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Acknowledgments This book is a record of the oral traditions of a community, of prophecies known by many but narrated by few. Those men and women who have shared their stories are named throughout this book but deserve speci¤c recognition here not only for their knowledge, skill, and artistry in narration but for sharing their traditions with a larger audience. Personally, I thank them for opening their doors to me, both literally and ¤guratively, in overwhelming expressions of generosity, friendship, and trust. In Bogue Chitto, Billy Amos has been my guide and friend for as long as I have been visiting Mississippi. His passion for chanting and social dance is contagious and invigorating, and though my studies have focused on narrative , he has helped reveal the larger picture of Choctaw culture, leading me through the community to others well versed in the old stories and customs. Also in Bogue Chitto is Bobby Joe, a more recent acquaintance but no less knowledgeable or less generous with his time. In Conehatta, I had the pleasure of spending time with many of the elders in the community, thanks to the stewardship of Glenda Williamson and Meriva Williamson, both of whom led me through the community to speak to the elders they knew. Their introductions were key, their translations crucial . Most of the elders we spoke to prefer to speak Choctaw rather than English . Glenda and Meriva listened carefully and helped me understand what these older women were saying. For this project, my work with Mallie Smith, Odie Anderson, and Jef¤e Solomon was most directly productive, though I learned much from others such as Lillie Gibson, Esbie Gibson, and Donna Denson. I met less often with these women and know them less well, but the wisdom they shared with me in their native language is some of the most insightful and powerful material in this book. In Standing Pine there is Carmen Denson and his father Charlie Denson. I met them both my ¤rst night in Mississippi as they sang traditional Choctaw hymns in a community recreation hall. Charlie is a well-respected elder in the community with a quick wit and a deep knowledge of tribal traditions. Carmen is gaining similar respect. Some topics are not open for discussion, such as the details of Choctaw medicine. But Charlie and Carmen recognize that inaccurate stereotypes and false assumptions about the Choctaw and American Indians in general exist, so they share their knowledge generously in order to dispel them. In Tucker, Melford Farve has been my closest friend and advisor. Melford knows stores of great stories, many of which appear in my edited collection Choctaw Folk Tales (1998). While his knowledge of prophetic narratives was less extensive, my debt to him for sharing his knowledge of Choctaw culture and for his friendship is enormous. In Crystal Ridge, I worked with Linda Willis. I met her late in my ¤eldwork as I followed up on information about Cameron Wesley, a man many claim was the last traditional chief of the Choctaw. Linda is one of Cameron Wesley’s grandchildren. The predictions and prophecies she remembers came from him. Crystal Ridge lies to the north of most of the Choctaw communities and has only recently been incorporated into the list of of¤cial communities recognized by the tribe. They do not yet have a council representative, but that will no doubt change in time. Another community, in Henning, Tennessee, just north of Memphis, is based around a circular drive, called “Choctaw Road.” All of the elders here were born in Mississippi and moved to Tennessee as young and middle-aged adults in search of work. Grady John is one of the community’s senior members. He has worked for years at Chukalissa, an archaeological village site that dates to the ¤fteenth century and has been renovated as a museum run by the University of Memphis. Grady revels in learning from the professors and students of this school as he in turns instructs them on contemporary culture. My debt to residents of Pearl River is perhaps the greatest. Harold Comby shares my interest in Choctaw culture and history, far surpassing my dedication to the topic. Harold speaks eloquently, quoting liberally from both his mother and books he has read. When I have a question, I call Harold. No less eloquent is Louise Wilson. Her primary source is her grandfather, John Hunter Thompson. A few decades ago, Choctaw students spoke with him and recorded his stories; I...

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