Irish and Choctaw "Kindred Spirits" unite in Oklahoma

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited the Choctaw Nation on March 12, 2018.
The visit reciprocated a trip members of the Choctaw Nation made in 2017 for the official unveiling of "Kindred Spirits", a monument dedicated to the Choctaws for the act of kindness they showed the Irish more than 150 years ago.
Featured speakers:
Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
Lillie Roberts of the School of Choctaw Language
Video filmed, written and edited by Brittany Harlow
Photos taken in Fermoy and Dublin by Brittany Harlow
Photos of "Kindred Spirits" dedication taken by Deidre Elrod/Choctaw Nation
Photo of Irish Oak presentation taken by Lisa Reed/Choctaw Nation
Standalone photo of "Kindred Spirits" taken by Brian Martin
Choctaw Flute played by Choctaw Musician Presley Byington
Irish Ballad performed by Ireland Declan Harber

[@jamesmcdonagh5154]

Thank God that us Irish and the native Indians, , the chactaw, tribe still exist today to be able to have this memorable historical moment!!

[@hashutdisciple]

These people decided to send help to the Irish when they didn't know each other, they didn't share any beliefs and after losing a lot of their own, they knew they were going through a struggle and sent what they could. since I knew about this, this has stuck with me as the most selfless act of generosity God bless the Choctaw nation

[@marksmith1916]

The Choctaw people wouldn't have known the Irish from Adam but were there to help in times of need. GOD bless the Choctaw people!

[@timlinator]

Thank you for feeding my family when we were starving. We will never forget.

[@markirish7599]

Thank you blessed first nations people of America for the gift of kindness you gave us during our time of need

[@fradrake11]

Ireland continues to repay our brother's and sister during this Pandemic. God bless you all.

[@richardrobison4161]

Bless all Native Nation Choctaw people

[@tamlynn786]

Yakoke 💚🙏🏽

[@kekoa1843]

Beautiful humanity!

[@emmetnolan7081]

To the Navajo we Irish ☘️ never,ever,ever forget...........Slán go foil a chairde .....Yakoke!!!

[@eadaoinregan2709]

Fáilte reoite my friend. Yá'át'ééh

[@marksmith1916]

Boy if more people followed the Choctaw act what a beautiful place this would be.

[@adriankelly3234]

Please be happy that this is a debt pàrtially repaid and us Irish will forever remember what our brothers and sisters did for us when our ancestors were dying.thak you the Choctaw nation.true humanity when you weren't showing it.forevever in your debt

[@88888888888888888443]

Unfortunately we didn't grow up hearing it and it's a real shame. We are United in our struggles for our land. I'm glad I now know of the generosity of the Choctaws and I will never forget

[@Kitiwake]

I did.

[@Minime163]

Same here infact I forget when I first heard it it's so long ago

[@Jcolbert123]

I learned about the 'native American' donation to the Irish during the famine in history class, I'm 99% sure it was part of the history book text and not a story added on by my history teacher. It was 'native American' rather than specifically the Choctaw tribe taught hence our kindred with all native Americans regardless of their tribes.

[@plopytop]

I distinctly remember learning about the donation in school

[@plopytop]

@@Jcolbert123 I didn't take history post junior cert so it must be part of the junior cycle. This act of kindness has stuck in my mind for years

[@mightymissk]

Well done Brittany Elaine, and God bless the Choctaw people! What nobility of heart! What incredible kindness. And now the Irish people, who never forgot the tribe who helped them in their darkest hour, are helping the Choctaw people right back during this pandemic. It moves me to tears, but they're good tears.

[@Trund27]

This historical event needs more coverage!!!!

[@bobbieschke599]

My great-grandfather , Choctaw married into the Irish McDermott clan . Grizz 🐻 l

[@TWO_GENDERS]

Proud to be Choctaw and Irish!

[@tamlynn786]

Beautiful message. Yakoke from Choctaw Nation 💚🙏🏽

[@eadaoinregan2709]

Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito from Ireland ☘️

[@satantasean2489]

I heard the tale when in school in the 70's.

[@juneshopper]

This is awesome, and thank you Choctaw Nation for helping the Irish.Just learned about it when facts were shared at our Ladies Hibernian meeting yesterday. My great-grandpa was Famine Irish and was from Cork, was one of the lucky ones who was able to come to America and worked laying track for Frisco RR in MO, the start of 3 generations of Frisco workers- my grandpa and his brothers and my Mom, who met my Dad at company picnic. So I grew up loving trains.

