Nanih Waiya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Nanih Waiya Mound And Village
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | Winston County, Mississippi |
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| Nearest city | Noxapater, Mississippi |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001032 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1973 |
Nanih Waiya (also called Nunih Waya) is an ancient platform mound in Winston County, Mississippi. It is a large earthwork built by Native American people. They constructed it during the Middle Woodland period, around 300 to 600 CE.
For hundreds of years, the Choctaw people have seen Nanih Waiya mound and a nearby cave as a very special place. They believe it is where their people first came from.
The Nanih Waiya mound is about 25 feet (7.6 m) tall. It is also 140 feet (43 m) wide and 220 feet (67 m) long. Experts think it was once even larger. Over time, it has changed shape due to natural wear.
Long ago, a circular earth wall about ten feet tall surrounded the mound on three sides. This wall covered a large area, about one square mile.
In 2006, the state of Mississippi returned control of the site to the Luke Family. They had originally given it to the state to be a park. In 2008, the Luke family gave control to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. This tribe is officially recognized by the United States government. Nanih Waiya is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
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Discovering Ancient History at Nanih Waiya
The oldest archaeological findings at Nanih Waiya date back to about 300 to 600 CE. This was during the Middle Woodland time. This is likely when the mound was built.
Nanih Waiya was built around the same time as the Hopewell culture. Other ancient sites like Pinson Mounds in Tennessee and Ingomar Mound in Mississippi are also from this period.
Archaeologists have studied artifacts found on the surface of the mound. They have not yet dug into the mound itself. People continued to use the site until at least 700 CE. This was during the Late Woodland period.
The Choctaw Story of the Mound
Archaeologists have not found signs of the later Mississippian culture at Nanih Waiya. However, they believe the mound has always been used for religious purposes. A naturalist named Gideon Lincecum wrote down a Choctaw oral tradition in the 1800s. This story tells how the Choctaw people arrived in the area and built the mound.
According to this oral history, the Choctaw people wandered for 42 years. They carried the bones of their ancestors with them. There were more dead than living people. They finally found a leaning hill. A magical staff showed them they should stay there. The land was rich and full of food.
The tribal leaders decided to build a mound of earth. This was to respectfully bury the bones of their ancestors. They first built a frame of branches. Then, they covered it with earth while doing their daily tasks. Slowly, the mound grew very large. When it was finished, they celebrated. This was their forty-third year since they started wandering.
The Choctaw have visited the mound for hundreds of years. It has been a place of special importance since the 1600s.
The Sacred Nanih Waiya Cave
About one mile east of the mound, there is a natural hill. It is located in Neshoba County, surrounded by woods. Inside this hill is Nanih Waiya cave. Many Choctaw people believe this cave is where they first came onto the earth.
The cave may have had four entrances at one time. In 1973, two cave explorers went into the cave. They were able to travel 137 feet inside. Water was present 35 feet from the entrance. It became deeper as they went further in.
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians also owns and cares for this hill and cave. Under their leader, Miko Beasley Denson, the tribe bought the site in 2008. They now hold annual Nanih Waiya Day celebrations each August. These events include Choctaw foods and traditional dances.
Choctaw Beliefs About Their Origins
Some Choctaw people believe Nanih Waiya is the "Mother Mound" (Inholitopa iski). They say the first Choctaw person was created there. Many Choctaw storytellers share different versions of this tale. Some say the Choctaw people came from Nanih Waiya or a cave nearby.
According to some stories, the mound or nearby cave is also the origin place for the Chickasaw, Creek people, and possibly even the Cherokee. However, experts believe the Cherokee, who speak an Iroquoian language, moved into the Southeast later. They were not among the first people to emerge from this area.
Other Choctaw believe Nanih Waiya was the final stop of their long journey. They settled there after traveling from the west. George Catlin wrote about a traditional Choctaw story in 1885. It described the Choctaw following a prophet from the west:
The Choctaws a great many winters ago commenced moving from the country where they then lived, which was a great distance to the west of the great river and the mountains of snow, and they were a great many years on their way. A great medicine man led them the whole way, by going before with a red pole, which he stuck in the ground every night where they encamped. This pole was every morning found leaning to the east, and he told them that they must continue to travel to the east until the pole would stand upright in their encampment, and that there the Great Spirit had directed that they should live.
They say that Nanih Waiya means "leaning hill," "stooping hill," or "place of creation" in the Choctaw language. It was the place where their journey ended.
Protecting Nanih Waiya
During the Indian Removal time, the Choctaw gave up millions of acres of their land. This included Nanih Waiya. This happened under the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830.
In the 1840s, the United States looked into problems with this treaty. Many Choctaw people interviewed said they saw Nanih Waiya as the "mother" or "birth-place" of their tribe. Some even said they would not leave the country as long as Nanih Waiya remained.
The state of Mississippi kept Nanih Waiya as a state park for many years. The federal government also recognized it as important. They listed it on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2006, the Mississippi Legislature passed a bill. It officially returned control of the site to the Luke Family. The Luke family had given the land to the state. Their condition was that it be kept as a park. The 150 acres (61 ha) property went back to the Luke family when the state stopped taking care of the park.
In August 2008, the Luke family gave the mound to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. This is a federally recognized tribe. They have made August 18 a tribal holiday to celebrate the return of the mound. On this day, they share stories of their history and perform traditional dances.
