In this, the fourth episode of season one, the On the Fringe crew stayed close to home once again(episode 2 focused on Bigfoot in Leflore County) to do a local legend.  It is entitled, “Koni Anukasha” Choctaw Spirit People.  PVE is based in Eastern Oklahoma with offices in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
 
We wanted to do this investigation for several reasons.  One of which being simply that it is Native American folklore. Between Choctaw and Cherokee heritage, I’m nearly half Native American.  Native American myths, legends and folklore have always just enthralled me.   
 
The “Little People” is a cross-cultural phenomenon.  Nearly every Native American Heritage Group has their own legend of the “Little People”, and all of the legends are strikingly similar.  Even the Europeans have their legends.  Fairies, Brownies and Wraiths all have nearly exact similarities with Native American little people.  Many of these stories even pre-date the inter-mingling of these cultures…basically, they couldn’t have borrowed the idea from each other.  This lends a lot of credence to the legitimacy or possibility they could exist.  

Let me fill you in on the Choctaw version of this legend.  The story goes:

Kowi(koni/kwano) Anukasha - The Forest Dwellers

 
A long time ago in ancient time, while the Choctaw Indians were living in Mississippi, the Choctaw legends say that certain supernatural beings or spirits lived near them. These spirits, or "Little People," were known as Kowi Anukasha or "Forest Dwellers." They were about two or three feet tall. These pygmy beings lived deep in the thick forest, and their homes were in caves hidden under large rocks.

When a boy child is two, three, or even four years old, he will often wander off into the woods, playing or chasing a small animal. When the little one is well out of sight from his home, "Kwanokasha", who is always on watch, seizes the boy and takes him away to his cave, his dwelling place. Many times his cave is far away and Kwanokasha and the little boy must travel a very long way, climbing many hills and crossing many streams.

When they finally reach the cave Kwanokasha takes him inside where he is met by three other spirits, all very old with long white hair. The first one offers the boy a knife; the second one offers him, a bunch of poisonous herbs; the third offers a bunch of herbs yielding good medicine.

If the child accepts the knife, he is certain to become a bad man and may even kill his friends. If he accepts the poisonous herbs he will never be able to cure or help his people. But, if he accepts the good herbs, he is destined to become a great doctor and an important and influential man of his tribe and win the confidence of all his people.

When he accepts the good herbs the three old spirits will tell him the secrets of making medicines from herbs, roots and barks of certain trees, and of treating and curing various fevers, pains and other sickness. That is the reason the "'Little People" take the boy child to their home in the wilderness, in order to train Indian doctors, transmitting to them their special curative powers and to train them in the manufacture of their medicines. The child will remain with the spirits for three days after which he is returned. He does not tell where he has been or what he has seen or heard. Not until he becomes a man will he make use of the knowledge gained from the spirits, and never will he reveal to others how it was acquired. It is said among the Choctaws that few children wait to accept the offering of the good herbs from the third spirit, and that is why there are so few great doctors and other men of influence among the Choctaws.

It is also said the the "Little People" are never seen by the common Choctaws. The Choctaw prophets and herb doctors, however, claim the power of seeing them and of holding communication with them. During the darkest nights in all kinds of weather you can see a strange light wandering around in the woods. This light is the Indian doctor and his little helper looking for that special herb to treat and cure a very sick tribesman.

There are a TON of variations on the spelling.  I cant find anyone who knows for SURE.

Also:  They are also known as "Bopoli", meaning "Stick throwers".  It is said they like to be mischievious at times, and this is how they "Play" with you.  This reminds me of another infamous, un-seen force in the woods know to throw sticks and rocks...Paging Mr. Foot...Mr. Big...Foot?

Moving on.

We headed DEEP into the woods, into the Choctaw Nation, to try and find these spirits.  After many hours of investigation, Keith seemingly caught something on tape.  Keiths thoughts: “It was a moon-less night.  I was using the Hi-8 and scanning across the ravine and front of me below the ridge-line.  At one point, something caught my eye in the camera…it was strange because it was so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.  But there it was…a faint light in the distance.  It was incredible.  Then all of the sudden it was like we were under attack.  Things kept falling all around us.  It sounded like rocks being thrown. We still don’t know what it was, but we were able to rule out almost any man-made origination…and it IS interesting that the legend ends with ‘so if you ever see a faint light floating through the forest in the Choctaw Lands…”

Now... folks.  Im going to tell you something we havent really shared with anyone else.  However, I feel its necessary for your safety.  or well-being.  or whatever.  You just need to know it.  Do with it what you will.

When we stopped that afternoon and started building base camp...I think we all knew something was wrong.  There was this nagging feeling of...dread.  Nobody mentioned this to each other.  We only found out later. 

We spent 3 hours building a really SWEET basecamp.  Cutting wood, pitching tents, etc. 

Keep in mind these things:

Joe is an Eagle Scout.  Jordan and I were both boy scouts.

I grew up in the woods.  So did the rest of the crew.  Hunting, fishing, Kayaking, etc.

We spent the night in the deep woods looking for Bigfoot just two weeks before.  No big deal.

Why am I telling you this?

Because at 2am, after the woods came alive with lights and falling debris...we packed up the camp we spent 3 hours building and made the 2 hour drive home.

The moral:

Follow your instinct.  We knew, after all the events of the night...something was wrong...bad wrong.

Fortunately, logic won out over manliness.  We sucked up the pride...and ran for the house.

We were all extremely disconcerned.  That doesnt happen to us.  Not anymore.  Too many investigations...too much experience.  That was part of what told us we needed to GET OUT.

Just keep in mind...if something is nagging you...listen to it.  We're messing with stuff here that can get people hurt...or worse.

We all struggled to find the words to explain what we had felt.  Dread was a good one, but Jordan summed it up best:

"It wasnt scary, like im going to get startled by something.  It wasnt eerie.  It wasnt creepy.  It felt SINISTER"

Possible in-human?  Maybe.  I dont know.  I do know this:   deep down I felt something I had never come across before on an investigation...I felt my life was in danger.

We didnt stick around to find out.

Trust your instincts.

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How to Get There

The Ancient Choctaw Tribal Lands are in Mississippi.  The Current Choctaw Tribal Lands are in SE Oklahoma.  Go somewhere in one of these two places, and you're there.  Most sightings I've heard of are usually deep in the woods, and occasionally in or near a cemetery.  If you dont have even a little Choctaw Blood, it might not be worth you're time.  One version of the legend states "...you have to be of Choctaw Ancestry to see these creatures". 

But thats just one version.


Justin
OTF