[@patrickglennon6834]

a lot of Irish worked 5he mines up 5hat way, Butte had the first St Pat's day parade in the u.s.a. ?

[@wiccanmoon0001]

The people of Ireland remembers ❤

[@sandyhancock2020]

Always proud to be a Choctaw .. now hearing this story even more so .. last year I learned I was also Irish after doing a DNA test. .. proud to be both .. kindred spirits

[@martinkelly6333]

Sorry to hear your grandmother did not survive the passage to the US. Thanks for keeping the bond alive, keep going we are proud of our cousins in America

[@Tellemore]

Thank you for making this video and sharing it 🇮🇪🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@josephhyland8904]

Bravo! This stuff always kicks up the dust a bit for me.

[@stevedotwood]

This is how people are supposed to be: intelligent, caring and fighting the universal enemy: "greed"

[@mikeodiomasaigh6757]

Go raibh maith agaibh, a chairde. Tiocfaidh ar la.

[@KETOInTheKitchenWithJasmine]

I have never heard this story, ever.

[@debbiecooper3661]

Lost Tribes BEFORE taken from America. Held the Ark of the Covenant safety and all Indians lived in peace and harmony and no crime. Tribe of Reuben

[@kelloscully9632]

God bless you for making this video Britmey.

[@shanemolloy4731]

Im so proud of this and it hurts me to see how we irish have let a desperate government divide us , turning some irish harts to blaming the other instead of the 101 year old government .

[@terrymurray9818]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if those Choctaw who put there hands in there pockets were here today to see what they achieved maybe they are here never left

[@annasaddiction5129]

Why isn't that our Norm ? Why does this almost make me cry ?p

[@christianmccann7884]

Slainte from your Celtic cousins !

[@Kitiwake]

Leo was right at home. He's half Indian himself, sure.

[@laurieberry4814]

I am English descent and this is weird

[@brenkelly1474]

Look at good oul leo sitting there...like he was responsible for this great thing.!

[@52power]

Leo can be criticised for a lot of things but hardly for this. He is representing the Irish people and the depth of our gratitude is shown by the Taoiseach's visit. Do you think a visit by some Louth Councillor would would have the same message?

[@shanemolloy4731]

I think toiseach means cheiftain

[@emme5664]

It means leader

[@shanemolloy4731]

@@emme5664 what does cheiftain mean ?

[@thunderbear4254]

Sucks cause our ancestors used to be in shape. Old photos of us and none of us were fat. TF happen?!

[@shutyourmouth70]

we were starving to death in a famine back then & now we're not?

[@thunderbear4254]

@@shutyourmouth70 Sounds like someones tribe didnt know how to hunt or gather 😂

[@coleyk6989]

no we dont, r we didint grow up being thought that, id rarely here it in all my 35 years of live, something of that magnitude should have been thought they literally saved our lives from evil slaughter we owe them our lives, so thats lies who ever told you they teach us that, and then the Indian people themselves suffered them same evil slaughter, from most likely the same enemy

[@grumble5876]

To be honest I’ve been taught that since childhood, I’m in the north of Ireland and I’m not saying it’s the same where you are but it’s pretty much common knowledge here

[@yermanoffthetelly]

Again I can only speak about my own educational experience but I was thought quite a bit of the wider context and perspectives around the famine such as the Frederick Douglas lecture tour and the Choctaw (and Turkish Ottoman) donations, their struggle during the trail of tears etc. This would have been early 90s.

[@jamesmflynn]

Maybe you were sick from school that day because I and everyone I know in Ireland were taught about the Choctaw generousity when we were taught about the famine.

[@brianmckenna1024]

@@jamesmflynn also Irish and I never heard of this ... could have been daydreaming 😀

[@IRISHATLANTIC]

Maybe at your school, they were remiss. I was taught it. I am 40 now.

[@debbiecooper3661]

Father in heaven. Esau has sold your Kingdom to foreign enemies nations. And Esau and Ishmael has rised serpent rider bottomless pit Obama to return to be King of America. God's Kingdom. Islam Babylon Africa Egypt slave masters hands ruling your nation Father. Esau still bows to Egypt.

[@jacquesm6847]

It’s a beautiful thing is it not🥲🥲🥲😁😉🇺🇸