In season 2, episode 10, I interviewed Composer, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate about his upcoming and unprecedented opera, “Shell Shaker, a Chickasaw Opera”, the first opera ever written in the Chickasaw language.

And now I’d like to introduce you to 2 award-winning Native opera singers who you’ll find performing in that upcoming opera, February of 2023 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA

• Dr. Kirsten C. Kunkle (Muskogee) is a Spinto Soprano, Composer, and Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Wilmington Concert Opera. Listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lfDoSR6Jkg

• Kate Raquel Morton (Cherokee) recently graduated from Oklahoma City University and is a Lyric Mezzo-Soprano. Listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjCNN-3UuaQ

As someone who used to sing opera myself, I suggested we 3 share our favorite opera picks for someone who’s just getting their feet wet in the genre (search on YouTube for the following):

Kirsten’s Picks:
• Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti
• Opera: La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini
• Opera: Carmen by Georges Bizet

Kate’s Picks:
• Opera: Le nozze di Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with Isabel Leonard as Cherubino
• Opera Singer: Jessye Norman

Rachael’s Picks:
• Aria (song): Nessun dorma from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, sung by Luciano Pavarotti
• Opera Singer: Beverly Sills

In this episode, you’ll hear about:
• Intermountain Opera Bozeman: https://www.intermountainopera.org/
• Kate’s foil fencing, Cherokee language speaking, guitar playing, the fact that she’s an “Okie from Muskogee” and the one thing she cannot do
• Kirsten and Kate’s own Muskogee and Cherokee family histories
• Baby Diva (a force to be reconned with)
• Yellowstone’s 150 year anniversary in which Kate sang and Kirsten wrote and performed a piece called “Reclaim the Land”.

To learn more, check out:
• Kirsten: https://www.wilmingtonconcertopera.com/
• Kate: https://www.kateraquelmorton.com
• Jerod: https://www.facebook.com/jerodtate

Yakoke, y’all!

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

“Whatever high crimes and mass deaths and lasting pain can be attributed to the perpetrators of genocide on innocent people, the truth is, we must forgive. And what of the Choctaw-Irish connection? We cannot blame the people standing before us for the mistakes their ancestors made. The wrong we are attempting to right in this volume is ignorance. Ignorance of the truth about the Irish Potato Famine, and the cruelty and deaths that resulted from the Choctaws who were forced on the Trail of Tears.

We forgive, for that is how we lighten the burden and allow our own lives to proceed; but we will never forget. And why? So it will never happen again. That is our hope, our wish, our prayer. May the tragedies of our peoples never happen again. Our gift, the Choctaw Gift to the Irish, is a gift of love. Love and respect for you, your children, your husbands, wives, your ancestors, those buried and those hovering about. We send you blessings and hope that the spirit of joy will shine upon you every day of your life – and beyond.”

Those are the writings of Choctaw Author, Tim Tingle in the book, “Famine Pots: The Choctaw-Irish Gift Exchange, 1847-Present” by LeAnne Howe and Padraig Kirwan, which entails a collection of 15 essays written by both Irish and Choctaws (such as Tim and others), about the beauty of the bond between the Irish and the Choctaw.

Today’s episode is one to celebrate – it’s Native ChocTalk’s 50^th episode! But more importantly, this year (2022) is one of commemoration and contemplation, as it’s the 175^th anniversary of the Choctaw gift to the Irish in which they sent funds for food during Ireland’s deadly famine.

Some of the conversations in today’s episode are difficult to hear. My guest, Seth Fairchild of the Chahta Foundation and I talk about the realities and suffering of the Irish Famine. But you’ll also hear about the beauty of kindred spirits that were born out of the kindness of strangers, and the bond that resulted from a small gift presented by those who were also suffering.

