AYA Takes You Home to the Chickasaw Homeland

If you are just getting to know the AYA Walk app, the Homeland Journey is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways to dive in. AYA Walk is a free app turningyour everyday steps into a cultural journey, guiding you in reverse along the Chickasaw Removal trail back to the Chickasaw Homeland in Mississippi. The idea, first envisioned by Dr. Judy Goforth Parker, was to create a way for Chickasaws and all users to “walk home” through stories, history and real places.

In the series, you walk alongside five fictional “walking partners,” each rooted in a different era of Chickasaw history. As you move, they share their stories through audio and text episodes. You will also come across Points of Interest (POIs) which are real historic locations highlighted with photos captured along the Removal path by Chickasaw citizen Branden Hart.

Whether you are new to AYA or exploring more of what the app offers, the Homeland Journey is a welcoming place to start. It is designed to help you learn, reflect and connect with Chickasaw history, stories and culture.

Meet Your Homeland Walking Partners

Akanowa: Life in an Early Chickasaw Village

Voiced by Virginia Puller Bolen.

Akanowa, whose name means “to be walking,” guides you through the traditions and daily life of a Chickasaw village before European contact. As a respected grandmother of the Chikasha (Chickasaw) people, she shares stories passed down through generations, including teachings from her own grandmother.

Walk with her to learn how Chickasaw families hunted, built homes, cultivated tunchi (corn), and prepared for ceremonies and games. Akanowa brings warmth and wisdom to every step, offering a close look at the values and rhythms shaping early Chickasaw life.

Hikatubby: The First Encounter with Europeans

Voiced by Vincent Baptiste.

Hikatubby’s name was earned through bravery in battle and means “He Stood and Killed.” He leads you into the turbulent period of Hernando de Soto’s 1541 expedition. As a Chickasaw warrior, he recounts the invasion of Chickasaw territory and the escalating conflict leading to the Battle of Chicasa.

During your walk together, he explains how Chickasaw warriors prepared for battle and defended their homeland. Their fierceness in battle earned them the name “Spartans of the Lower Mississippi Valley.” As Akanowa’s grandson, he continues a legacy of resilience, determination and cultural strength.

Solomon and Mah Wah Ta: Farming Life in the Homeland

Voiced by Brad “Ace” Greenwood and Monica (Copeland) Peoples.

Solomon and Mah Wah Ta invite you into the everyday life of Chickasaw farmers in the 1830s. They share how cotton became a valuable crop and describe the federal government’s construction of a cotton gin on the Tombigbee River.

Solomon talks about raising cotton, cattle, horses, and the importance of staying connected to cultural traditions like hunting, fishing and stickball. Mah Wah Ta shares how she grew and gathered food and medicine, made pottery, wove textiles and practiced beadwork.

Together, they paint a picture of Homeland life built around hard work, family and community.

Eliza: Preparing for Oklahoma Statehood

Eliza is a 12-year-old girl living in Indian Territory in 1907 as it becomes the state of Oklahoma. The granddaughter of Solomon and Mah Wah Ta, she studies at Bloomfield Academy, a Chickasaw-run boarding school.

Through Eliza’s eyes, you will see how statehood brought both opportunity and uncertainty. She feels torn between the traditions of her Chickasaw family and the new expectations of American society. Her story highlights culture, family, sovereignty and the enduring spirit of the Chickasaw people.

Start Your Homeland Journey

If you would like to explore the Homeland Journey, you can download the AYA Walk app in the App Store or Google Play. Every step moves your forward in the story at your own pace.

If you are already part of the AYA community, we are glad you are here. Keep exploring AYA Walk News for guides, tips and cultural articles helping you make the most of your walks.

Keep exploring:

• Discover AYA’s Mindfulness Feature: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Walk with Purpose: Making Fitness Fun and Enjoyable
• Chickasaw Legacy with Horses

With AYA, you never walk alone.

Anowa chipisala'cho (until we meet again),

Your AYA Walk Team