Choctaw Indian Villages

1900 Map of the Choctaw Nation
1900 Map of the Choctaw Nation

Nearly all of the Choctaw towns were in the southeastern part of Mississippi though they controlled the adjoining territory in the present State of Alabama. The small tribes of Mobile were sometimes called Choctaw. (See also Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arkansas.)

From the earliest times of which we have any knowledge the Choctaw villages were distributed into three divisions: a southern, a northeastern, and a western, though a central group may also be distinguished. The southern division is fairly well defined by our several informants, but there is considerable disagreement with reference to the others. One authority gives but two divisions, an eastern and a western, and even cuts up the southern group between them. The following locations were established largely by Mr. H. S. Halbert (1901).

The people of the southeastern and northeaster districts lived in large towns for mutual defense against their constant enemies the Creeks.

Southeastern or Sixtown Division

The southeastern district came to be called Oklahannali, ‘Sixtowns,’ from the name of the dominant subdivision.

  • Bishkun, in the northern part of Jasper County.
  • Bissasha, on the west side of Little Rock Creek, in Newton County, sect. 23, tp. 8, range 12, east.
  • Boktoloksi, on Boguetuluksi Creek, a southwest affluent of Chickasawhay River.
  • Chickasawhay, on Chickasawhay River about 3 miles south of Enterprise, Clarke County.
  • Chinakbi, on the site of Garlandville, in Jasper County.
  • Chiskilikbacha, probably in Jasper County.
  • Coatraw, 4 miles southwest of the town of Newton in sect. 17, tp. 5, range 11, east, Newton County.
  • Inkillis tamaha, in the northeastern part of Jasper County.
  • Nashobawenya, in the southwestern part of Jasper County.
  • Okatalaia, in the eastern part of Smith County or the western part of Jasper County.
  • Oktak chito tamaha, location unknown. Oskelagna, probably in Jasper County.
  • Pooshapukanuk, a former Choctaw settlement, including Mt. Dexter, probably in Marion County, Miss. It was the scene of the treaty of Nov. 16, 1805. Am. State Papers, Ind. Aff., I, 749, 1832.
  • Puskustakali, in the southwest corner of Kemper County or the proximate part of Neshoba County. (Probably Puskus Takali, ‘hanging child.’ Halbert). A former Choctaw town, mentioned by Romans as having been deserted in 1771. It was southwest by west from Concha, and so seems to have been in the southwest corner of Kemper County, Miss., though possibly in Neshoba County.
  • Siniasha, location uncertain.
  • Tala, in the southern part of Newton County, between Tarlow and Bogue Felamma Creeks.
  • Talahoka, in Jasper County.
  • Yowani, on the east side of Chickasawhay River, in the southern part of Clarke County.

Western Division

The western division was called Oklafalaya, ‘the long people,’ and consisted of small, scattered villages. Gatschet gives Cobb Indians as the name of those Choctaw settled west of Pearl River.

  • Abissa, location uncertain.
  • Atlantchitou, location unknown.
  • Ayoutakale, location unknown.
  • Bok chito, probably on Bogue Chitto, in Neshoba and Kemper Counties.
  • Bokfalaia, location uncertain.
  • Bokfoka, location unknown.
  • Boktokolo, location unknown.
  • Cabea Hoola, location unknown.
  • Chunky, on the site of Union, Newton County.
  • Chunky chito, on the west bank of Chunky Creek, about half a mile below the confluence of that creek with Talasha Creek-later this belonged to the southern district.
  • East Kunshak chito, near Moscow, in Kemper County.
  • Filitamon, location unknown.
  • Halunlawi asha, on the site of Philadelphia, in Neshoba County.
  • Hashuk chuka, location unknown.
  • Hashuk homa, location unknown.
  • Imoklasha, on the headwaters of Talasha Creek, in Neshoba County, in sections 4, 9, and 16, tp. 9, range 13, east.
  • Iyanabi, on Yannubbee Creek, about 8 miles southwest of De Kalb, in Kemper County.
  • Itichipota, between the headwaters of Chickasawhay and Tombigbee Rivers.
  • Kafitalaia, on Owl Creek, in section 21, tp. 11, range 13, east, in Neshoha County.
  • Kashtasha, on the south side of Custusha Creek, about 3 miles a little south of West Yazoo Town.
  • Konshak osapa, somewhere west of West Imoklasha.
  • Koweh chito, northwest of De Kalb, in Kemper County.
  • Kushak, on Lost Horse Creek, 4 miles southeast of Lazelia, Lauderdale County.
  • Kunshak bolukta, in the southwestern part of Kemper County some 2 miles from Neshoba County line and 1½, miles from the Lauderdale County line.
  • Kunshak chito, on or near the upper course of Oktibbeha River.
  • Lushapa, perhaps on Lussalaka Creek, a tributary of Kentarcky Creek, in Neshoba County.
  • Oka Chippo, location unknown.
  • Oka Coopoly, on Ocobly Creek, in Neshoba County.
  • Oka hullo, probably on or near the mouth of Sanoote Creek, which empties into Petickfa Creek in Kemper County.
  • Oka Kapassa, about Pinckney Mill, in sect. 23, tp. 8, range 11, east, in Newton County-possibly in the southern section.
  • Okalusa, in Romans’ time on White’s Branch, Kemper County.
  • Okapoola, location unknown.
  • Okehanea tamaha, location unknown.
  • Oklabalbaha, location unknown.
  • Oklatanap, location unknown.
  • Oony, south of Pinckney Mill, in Newton County-possibly in the southern division.
  • Osak talaia, near the line between Neshoba and Kemper Counties.
  • Osapa chito, on the site of Dixon Post Office, in Neshoba County.
  • Otuk falaia, location unknown.
  • Pante, at the head of Ponta Creek, in Lauderdale County.
  • Shinuk Kaha, about 7 miles a little north or east of Philadelphia, in Neshoba County.
  • Shumotakali, in Kemper County, between the two head prongs of Black Water Creek.
  • Tiwaele, location unknown.
  • Tonicahaw, location unknown. Utapacha, location unknown.
  • Watonlula, location uncertain.
  • West Abeka, location unknown.
  • West Kunshak chito, in Neshoba County, near the headwaters of Oktibbeha Creek.
  • Wiatakali, about 1 mile south of the De Kalb and Jackson road, in Neshoba County.
  • Yazoo, or West Yazoo, in Neshoba County, near the headwaters of Oktibbeha Creek, in sections 13 and 24, tp. 10, range 13, east.

