“Ayiksa Hompanka,” the 2026 Celebration Week of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, concluded following a fun slate of activities Oct. 12-16 in which young and old alike celebrated the tribe’s unique heritage and traditions through friendly competitions among the tribe’s 10 clans.
A variety of activities and contests were held throughout the week, including: volleyball, a pickle eating contest, an Indian taco eating contest, a tug-o-war, a kids relay race, a rez car pile-in, a turtle race, six on six half-court basketball, elder’s dominoes, Wahoo, frybread dough-making, frybread contest, Gospel singing, a lip sync contest, a triathlon and a stickball shooting contest.
Points were awarded for first, second and third place in each of the competitions with the cumulative point total determining the overall winner. The Tapassoola, or Daddy Long Legs Clan, captured first place honors, with the Kowaachosi, or Wildcat Clan, coming in second place and the Fiito, or Turkey Clan, coming in third place.
The culmination of the week was the tribal Celebration Week dinner, followed by the State of the Nation Address given by Tribal Council Chairman Ricky Sylestine.
