In 1847 the Choctaw Nation responded to a plea for help from a country far away across the ocean, by sending $710* to aid the victims of the Great Irish Famine.
This immense act of human generosity, from one impoverished people to another over 150 years ago, is a beautiful, touching moment that should never be forgotten in the many volumes of untold history.
Table of Contents
An Act of Kindness by the Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw's enormous sacrifice, and astonishing community response to help an unknown people, is truly inspiring. Merely sixteen years previously a forced relocation from their native Mississippi to Oklahoma, was imposed upon them by European settlers.
There is a wide variety of literature available focusing on the ties that bind Irish and American culture. I could have chosen one such book, or a famous piece of Irish literature, to review for my first post in the book's category of this blog. Instead, I wish to introduce you to a wonderful children's book which tells this little-known, but universal tale of courage, wisdom and forgiveness.
The Long March: The Choctaw's Gift To Irish Famine Relief
"The Long March: The Choctaw's Gift to Irish Famine Relief," by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick is a beautiful children's picture book. It's tale of sacrifice and tribal values, respect for memories, and the human quest for social justice, deeply affected me when I first read it to my seven-year old son.
The synopsis, on the book's cover, encapsulates the story''s message - the age-old human need for forgiveness. A young Choctaw boy, Choona, struggles to understand his people's desire to help a people he sees as their persecutors.
"Choona is a young Choctaw. Word has reached his tribe that there is a famine in Ireland. From what precious little they have, the Choctaw collect $710* to help the starving Irish. As Choona learns the terrible truth about his own tribe's Long March, he must decide for himself whether to answer another people's faraway cry for help"...... The Long March.
Through the wisdom of Talihoyo, his great-grandmother, Choona grows to understand this act of kindness demonstrates his people's faith in the promise of life, and the hope for a brighter future.
Her words are a memorial to the past and have taught me to rejoice in the generosity of the human spirit.
Photo Credit
"I am half-blind, but when I close my eyes the faces of the dead come to me through the blackness. We have walked the trail of tears. The Irish people walk it now. We can help them as we could not help ourselves. Our help will be like an arrow shot through time. It will land many winters from now to wait as a blessing for our unborn generations".... The Long March.
The author/illustrator, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, is Irish. She traveled to Oklahoma to meet with the elders of the Choctaw Nation before writing this beautiful book.
Her work with tribal experts is clearly evident in the visual and cultural details of her realistic illustrations.
A Small Piece of Irish American History
This is a small piece of Irish-American history that should always be remembered. This book is an emotional and moving tribute to the courage and wisdom of the Choctaw Nation.
I am currently completing a historical fiction novel set at the time of the Irish famine.
Here is a little excerpt from a letter written by my heroine, describing the trail of displaced, rural Irish, victims of eviction, working their way towards the cities and ports. This piece reflects an Irish trail of tears, a shared experience with the Choctaw.
"The rural outcasts move methodically towards the Cork road, passing shuttered windows and barred doors. They plod onwards, with bone-weary drudgery, towards the city. Merging into a slow train of refugees, the destitute, take one weary step after the other, towards an unknown destiny, carrying whatever they can salvage on their backs. No hope beckons on the horizon of a famished people.
We are all journeying towards death, nearing our destination, every moment of every day. How long our journey will take has, until now, been the great unknown. This era of desolation has changed everything for the Irish poor. Hundreds of thousands of my countrymen have only a few more inches to crawl, before their possibilities vanish forever. The future never offered much to the Irish, but now even our meager dreams, have disappeared into nothingness."
Their tattered dreams were caught in the dream catchers of a suffering nation far, far away.
The Choctaw gave when they too had nothing, because they recognized the similarities between their experience and that of the Irish.
Both peoples endured the terror of conquest, knew the pain of loss, of forced migration, exile, suffering, starvation, and suppression.
Irish President Mary Robinson Visits The Choctaw Nation
In June 1995, the Irish President, Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, to personally thank them for their gift on behalf of all Irish people. Her words on that occasion speak of our eternal gratitude and understanding:
Ireland was "thousands of miles away, in no way linked to the Choctaw Nation until then, the only link being a common humanity, a common sense of another people suffering as the Choctaw Nation had suffered when being removed from their tribal land".....Mary Robinson, President of Ireland, 1990 to 1997.
In the 1990's members of the Choctaw Nation traveled to Ireland to participate in an annual commemorative Famine Walk in the west of Ireland. Gary Whitedeer, an elder of the Oklahoma Choctaw, explained to the Irish President "that taking part in that walk and remembering the past between the Choctaw Nation and Irish people and relinking our peoples, is completing the circle."
And so, let us complete the circle of history, by remembering the past. We can celebrate this incredible bond of shared humanity through our own personal acts of loving kindness, just as the Choctaw Nation did, many moons ago.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some more recipes and ramblings you might enjoy...
*In this post I have noted the Choctaw donation to the Irish people as $710, although many articles and this book, The Long March, refer to the sum as $170. The Wikipedia page on The Choctaw Nation attributes this error to a misprint in Angie Debo's, The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic.
Here are some other recipes and ramblings you might enjoy....
