A Moment in Time

Nancy Rhoades Mississippi Choctaw I am a Mississippi Choctaw Artist from Jimtown, Ok. I have lived here all my life. My great grandmother, Mattie Johnson was an original enrollee, and our family kept near her allotment. My family history goes all the way back to the Chicapoula Village what is now Bay St. Louis, MS, where my fourth great grandfather was chief. His name was Takala Yearby or Yarby or Yaba. Our family were six towns Choctaw. Researching my family history has been a big reason to pursue my passion to portray native artwork. My father, FS Mapp, was an avid hunter, fisherman, and trapper. His way of provision for our family of six will always be appreciated. I never had beef steak till my husband, and I started dating. My father always provided for our table along with my mother's huge vegetable garden. We never went hungry. I knew as I became older that college wasn't going to happen for me. I never asked to go but knew I never wanted to burden my parents with that expense