Facebook Twitter Email
In The Hoop
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2001

Welcome to In The Hoop, Indianz.Com's occasional column about assorted Indian issues.

Storytime with Uncle Neal
Are you interested in getting deep inside of the mind of Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb? Well, you can get a glimpse of it by joining In The Hoop for a tale McCaleb said his Chickasaw grandmother passed down to him.

McCaleb recited this version of the story at the Alaska Federation of Natives convection on October 26, 2001. He had just spoken about controversies over Indian Country's share of federal highway funds, saying tribes shouldn't fight over the "slice" of the pizza they get but instead work to increase the size of the pizza.

Enjoy!

Feast or Famine: A Chickasaw Tale
"I will share with you a little bit of my Native culture, a story my grandmother gave me. And it's about feast or famine.

"In the feast scenario, there is a table or a place piled high with food -- venison, water fowl and food of every kind.

"But the Indians are starving and emaciated and angry with each other and fighting.

"And the reason is their arms are locked at the elbows and they cannot feed themselves and put the food into their mouths.

"There is strife and there is starvation and this is famine in the face of plenty.

"The other scenario is very much the same with two exceptions. The food is still there but they're not fighting.

"They're well fed and they're contented. Their arms are still locked at the elbow, but they are feeding each other.

"And that's the Chickasaw view of the afterlife of heaven and hell.

"You can starve in the face of plenty or you can be fed by one another through sharing and caring for each other

"It's time for us to come together and feed each other in Indian Country and to take care of each other."

Epilogue
McCaleb's story was followed by a round of applause. He has since urged tribes to accept a compromise solution his staff drafted to distribute Indian Reservation Roads funds.

In Your Hoop
What's your favorite story? Email In the Hoop and let us know.

Previous In The Hoops
November 7 | November 6 | November 2 | November 1 | October 31 | October 30 | October 26 | October 24 | October 23 | October 19 | October 17 | October 16 | October 12 | October 10 | October 5 | October 3 | October 2 | September 27 | September 26 | September 10 | September 7 | September 6 | September 4 | August 31 | August 24 | August 23 | August 22 | August 21 | August 17 | August 16 | August 14 | August 10 | August 7 | August 6 | August 3 | August 2 | July 31 | July 27 | July 27: Code Talkers | July 20 | July 13 | July 11 | July 10 | July 6 | June 28 | June 27 | June 22 | June 20 | June 19 | June 15 | June 14 | June 8 | June 6 | June 5 | June 1 | May 30 | May 24 | May 23 | May 16 | May 11 | May 8 | May 7 | May 2 | May 1 | April 30 | April 25 | April 24 | April 23 | April 20 | April 19