Lucie Bell, creates miniature beaded dolls to sell at the 66th Annual Choctaw Indian Fair Wednesday.

    Even through the winds of change, the traditions and culture of the Choctaw Nation lives on today in many ways, including the theme for the 66th Annual Choctaw Indian Fair.

     “The Choctaw Spirit Lives On” is the emphasis for this year’s fair, which began Wednesday and continues through Saturday. Organizers say the theme will be expressed through works of art, songs, dances and language,

    During the four-day fair, tribal communities from the Red Clay Hills of Neshoba County gather on the Mississippi Choctaw Indian Reservation to welcome friends, neighbors, and visitors from around the country who look forward to attending the fair each year. Many come to experience tribal arts, crafts, dances, traditional food, storytelling and cultural demonstrations. But some come because it is home.

    “We enjoy coming back to the fair each year to see old friends, family and to meet a lot of new folks,” said Cubert Bell of Henning,Tenn., who, along with his wife, Lacie, have been coming to the fair 35 years. Neshoba County is their original home.

    “We moved to Tennessee in the ’50s with our grandmothers, but hold our ties to the homeland,” Bell said. “My ancestors moved up there to work crops, and eventually the Choctaw tribe kept growing. We now have over 150 people who live on the reservation in Tennessee.”

    The Bells are among the numerous vendors at the fair. Their booth showcases traditional handmade crafts that include  glass cut beaded jewelry, hatchets and blow guns.

    As for the fair’s long-standing traditions, Bell said most have remained the same. Overall, he said the fair has improved through the years.

    “Mostly, we have seen some changes in the dancing,” he said. “Some of the things we have noticed are the programs and activities at the fair keep getting better each year.”

    Marcella Vaughn, who was born and raised in the Choctaw community, holds true to her Choctaw culture, which is demonstrated in the authentic bugle bead necklaces, blankets, dresses and handmade jewelry she displays at her booth.

    “I taught the Choctaw culture in the school system for 42 years,” Vaughn said. “I taught sewing and beadwork in the communities of Bogue Chitto, Tucker, Pearl River, Redwater, Standing Pine and Choctaw. I believe in teaching the younger generation so our culture will never be forgotten.”

     Vaughn said the majority of older Choctaws speak both their native language and English. The children are taught the language and speak it today, she said.

    Choctaw dance remains a tradition at the fair and is led by the rise and fall of the voice of chanters such as Dan Isaac, who, along with his brother, has chanted for social dances since childhood.

    “We started very young and have been doing it ever since,” Isaac said. “Some of the dances are the War Dance, Friendship Dance, Corn Dance and the Stickball Dance.”

    The annual Choctaw Indian Fair is also an attraction to Non-Native Americans like Beverly Byrd of Long Beach. Byrd, who is attending this year’s fair with her family, said her children wanted to know more about Choctaw culture, as well as their home state.    “So we thought we would bring them to the fair for some first-hand experience,” Byrd said.

    Amy Cliett, whose children also have an interest in Native American life, said the Choctaw Indian Fair is the only place in the state that demonstrates its different aspects.

    “They are very interested in all the different cultures, so I try to expose them to as much of it as I can,” Cliett said. “My daughter loved the Choctaw Princess (pageant) and the beautiful dresses, and my son really likes the stickball games.”

    The Choctaw Indian Fair continues today, with culture demonstrations, arts and crafts, traditional food, children’s activities, Midway rides and more throughout the day and evening. Choctaw Social Dancing will begin each night at 6 p.m., followed by concerts featuring entertainers from the past (the Oak Ridge Boys), present (Gary Allan) and future (Jerrod Niemann) and World Series Stickball.