Chanta Anumpa

Author: Danila Emelyanov, T.Fox

13.08.2026

Introduction

Greetings! Today we will talk about the Choctaw language - a Native American language spoken in North America. I have interviewed T.Fox, who is learning this language, to get the most sincere insight about the routine, an endangered language student faces.

What is the Choctaw language?

The Choctaw language is the language spoken by the Choctaw people - an indigenous nation residing within the modern day United States. It’s apart of the Mvskogee family of languages which includes Chickasaw. Chickasaw and Choctaw are very similar languages and in our creation story, choctaw and chickasaw were brothers.

Where and by whom is it primarily spoken today?

It is primarily spoken within the states of Mississippi and Oklahoma by members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. This includes the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians.

How many people speak Choctaw fluently right now and what is its official status within the Choctaw Nation and the US?

According to the 2015 census, there are 9,600 native speakers of the language. It is the official language of the Choctaw Nation. It is considered endangered.

How often can one hear Choctaw in daily life - on the streets, at community events or at work?

It’s unlikely to hear this language spoken outside of choctaw spaces like within the nation. Within the nation, you’re likely to hear common phrases like halito and yakoke but most conversation takes place in English. There are far more speakers in Mississippi but I am a citizen of the nation of Oklahoma.

Do local people take pride in it or do some see it as something old-fashioned?

I think there is a lot of pride in speaking choctaw. I’ve never heard someone speak it who was ashamed.

Are there any dialects or regional varieties of Choctaw that you encounter?

AFAIK there are two dialects. The Mississippi dialect and the Oklahoma dialect. Mostly differences in spelling (Choctaw was not a written language until settler contact) and a few different words here and there.

How would you describe the current state of the language - is it severely endangered or is there strong hope for a revival through education?

I believe it to be severely endangered but the nation is putting a lot lot lot of effort into keeping it alive. They have an entire department dedicated to revitalization and teaching the next generation of fluent speakers so they can teach their children. Highly incentivized and it’s common to hear “even if you do nothing else for the community, learn our language. It’s dying”.

How did you first get interested in the Choctaw language?

This one is complicated. I consider myself to be a mixed race person (although for clarity, I am white presenting). My father was choctaw and he killed himself when I was young. This event has shaped my entire life and my view of the world. His mother tried to teach me everything she knew (despite not being Choctaw herself) because she was so sad he couldn’t instill that pride in me. I grew up knowing that I was indigenous and that it was important. Unfortunately, I suffered some racism from my mom’s side of the family and it caused a lot of confusion and hurt inside for me. I still question myself and have a lot of issues with identity and self perception.

Over the last few years (mostly since being an adult), I’ve decided that I’m done wondering who I am and I was going to carve out a path for myself. Everytime I rejected being Choctaw, I felt horrible about myself. Since accepting who I am and connecting with my people, I feel whole.

Learning the language is a huge part of my reconnection journey

Did anyone in your family speak Choctaw or are you reconnecting with your heritage on your own?

All by myself. My dad’s side of the family has some interest but they’re not as serious as me.

What inspired you to take the step and actually start learning it?

Honestly, modding for r/choctaw and creating the r/choctaw discord. I wanted an online space to connect since I live far from the nation itself and we only meet up here once a year. Putting everything together made me start to get serious about learning.

What challenges do you face as a learner?

There’s a lot of challenges. There are resources but they can be a bit difficult to navigate. Finding a practice partner who can actually speak more than a few words is also very challenging. The pronunciation rules can also be a bit tough for reading.

Is it hard to find learning materials, teachers or speaking partners?

What does learning and speaking Choctaw mean to you personally - emotionally, culturally or spiritually?

When I listen, and I speak and I understand, I feel connected to something larger to myself. It’s like my ancestors can hear me and understand me.

How do other young people react to your choice to learn Choctaw? Do you feel support, curiosity or skepticism?

Most people have never heard of choctaw so I spend a lot of time explaining what it is. 40% of Americans think that indigenous people died out. There’s over 500 tribes recognized federally by the United States and it’s unlikely the average non indigenous person could name more than 5.

Do you think Choctaw could ever become “trendy” or popular among the younger generation?

I don’t think choctaw is “pretty” enough to be trendy. Lots of consonants and it’s not very lyrical.

Do you use online resources to learn?

Lots of online resources. Mostly the ones provided by the CNO. Especially the dictionary and phrase book. Rosetta Stone is supposed to get a course sometime in the next year.

Are you involved in any youth initiatives or student groups that support Indigenous languages?

I am not. I live on Pomo lands so all of the language effort here is for the Pomo languages.

How do you see the future of the Choctaw language in 10-20 years?

I think in 10 to 20 years, we will have more speakers but the language will still be endangered or threatened.

What needs to be done to make sure it doesn’t disappear?

Whats really difficult is that we need to teach people to be fluent and then they need to have children and only speak to them in choctaw for it to be a native language. It’s a big responsibility for a nation of 20k.

Do you have a favorite word or expression in Choctaw? What does it mean?

Hmmm probably “chi hullo li” (I love you)

What advice would you give to other young people who want to learn their heritage or regional language but don’t know where to start?

Start with hello and introducing yourself. Then some fun animals. And then….. Use it all the time. Make it commonplace. Say hello in your language first, introduce yourself in your language first. For too long in the United States, people have gotten comfortable with English being the default. Make your hello just as common as saying aloha, bonjour, or jambo. Let others be uncomfortable.