AYA Walk Team

Dancers hold hands during a traditional Chickasaw dance, with a young girl in a purple ribbon dress seen from behind, holding hands with others wearing blue ribbon shirts. Image includes a blue diagonal overlay with 'AYA' logo in white.

3 min read

Dance, Pray, Speak, Sing: Chickasaw Culture Makes You Healthier

Dance is an essential part of Chickasaw tradition. Stomp dances were part of Chickasaws’ ceremonies to gather, give thanks, pray and renew themselves for tasks ahead. Apart from the obvious physical benefits of the dance itself, participating in...

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A promotional book display featuring two novels: 'Chick Asawi: Unconquered and Unconquerable' with dark cover art showing faces with tribal markings, and 'Chula the Fox' by Anthony Perry with a minimalist white cover featuring a golden fox silhouette. The AYA logo appears in white on an orange overlay.

2 min read

AYA Walk Is Chickasaw History

The History of AYA in Three Simple Ingredients Once the idea for AYA was born, the AYA team came together to achieve the vision of encouraging...

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Portrait of Emily Johnson Dickerson, the last monolingual Chickasaw speaker, with her son. She wears a blue checkered shirt, her son has long silver hair. Both shown against a light background. AYA logo overlaid in white on teal diagonal

2 min read

Chikashshanompa': Keeping Chickasaw Culture and Traditions Alive

Emily Shon-she Johnson Dickerson was the last known person who spoke only Chickasaw. With Dickerson’s passing in December 2013, fewer than 100...

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An elderly Chickasaw singer wearing glasses and a traditional ribbon shirt in blue leads a hymnal service. Other Chickasaw singers in traditional ribbon shirts and regalia hold Chickasaw hymnals while gathered for traditional sacred songs.

2 min read

Chickasaw Elders Bring Chikashshanompa' (Chickasaw Language) to Life

AYA Is a Time Capsule Preserving Two of the Chickasaw Nation’s Treasures: Chickasaw Elders and Chickasaw Language.

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Illustration of five diverse Chickasaw women AYA walking partners, shown as digital avatars against a purple-blue gradient background. From left to right: an elder with gray braids, a woman in police uniform, a young girl in white, a woman in turquoise, and a woman in traditional dress.

3 min read

Women’s History Month – Voice Talent for AYA Characters

With AYA, your footsteps unlock powerful stories narrated by the very people whose heritage they celebrate—Dynamic Chickasaw Women. As you move, each...

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