Pashofa

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Pashofa (also called pishofa) is a traditional Chickasaw and Choctaw soup made from white corn, or pearl hominy. It is an important dish at ceremonies and social events and is used in healing ceremonies as well.

How it’s made: dried corn is ground into meal, then cooked with water and small pieces of young piglet or calf meat. The dish is often served warm or cold and can last up to a month when stored. It cooks slowly on low heat for many hours. Special wooden or horn paddles and spoons are used to stir, serve, and eat. It was cooked in large bowls, usually outdoors over a fire.

The Pashofa Dance is a healing ceremony. A sick person is kept separate while a medicine man chants to drive away a spirit of disease, and a striped black-and-white pole is placed outside. At midday, pashofa is served to the dancers while it is still warm, with water to drink, and then another round of dancing begins. Pashofa dances can also be done indoors.