The THPO/Cultural Department covers a multitude of jobs and events.  The two main jobs of the THPO/Cultural Department are to protect Tribal lands by participating in Section 106 with other Tribes and Government Agencies and to protect the Culture and Heritage of the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians.  We have worked hard to re-establish the JBCI language by having classes taught by native speakers to teach Tribal Members their language.  We host events throughout the year that enable Tribal Members to learn different crafts and traditions that have been a part of this Tribe as far back as anyone can remember.  We also put together the Pow Wow in the Pines.

The JBCI Tribal Library & Research Center is a Tribally controlled entity that is run by the Cultural Department. The mission of the Library & Research Center is to be available to Tribal Members, Spouses, and Children to provide educational opportunities and services to the people of the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians.  The Library & Research Center is a place that students and non-students of all ages will have a quiet place to go to check out books, do research, and Tribal Members will have access to our archives.  We want to have an area for those that may not have available internet to be able to go and do research on projects, whether related to schoolwork or projects of your own.

The mission of our Archives and Collections is to help protect and revive our Culture that has been lost throughout the years, to enforce our Sovereignty, and educate our surrounding Tribal Community on the Tribal history, migration, removal, and traditional values, teachings, and stories. 

The Jena Band of Choctaw Indians THPO/Cultural Department collects, preserves, and encourages Cultural revitalization to keep our Tribal Community strong and well informed on what our ancestors endured in our earliest years. 

Cultural Department Events

Nvnih Waiya is a deeply significant sacred mound location known as the "Mother Mound" of the Choctaw. This site serves as the origin point of our people and remains central to Choctaw heritage today. According to tradition, the creation of men took place at Nvnih Waiya a very long time ago.

The story of our emergence describes how four distinct tribes came forth from the earthen rampart of the mound:

The Muscogee: They were the first to come out of Nvnih Waiya. After sunning themselves on the rampart and drying, they traveled east, staying on the side of the Tombigbee River where they rested and smoked tobacco.

The Cherokees: They emerged second and followed the trail of the Muscogee. However, where the Muscogee had smoked tobacco, a fire had burnt the woods, causing the Cherokees to lose the trail. They eventually went north and settled there.

The Chickasaws: The third tribe to emerge, the Chickasaws followed the trail of the Cherokees and settled close to them.

The Choctaws: Our ancestors were the fourth and last to come out of Nvnih Waiya. Unlike the others, the Choctaws did not travel away; they settled in the very land surrounding the mound, which became the Choctaw home.

A Tapestry of Histories

While the emergence from the Mother Mound is a foundational story, Choctaw origins are complex. Across generations, many different stories have been told. Some oral traditions speak of a great migration from the West, while others recount how a great flood drove the people to the safety of the Mother Mound.

Regardless of the specific version, these stories all emphasize our enduring connection to the land and our shared identity as a people.