Cultural Writing. "Oklahoma," or "Okla Homma," is a Choctaw word meaning "Red People." In this collection, acclaimed storyteller Tim Tingle tells the stories of his people, the Choctaw People, the Okla Homma. For years, Tingle has collected stories of the old folks, weaving traditional lore with stories from everyday life. WALKING THE CHOCTAW ROAD is a mixture of myth stories, historical accounts passed from generation to generation, and stories of Choctaw people living their lives in the here and now. The Wordcraft Circle of Native American Writers and Storytellers selected Tingle as "Contemporary Storyteller Of The Year" in 2001, and in 2002, Tingle was the features storyteller at the National Storyteller Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee.

Tim Tingle, an award-winning author and storyteller, is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. His interest in writing and storytelling grew, in part, from the memories and stories passed down to him by his grandfather, John Carnes, who walked the Trail of Tears in 1835. In addition to lecturing at college campuses across the nation, Tingle performs his trickster tales and historical stories throughout the United States and Canada. He is dedicated to preserving Choctaw culture and heritage. Tingle's first book Walking the Choctaw Road, a collection of stories based on interviews from tribal elders, was named Best Anthology for 2003 by Storytelling World Magazine. In 2005, Walking the Choctaw Road was chosen as both Oklahoma Reads! and Alaska Reads! Book of the Year, and Oklahoma's Governor proclaimed May through November to be the state's Walking the Choctaw Road months. In 2007, Tingle received the American Library Association's Notable Book Award and the American Indian Library Association's American Indian Youth Literature Award for his picture book Crossing Bok Chitto. His latest book is When Turtle Grew Feathers: A Tale from the Choctaw Nation.