he said Chief Gary Batton was not able to attend, but that the chief sent well wishes to all visiting the festival. Choctaw Nation Royalty performed The Lord’s Prayer.
“It’s such an honor to be here for the Choctaw-Irish Friendship Festival,” Austin said. “The third year and every year, it continues to grow.”
According to Austin, more than 1,600 visitors were expected.
“The relationship the Choctaw people and the Irish people share is a special relationship stemming from years and years ago in the 1800s and as I was thinking about this day, I was thinking about our ancestors that came across the Trail of Tears and the gift that they gave to the people of Ireland,” Austin said. “It was a wonderful gift. They did so out of their heart and how could they have imagined that sparks as a friendship to last this long. To continue to last. To last forever. What a beautiful relationship we have with the people of Ireland, and I am so grateful and just honored to be here.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Austin said the event celebrates the friendship between the Choctaws and the Irish and that it highlights the two cultures.
“Often times, I wonder about our ancestors,” Austin said. “Could they have imagined just how this friendship would have developed out of that gift and what they started. It was such a wonderful gift out of love and compassion for their fellow men much like we do today with our communities, with our counties, with our state and it’s a wonderful reach across of help and assistance just out of someone out of need.”
Austin said there were visitors from Cork, Ireland, the day before the festival who spoke to him, Batton and the tribal council.
“So, for them to come in and express gratitude, express their friendship and just the value, how much they value our friendship means a lot because whether we realize it or not, that story is still taught at the elementary level in their school system,” Austin said. “Here in our State of Oklahoma, it’s not which we’re trying desperately to get that story into our history classes.”
