PART 2

In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people.

With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers—thank you for your strength, guidance, and love.

To our young men:
You are the future. We hope you’ll tune in and remember:
- You are important.
- You are needed.
- Your life matters.

In this episode you’ll hear stories of strength: The Choctaw and the Path of the Warrior

• The role of the bison: a short look at its presence in Choctaw homelands
• Were bison native to our lands — and how did we interact with them?
• What did it take to become a Chief?
• Preparing for battle: war paint, feathers, and red dye
• The meaning behind warrior tattoos — marks of honor and identity
• Allies and enemies: tribes we stood with and those we stood against
• The Choctaw and Chickasaw conflict — why did two sister nations clash?

PART 1

In Honor of Memorial Day:
This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people.

With Father’s Day around the corner:
We also honor our fathers—thank you for your strength, guidance, and love.

To our young men:
You are the future. We hope you’ll tune in and remember:
- You are important.
- You are needed.
- Your life matters.

Long before Choctaws were farmers and business people, they were WARRIORS. Here to talk about this subject is Choctaw Nation's Historic Preservation Department’s Ryan Spring.

In Part 1 you’ll learn about:

The Choctaw Warrior Society

• What it took to become a Tvshka — a warrior
• The enduring wisdom of our traditional ways for future generations
• Weapons of our ancestors: tools of survival and skill
• Evidence our ancestors once brought down mammoths
• Yes — the Choctaw hunted buffalo

PART 7

In this final episode of my conversations with the great grandchildren of the heroic Comanche leader, Quanah Parker, we open with a moving moment: Sandra, great-granddaughter of Quanah Parker, reads a heartfelt letter from her father, Baldwin Parker, Jr. — a message of strength, legacy, and deep-rooted pride.

Did you know that Quanah Parker was not only a fierce Comanche leader but also a savvy businessman? He was one of the largest shareholders in the Quanah, Acme, and Pacific Railway (QA&P), a 117-mile freight line that began service in 1902 and later merged with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981. Tune in to hear how his descendants carry forward that pride in their family’s unexpected but powerful place in rail history.

We also explore the pivotal moment of Quanah’s surrender — a decision that weighed heavily on him as he navigated the impossible balance between protecting his people and adapting to a changing world.

We close with a heartfelt toast to Quanah’s enduring legacy, brought to you by War Chief Collection, a line of non-alcoholic beverages crafted by his descendant, Jody Colbert. The collection will relaunch in Summer 2025 — stay tuned at www.warchiefcollection.com!

Marʉawe to these Comanche elders who generously shared their stories and wisdom, now preserved for generations to come. 

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

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

PART 6

In part 6 of this series, you’ll continue the Journey into the life, legend, and legacy of Quanah Parker — last chief of the Comanche, warrior, spiritual leader, and protector of Native tradition. 

You’ll learn from his descendants about:

• The powerful story of Quanah’s fight to preserve the sacred use of peyote through the Native American Church, and his pivotal role in protecting Indigenous religious rights. 
• Family stories and accounts from these elders that you won’t find in the history books.
• Don Parker singing the “Quanah Parker Song”. 
• We uncover the man behind the myth — a misunderstood figure whose acts of generosity still echo today. 
• Learn the story of how a medicine man helped the Comanches escape U.S. forces, collaborated by the “other side” of the story within the history books.
• The untold stories of Quanah’s home, the “Star House”. 

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

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