Editing Chickasaw (section)

== Culture ==
For many tribes in the region, corn was one of the most important foods. The [[Green Corn Ceremony]], which occurs annually and starts when the corn crops begin to develop, usually in late June or early July, ties corn into the culture of the Chickasaw. This ceremony celebrated both the crop and the sense of community in the tribe. It was also a time of starting from scratch in a sense. Villages were cleaned, old pottery was broken, and most old fires were put out. Fasting was done by most tribes to obtain purity, and the Chickasaw specifically would fast from the afternoon of the first day of the ceremony until the second sunrise.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Green Corn Ceremony |url=http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/951}}</ref>

In 2010, the tribe opened the [[Chickasaw Cultural Center]] in [[Sulphur, Oklahoma]]. It includes the ''Chikasha Inchokka’'' Traditional Village, Honor Garden, Sky and Water pavilion, and several in-depth exhibits about the diverse culture of the Chickasaw.<ref>[http://www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/about.html?p=1.1.5 "About the Center."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902225200/http://www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/about.html?p=1.1.5|date=2011-09-02}} ''Chickasaw Cultural Center'' (accessed September 21, 2011)</ref> The Chikasha Inchokka' Traditional Village features a Council House, two winter and summer houses, a replica mound, a corn crib and a stickball field. There are often stomp dances or stickball demonstrations, and cultural performers often display traditional Chickasaw culture, including art, cooking, language and storytelling.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chikasha Inchokka' Traditional Village |url=https://www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/explore/chikasha-inchokka-traditional-village/}}</ref>

To the Chickasaw, the Mississippi River helped "define their geographic homeland and history", and was important for trade, transportation, and irrigation.<ref name=":1" /> Referred to as "scored bluff waterway", Chickasaw warriors limited the movement of Europeans along the river.<ref name=":1" />