Who are the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw?
The Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw are a people who have a history of resistance and resilience. And their resilience is being tested again as their ancestral homeland is being washed away and a resettlement community is turning out to be less than it had been hoped to be.
Why do the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw have to relocate?
Steady erosion coupled with intense storms and rising sea levels has spelled disaster for the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians of the Isle de Jean Charles. The island was once 15,000 acres, but the land has been whittled away to a tiny strip a quarter-mile wide by a half-mile long.
Where is the Chitimacha tribe located?
Louisiana
The Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana is located near the town of Charenton, Louisiana, off of Highway 90 between Lafayette and New Orleans. The current enrollment of Chitimacha is approximately 1,300.
What was the Chitimacha shelter?
Around 500 A.D., the Chitimacha began settling the bayou region of Louisiana, where they lived in permanent villages in homes constructed of cane, wood and palmetto leaves.
WHAT DOES THE NAME Chitimacha mean?
The Chitimacha in this area lived along the Bayou Teche (a Chitimacha word meaning “snake”). Their legend has it that the bayou was formed when Chitimacha warriors battled a huge venomous serpent that terrorized the region.
What is unique about the Chitimacha tribe?
The Chitimacha are the only indigenous people in the state who still control some of their traditional lands. As with many Native American tribes, the Chitimacha took over their children’s education and have established the Chitimacha Tribal School on the reservation; it is sponsored by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Where did the Chitimacha come from?
The Chitimacha Indians (Sitimaxa-“people of the many waters”) were the original inhabitants of the area. Around 500 A.D., the Chitimacha began settling the bayou region of Louisiana, where they lived in permanent villages in homes constructed of cane, wood and palmetto leaves.
What happened to the Chitimacha?
A treaty establishing peace was signed and a ceremony was held, which ended the long war in which the majority of the tribal members were annihilated. In the twelve years of conflict, many Chitimacha were forced into slavery and were the most enslaved of any population in Louisiana during that time period.
How do I prove my Choctaw ancestry?
Anyone who is interested in discovering whether they have Native American ancestry, and those wishing to apply for a Certificate of Indian Blood, can search the Dawes Rolls to prove their tribal ancestry. The National Archives holds the Dawes Rolls, which are searchable online.
What are the Choctaw known for?
The Choctaw were a tribe of Native American Indians who originated from modern Mexico and the American Southwest to settle in the Mississippi River Valley for about 1800 years. Known for their head-flattening and Green Corn Festival, these people built mounds and lived in a matriarchal society.