Bishinik (Biskinik) newspaper collection

Collection

Identifier: WSC-002

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains a number of issues of the Bishinik, a Choctaw newspaper, in their original form.

Dates

Creation: 1993 - 1996

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

University of Wisconsin-Superior Special Collections & Archives (UWS-SCA) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections; however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with UWS-SCA to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Historical Note

The Biskinik (formerly The Bishinik) is the monthly newspaper of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. It is sent free to registered Choctaw Nation tribal members upon request. It is published in Durant, Oklahoma by the Choctaw Nation. It was first published in 1978. The Library of Congress shows a record of its publication from 1978 to 1981 and from 1983 to the present. The Choctaw Nation Tribal Council changed the spelling of the tribal newspaper from "Bishinik" to "Biskinik" in 2010. The name change was made to correct the spelling.

The publication shares the name Biskinik with the Choctaw word for the yellow-bellied sapsucker, a speckled, scissortail species of woodpecker. According to Choctaw legend, the Bishinik was one of two birds to escape the Great Flood and was known as the "little Chahta news bird". The bird was said to warn Choctaws when someone was approaching by tapping out messages on trees.

(taken from Wikipedia)