Part 3

There was a second Natchitoches, the “upper” town, allied with the Kadohadacho. It was heard of only in earliest times and probably united with the Kadohadacho earlier than the other group.

_Nanatsoho_—

An obscure tribe of Caddo whose village was on the Red River in 1687. They were allied with other Caddo tribes, the Kadohadatcho, Natchitoches and the Nasoni. In 1812 another village near their earlier location was noted. They eventually united with their allies and disappeared as a distinct tribe by the early 19th century.

_Soacatino (Xacatin)_—

A Caddo tribe visited by the Spaniards in 1542 but not mentioned by later writers.

_Washita (Ouachita)_—

A small Caddo tribe which has given its name to Ouachita River, Louisiana. Their village was located near the present site of Columbia on the Ouachita. By 1690 a part of them had left the village and settled near the Natchitoches Indians. In 1730 the Louisiana Governor wrote they had been destroyed by the Taenso, but the greater part probably withdrew to the Natchitoches or other Caddo tribes farther west. (204)

_Yatasi_—

A Caddo tribe living on the Red River northwest of Natchitoches. When the post of Natchitoches was established they were so hard pressed by the Chickasaw tribe that part of them sought refuge nearby, while others fled to the Kadohadatcho. Later they re-occupied their own country. Later left Louisiana for Texas with the other Caddo tribes.

Died out quickly within the 20 year period between 1690 and 1710.

TUNICA

_Tunica_—

Tradition and early records indicate this tribe lived in the northwestern Mississippi and neighboring parts of Arkansas. By 1682 they had concentrated on Yazoo River a few miles above its mouth, though parties were scattered throughout northeastern Louisiana to boil salt which they traded. They had a village on the Ouachita as late as 1687. In 1706, fearing attacks by the Chickasaw and other Indians allied to the English, the Tunica abandoned their villages and moved to the Houma town site opposite the mouth of the Red River. They were well received by the Houma, but shortly afterward rose against their hosts killing more than half and driving the rest away.

Sometime between 1784 and 1803 they again abandoned their villages and moved up the Red River to the Marksville Prairie, where settled on a strip of land formerly owned by the Avoyels. This land was recognized as the Indian Reserve and their mixed-blood descendants have continued to occupy land. A part of them went farther west and joined the Atakapa and another part moved to the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma where they established themselves along the Red River.

_Avoyel_—

Their main village was near the rapids of the Red River, a short distance above the present city of Alexandria. Another village was located near the city of Marksville.

Their name which signifies “Stone People” or rather “Flint People”, indicates they were active in the manufacture or trade of arrow points, and raw flint materials. It was not until 1700 that Iberville met some members from this tribe when they acted as middlemen in providing a market for horses and cattle plundered from the Spaniards.

In 1767 they were still occupying a village near the “rapids” of the Red River. Although they spoke a Natchezen language the tribe merged with the Tunicas south of Marksville by 1805, except for 2 or 3 women who made their homes with French families on the Ouachita. It was not until 1932 that the last known person of Avoyel blood passed away.

_Biloxi_—

A Siouan tribe located on the Pascagoula River and Biloxi Bay in 1690’s probably formerly residents Ohio Valley.

In early 1700-1703 they settled on Pearl River at site formerly occupied by Acotapissa then drifted back to Pascagoula River near the Pascagoula tribe.

They lived near the same tribe in that general region until 1763 when both tribes moved across the Mississippi, the Biloxi settling first near the mouth of the Red River. They must have soon moved to the neighborhood of Marksville. They established 2 villages; one on a half section adjoining the Tunica. Soon afterward they sold or abandoned this site and moved to Bayou Rapides and then to the mouth of the Rigolet de Bon Dieu, crossed to the south side to Bayou Boeuf in 1794-96 below a band of Choctaws.

Soon after 1800 they sold their lands to William Miller and Colonel Tulton. Although the sale was confirmed by United States government May 5, 1805, the Biloxi remained in the immediate neighborhood and gradually died out or fused with the Tunica at Marksville and Choctaw where they still reside. A large group moved to Texas.

In 1886 a few Biloxi were discovered living on Indian Creek 5-6 miles west of Lecompte, Louisiana by Bureau of American Ethnology.

_Grigra (Gris)_—

A small Tunican tribe which had given up its independent existence before the arrival of the French in Louisiana. They moved to what is now Mississippi and became a part of the Natchez Nation. Even though they inter-married, language etiquette was used to set them apart from the original Natchez Indians who were regarded as the noble class.

INTER-TRIBAL COUNCIL OF LOUISIANA

The Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana, Inc., is a non-profit organization which was formed as an effort in Indian self-determination, i.e., Indians governing Indian programs. It is presently composed of four of the states’ tribes: Jena Band of Choctaws, Jena; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Inc., Elton; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana, Inc., Charenton; and the Houma Alliance, Inc., Dulac. It was incorporated in May, 1975, and began administering an Employment and Training Program funded under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, 1973 (CETA), Section 302 by the Department of Labor that same year.

The Inter-Tribal Council:

—provides leadership, and services on behalf of its member tribes; —determines needs of tribal members to better provide services; —establishes supportive or gap-filling services to its member tribes; —provides technical assistance and input to federal, state, local and private providers of social services, in planning for services and needs of American Indians in the state.

Since the Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. began serving the needs of Louisiana Indians in May, 1975, approximately 15 Louisiana Indians have earned high school diplomas through programs administered by the agency. An estimated 10 additional diplomas will be earned this school year.

Approximately 600 Indians have successfully completed job related training in such fields as carpentry, clerical, auto mechanics, cosmetology, drafting, and electricians with approximately 550 currently employed. This represents a significant increase in Indian participation in the skilled job market since 1975.

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Collated headings against Table of Contents and added entries to resolve discrepancies.

—Retained any publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.