Furze - The Yellow Flower Of The Irish Landscape
Irish Sheepdogs - Why I Love Border Collies
- Our Irish Heritage - A Kid's Guide to the Irish Diaspora and Irish National Anthem
- 19th Century Irish Immigrants Who Made Multiple Journeys To America
- Celtic Roots Learning Program
- An Irish Pilgrimage
- A Tribute To My Irish American Mom
- Irish Immigrant Song Tugs On The Heartstrings
- Irish Famine Burial Pits In Skibbereen
- Brave Hearts By Jean Mahoney - Book Giveaway
- Famine Memorial At Ireland Park, Toronto
- Our Irish Heritage
- America Bound
- US Infrastructure And The Extraordinary Legacy Of Irish American Immigrants
Payton Wilson
Hey there! This is Payton Wilson (a.k.a. country girl) from Dirt and Dickens. I saw your comments on my latest post and thought I would drop by your website and say hello! I am totally loving your site! One of my lifelong dreams has been to visit Ireland and Scotland, and I love all things Irish and Scottish. I will definitely be keeping up with your blog, etc! Thanks for dropping by Dirt and Dickens!
I am always curious as to how people find my blog...how did you come across D&D?
Farewell, friend!
Payton
Irish American Mom
Thanks for stopping by. I found your site through The Pioneer Woman's website. All the best!
Grammy@gramcracker.com/blog
My family is mostly Irish/Cherokee, this was an interesting post. Thanks for sharing it!
Melinda
Thanks for the post...as a Choctaw tribal member, I take great pride in all that my tribe does. They give back so much more to their community. That is why God has blessed them.
Irish American Mom
Melinda - I found the story of the Choctaw nation's gift to the people of Ireland to be truly inspirational. As a descendant of those whom they helped I thank your ancestors for their generosity and selflessness. I look forward to exploring and learning more about Native American tribes and cultures with my children as they grow and complete their education in America. We all can learn so much from those that have gone before us. Thank you so much for checking out my blog and for your lovely comment.
Mairead
Judy Allen
Halito!
I am the Public Relations Executive Director for the Choctaw Nation and am proud to see your blog! Congratulations on your upcoming book. Mary Louise- Fitzpatrick's book The Long Sad March is awesome! In 1990 AFrI hosted a small group of us from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to walk in County Mayo to bring attention to Famine Relief, and in 1992 a group of us came to Dublin for the unveiling of the commemorative plaque in the Lord Mayor's Mansion. The link between our two cultures is long-lasting and the similarities are amazing. Our histories include nearly losing our historic languages, tribal cultures, strong family values, love of ceremonial dance and a recent awakening and revival of our culture and heritage. Blessings to you in the future!
Judy Allen
Irish American Mom
Dear Judy - Thanks so much for stopping by. It is lovely to hear that the links between our two cultures are strong to this very day, and that a group from the Choctaw Nation visited Ireland to commemorate those ties. Your Nation's gift to the people of Ireland at the time of the Famine is truly inspiring. I hope that the recent reawakening and desire to learn more about our cultures and heritage will continue to strengthen each and every year. Wishing you every success in your important role of representing your people to the world, and sharing their knowledge and experiences. I truly believe we have much to learn from our ancestors.
Best wishes,
Mairead
Penny Wolf
What a wonderful piece of history and thank you for sharing it. When I worked in a factory things would not always be to my liking. After a certain amount of complaining I would end up thinking "How would you like to walk to Oklahoma?" Every people have their trail of tears all through history and knowing about it sure puts things in perspective for today. Thanks again!
Irish American Mom
Penny - This really is a wonderful and little known story of the Irish Famine, and a true credit to the Choctaw people. I love your outlook on life. Whenever I feel a little down I always remind myself that things could be a lot worse. "You could have been born during the Famine," I tell myself.
Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely St. Patrick's Day.
All the best,
Mairéad
joan mckniff
I've just learned of this history today. Thanks so very much for the information and color you shared.
Irish American Mom
Joan - So glad I was able to share this touching story, which tells so much about the generosity of the human spirit.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Kim
Thank you for posting this article about the Choctaw people. I look forward to reading The Long March myself and sharing it with my children.
Irish American Mom
Kim - I hope you enjoy it as much as my children and I do.
All the best,
Mairéad
Paul
Although I grew up in N.Ireland and have since moved to Australia I was unaware of the great heart shown by the Chocktaw people toward the people in faraway Ireland suffering from the famine in the mid 1800s. I am very glad that the great compassion and kindness of the Chocktaws has been recognised back in Ireland. I now know that the Chocktaws suffered terribly from being cast out of their own lands and forced to walk for hundreds of miles through a brutal winter but still found the compassion to help the starving Irish. I'm glad Chocktaw culture is still alive today - Recently the Dalai Lama said it was important for native peoples to hold onto their cultures. He also remarked that his religeon was the religeon of kindness. We Irish were fortunate to have the Chocktaw people show such kindness towards us in the midst of such shocking suffering . I hope this special connection between the Chocktaw and the Irish continues and grows to inspire others as time goes on.
Irish American Mom
Hi Paul - Thanks so much for stopping by to check out this story about the links between The Choctaw Nation and the Irish. I too hope this connection between the two continues to grow and inspire others.
Best wishes,
Mairéad