Three Sisters Celebration, a Signature Event at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Set for March 17-21

SULPHUR, Okla. — The Chickasaw Cultural Center is set to host its annual Three Sisters Celebration Tuesday, March 17, through Saturday, March 21. Activities are scheduled 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The celebration is one of the cultural center’s largest annual events and recognizes the significance of the Three Sisters — corn, beans and squash.

Rejoicing in the emergence of spring, the Chickasaw Nation will celebrate Chickasaw culture, language, demonstrations and various activities. Stomp dance demonstrations will take place daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Various cultural and hands-on activities are planned, including bow making, hide tanning and flint knapping. Samples of pashofa, a traditional Chickasaw dish made with hominy, and Three Sisters Stew will be available for tasting.

A highlight of the event will be a planting demonstration of the Three Sisters in the Three Sisters Garden, located inside the traditional village at the cultural center. In combination, these crops have provided the Chickasaw people with generations of long-term soil fertility and healthy sustenance.

The Three Sisters are deeply rooted in Chickasaw agricultural history and have had an overarching influence on the culture and lives of the Chickasaw people. As the corn grows tall and thin, it provides a natural trellis for the bean vines. The beans provide nitrogen back into the mounds feeding the corn and the squash. In turn, the squash surrounds the beans and corn, keeping moisture in and weeds out. This method is used seasonally in the Three Sisters Garden.

Planted together and having a symbiotic relationship, these crops have influenced Chickasaw agriculture for centuries.

For more information, visit ChickasawCulturalCenter.com or call (580) 622-7130.

How to grow and the benefits of the Three Sisters

From attracting pollinators to making the land richer instead of stripping it of nutrients, this form of planting increases biodiversity. Companion planting is considered the best form of gardening for deterring weeds and pests, while enriching the soil.

According to Jennifer Bryant, Director of Horticulture at the Chickasaw Nation, Chickasaw’s know when to grow corn by looking to the oak trees. It is time to plant when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear. This is typically after the last frost around April 15.

Starting a Three Sisters Garden begins by building flat-topped mounds one foot high and three feet across. Leave two to three feet between each mound.

When the danger of frost has passed, it is time to plant corn seeds. In the center of each mound, plant 4 corn kernels in the cardinal directions about 6 inches apart.

After the corn has grown to be around six inches tall, it is a good time to mound up soil around the base of the plant ensure it is sturdy. Then plant one bean between each corn seedling.

After the bean plants are around three inches tall, it is time to plant the squash, pumpkin or gourd seeds. Plant six seeds around the outer edge of the mound.

As the corn and beans grow, make sure the beans are supported by cornstalks, wrapping their vines around the stalk. The squash will crawl out between the corn and beans.

Popular modern corn varieties include sweet and dent corn. For pole beans, Kentucky wonder, Seychelles and monte gusto are common choices, while zucchini, yellow squash and crookneck are popular summer squashes. The varieties grown at the Chickasaw Cultural Center include hickory king or cane corn, pashofa corn, the Cherokee Trail of Tears bean and a variety of winter squashes or gourds.

For more information, visit the Three Sisters Celebration event page at ChickasawCulturalCenter.com.

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