Northeastern Division

The northeastern division was called Ahepatokla (Oypatukla), ‘the potato-eating people.’

  • Alamucha, 10 miles from Sukenatcha Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Athlepele, location unknown.
  • Boktokolo chito, at the confluence of Running Tiger and Sukenatcha Creeks, about 4 miles northwest of De Kalb.
  • Chichatalys, location unknown.
  • Chuka hullo, on the north side of Sukenatcha Creek, somewhere between the mouths of Running Tiger and Straight Creeks, in Kemper County.
  • Chuka lusa, location unknown.
  • Cutha Aimethaw, location unknown.
  • Cuthi Uckehaca, probably on or near the mouth of Parker’s Creek, which empties into Petickfa, in sect. 30, tp. 10, range 17, east.
  • East Abeka, at the junction of Straight Creek with the Sukenatcha, in Kemper County.
  • Escooba, perhaps on or near Petickfa Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Hankha Ula, on a flat-topped ridge between the Petickfa and Black Water Creeks, in Kemper County.
  • Holihta asha, on the site of De Kalb, in Kemper County.
  • Ibetap okla chito, perhaps on Straight Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Ibetap okla iskitini, at the head of the main prong of Yazoo Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Imoklasha iskitini, on Flat Creek, the eastern prong of Yazoo Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Itokchako, near East Aheka, in Kemper County.
  • Kunshaktikpi, on Coonshark Creek, a tributary of Kentarky Creek, in Neshoba County.
  • Lukfata, on the headwaters of one of the prongs of Sukenatcha River.
  • Oka Altakala, probably at the confluence of Petickfa and Yannubbee Creeks, in Kemper County.
  • Osapa issa, on the north side of Blackwater Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Pachanucha, location unknown.
  • Skanapa, probably on Running Tiger Creek, in Kemper County.
  • Yagna Shoogawa, perhaps on Indian branch of Running Tiger Creek.
  • Yanatoe, probably in southwest Kemper County.
  • Yazoo iskitini, on both sides of Yazoo Creek.

The following were outside the original town clusters

  • Bayou Chicot, south of Cheneyville, St. Landry Parish, La.
  • Boutte Station, in St. Charles Parish, La.
  • Cahawba Old Towns, in Perry County, Ala., and probably on Cahawba River.
  • Cheponta’s Village, on the west bank of the Tombigbee River in the extreme southeastern part of Choctaw County, Ala.
  • Chisha Foka, on the site of Jackson.
  • Coila, in Carroll County, probably occupied by Choctaw.
  • Heitotowa, at the site of the later Sculleyville, Choctaw Nation, Oklahoma.
  • Shukhata, on the site of Columbus, Alabama.
  • Teeakhaily Ekutapa, on the lower Tombigbee River.
  • Tombigbee, on or near Tombigbee River.

A few other names of towns placed in the old Choctaw country appear on various maps, but most of these are probably intended for some of the villages given above.


Topics:
Choctaw,

Collection:
Hodge, Frederick Webb, Compiler. The Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. Bureau of American Ethnology, Government Printing Office. 1906.

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