People wearing colorful, handmade beaded clothing entered the Silver Star Convention Center two by two, beating drums rhythmically.

Alice Keats and Shemah Crosby, the Mistresses of Ceremonies, and Asa Jimmie, the Master of Ceremonies, welcomed attendees to the second inauguration of Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben on Tuesday afternoon in Philadelphia, Miss.

Choctaw veterans presented the U.S., Mississippi and Choctaw flags; Nana Frazier sang the National Anthem in Choctaw; and Ricky Thompson prayed over Ben as he started his second term as tribal chief.

Ben’s family stood alongside him as Vice Chief Ronnie Henry, Sr. swore him into office.

During his inauguration address, Ben introduced the newly-elected tribal council members.

“(We are) protecting our sovereignty, preserving our culture and yet guiding them forward in protecting future generations,” he said.

Ben is the fifth democratically-elected tribal chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, so he gave five guiding principles for his second term in office: Respect, equality, accountability, efficiency and appreciation.

“We want to keep moving forward in the right direction for our people, not only for today, but for many years to come,” he said.

He spoke of the perseverance, strength and culture of the Choctaw people and pledged to protect his constituents. The tribal chief noted his gratitude for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and its traditions.

“We consider the drums the heartbeat of the Choctaw people,” Ben said.

A panel of judges crowned 16-year-old Nalani LuzMaria Thompson as the 2023-2024 Choctaw Indian Princess late Wednesday evening. The first alternate was Sydney Alyse Ben and the second alternate was Angel Bahlantah Clemmons.

The 73rd annual Choctaw Indian Fair will close out Saturday night with the Stickball World Series championship.

State Reporter Heather Harrison has won more than a dozen awards for her multi-media journalism work. At Mississippi State University, she studied public relations and broadcast journalism, earning her Communication degree in 2023. For three years, Heather worked at The Reflector student newspaper: first as a staff reporter, then as the news editor and finally, as the editor-in-chief. This is where her passion for politics and government reporting began.
Heather started working at the Mississippi Free Press three days after graduation in 2023. She also worked part time for Starkville Daily News after college covering the Board of Aldermen meetings.
In her free time, Heather likes to sit on the porch, read books and listen to Taylor Swift. A native of Hazlehurst, she now lives in Brandon with her wife and their Boston Terrier, Finley, and calico cat, Ravioli.

One reply on “Cyrus Ben Reinaugurated as Mississippi Choctaw Tribal Chief, Vows to ‘Preserve Our Culture’”

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