In 1847, at the height of the Great Hunger, members of the Choctaw Nation in present-day Oklahoma made a remarkable donation to help starving people in Ireland. Their gift came 16-years after the Choctaw had begun their own forced removal from ancestral homelands along the Trail of Tears.

Thousands died from hunger, disease and exposure. Their gift remains one of history’s most powerful acts of international solidarity.

What inspired such generosity between peoples separated by an ocean? This talk explores the shared histories of famine, displacement, food and survival that connect Ireland and the Choctaw Nation. Drawing on the collaborative Sharing Lands: Reconciliation, Recognition and Reciprocity project, our talk examines how the Choctaw concepts of ima (giving) and iyyikowa (serving those in need) continue to shape relationships between Indigenous and Irish communities today.

The Festival theme I Am Here resonates deeply with this story. It’s relevant not only to survival after colonial violence, but also to recognising the presence, dignity, and humanity of others. Nearly 180 years after the Choctaw Gift, this extraordinary act of compassion continues to inspire new conversations about reciprocity, remembrance, and what it means to stand with one another across cultures, histories, and generations.

The event is free but ticketed. Book tickets here: Sharing Lands Event