You’ll also learn about:

• The origin of the potato and its introduction to Ireland
• How and why the Irish famine began
• The grave mistreatment of the Irish
• What the Choctaws felt and did upon hearing the news of the famine in Ireland
• Why funds were sent to the Irish, despite the Choctaw facing hardships themselves
• The Choctaw-Irish connection and similarities that go back for centuries
• The Chahta Foundation and the Choctaw-Ireland Scholarship in which you’ll hear from Claire Green Young on her experience as a Choctaw college student in Ireland
• Alex Pentek’s monument, Kindred Spirits (a tribute to the Choctaw for their kindness)

“This contemporary moment calls on us to make a fresh commitment to the universality of human rights and to the common humanity of all. Ireland has a lengthy history of humanitarian engagement, strongly influenced by our experiences of famine and of emigration. Our humanitarian action is therefore shaped in many ways by a tragic history, but it is rooted in values that remain relevant in a contemporary world – solidarity, community, democracy, justice, freedom, and respect for human rights and equality. They are the values which must continue to guide us as we navigate our future direction as citizens of an interconnected world.”

• President, Michael D. Higgins, “Famine Pots: The Choctaw-Irish Gift Exchange, 1847-Present”

I’d like to dedicate today’s 50^th episode to the people of Ireland. The suffering of your ancestors will never be forgotten. Wishing peace and blessings to you and your descendants. And may our people’s kindred spirits live on for centuries to come.

Information:

• Choctaw-Ireland Scholarship Programme: https://tinyurl.com/5n7kvzmc
• Chahta Foundation: https://chahtafoundation.com/
• “Famine Pots: The Choctaw-Irish Gift Exchange, 1847-Present” https://tinyurl.com/mrxc8zm7

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Part 3 of 3

"I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." These are the words spoken on the deathbed of probably the most well-know Native American warrior in history, known as Geronimo.

Some considered him a warrior, and many viewed him as a “sell-out, while others thought of him as a popular Native “character”, representative of all Indians in North America.

I must admit, until I met Author (and retired PhD Physicist), W. Michael Farmer, I underestimated the significant warrior skills of Geronimo. Now I have an entirely new respect for this Apache fighter.

In this episode of Native ChocTalk, you’ll learn about:
• The Chiricahua Apache
• Geronimo’s incredibly monumental warrior skills
• The lesser-known story of the little girl, Trinidad and her encounter with Geronimo
• Geronimo’s friendship with Quanah Parker
• The warrior’s quest to be set free to go “home”
• Skull & Bones Society, and the true-or-false controversy over Geronimo’s remains

Check out W. Michael Farmer’s website where you can find the 3 books we cover in this episode: https://wmichaelfarmer.com/
• “The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty Three Years a Prisoner of War”
• “Trini! Come!: Geronimo’s Captivity of Trinidad Verdin”
• “The Iliad of Geronimo”

Yakoke, Michael for sharing your research and expertise!

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast
All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

"I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." These are the words spoken on the deathbed of probably the most well-know Native American warrior in history, known as Geronimo.

Some considered him a warrior, and many viewed him as a “sell-out, while others thought of him as a popular Native “character”, representative of all Indians in North America.

I must admit, until I met Author (and retired PhD Physicist), W. Michael Farmer, I underestimated the significant warrior skills of Geronimo. Now I have an entirely new respect for this Apache fighter.

In this episode of Native ChocTalk, you’ll learn about:
• The Chiricahua Apache
• Geronimo’s incredibly monumental warrior skills
• The lesser-known story of the little girl, Trinidad and her encounter with Geronimo
• Geronimo’s friendship with Quanah Parker
• The warrior’s quest to be set free to go “home”
• Skull & Bones Society, and the true-or-false controversy over Geronimo’s remains

Check out W. Michael Farmer’s website where you can find the 3 books we cover in this episode: https://wmichaelfarmer.com/
• “The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty Three Years a Prisoner of War”
• “Trini! Come!: Geronimo’s Captivity of Trinidad Verdin”
• “The Iliad of Geronimo”

Yakoke, Michael for sharing your research and expertise!

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast
All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/