Louisiana Indian Tribes


FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED LOUISIANA TRIBES
(Federal List Last Updated 5/2016)

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana
Jena Band of Choctaw Indians
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana 

STATE RECOGNIZED TRIBES
(Not recognized by the Federal Government)

Adai Caddo Indian Nation
Letter of Intent to Petition for Federal Recognition 09/13/1993.

Bayou Lafourche Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees (separated from United Houma Nation, Inc.) Letter of Intent to Petition 10/24/1995.

Bayou Lafourche Band

Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee

Isle de Jean Charles Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees

Choctaw – Apache Community of Ebarb
Letter of Intent to Petition 07/02/1978

Clifton Choctaw Tribe – 1978  (aka Clifton Choctaw Reservation Inc.)
Letter of Intent to Petition 03/22/1978

Four Winds Cherokee Tribe

Louisiana Band of Choctaw

Pointe-Au-Chien Tribe – 2004 (separated from United Houma Nation, Inc.). Letter of Intent to Petition 7/22/1996. 

United Houma Nation
Letter of Intent to Petition 07/10/1979; Proposed Finding 12/22/1994, 59 FR 6618.Denied federal recognition.

UNRECOGNIZED / PETITIONING TRIBES

Atakapas-Ishak Nation
Chief Michael Amos
P.O. Box 1532 Lake Charles, LA  70602
(409) 728-0394

Attakapas Opelousas Prairie Tribe of SWLA
Chief Nolan Gobert
2166 Hwy 190Elton, LA 70532
(337) 584-2260 attakapasopelousasprairietrib@ymail.com

Avogel, Okla Tasannuk, Tribe/Nation Inc
Mickey Baptiste, Principal Chief
P.O. Box 759Mansura, LA 71350-0759
(318) 253-5528 tribe.avogel@yahoo.com
Letter of Intent to Petition 11/13/2000.

Canneci Nde’ Band of Lipan Apache, Inc. 
CougarGoodBear, Chairman
Alfreda Mathieu, Tribal Secretary
Louann Mathieu-Moses, Treasurer
P.O. Box 93325Lafayette, LA 70509
Email Address:  alfredam2@cox.net
Phone: (337) 781-9632
Website:  www.canneci-lipan-apaches.webs.com

Chahta Tribe
Chief Elwin Warhorse Gillum
61357 Dixe Ranch Rd, Slidell  70460
(985) 781-7650

Louisiana Choctaw Turtle Tribe
Chief James “Graywolf” Gill
379 Sharon Lane Lake Charles, LA  70611
(337) 855-4427

Talimali Band Apalache of Louisiana
Gilmer Bennett
P. O. Box 84 Libuse, LA 71348
Phone: (318) 561-2333
(formerly Apalachee Indians of Louisiana). Letter of Intent to Petition 2/5/1996.

Apalachee Indian Tribe.
Letter of Intent to Petition 01/22/1996.

Avoyel-Kaskaskia Tribe of Louisiana.
Letter of Intent to Petition 6/20/2005.

The Avoyel-Taensa Tribe/Nation of Louisiana Inc.
Letter of Intent to Petition 1/9/2003.

Kispoko Sept of Ohio Shawnee.

FIRST CONTACT TO PRESENT

At the time of European exploration in the 16th century, there were more than 10,000 Indians in Louisiana.

By about 1700, there were probably as many as 15,000 Indians living in the area, representing six different linguistic groups: the Caddo, the Natchez, the Atakapa, the Chitimachan, the Muskogean and the Tunican.

Most tribes survived on a combination of agriculture, hunting, and fishing.

Usually, the men were responsible for ruling and defending the tribal community. They also constructed the community’s buildings and canoes, and hunted.

Women cared for children and the elderly, planted crops and made clothes and utensils. Clothing was often made of bark, hides, and feathers.

Both men and women wore body ornaments like necklaces, armbands, rings, and ear and nose plugs made from shells, pearls, and copper.

Although religious practices differed from tribe to tribe, most Louisiana Indians believed that humans needed to be in harmony with nature, and honored their dead with burial mounds, and celebrations of dance, song, and food.

Natives lived and worshipped in houses thatched with palmetto branches, or made of grass or traditional wattle and daub.

Native people also enjoyed themselves with various games and sporting events like wrestling, foot races, archery, dice, dancing and music.

PRE-CONTACT LOUISIANA TRIBES
PRE-HISTORIC CULTURES IN LOUISIANA

10,000 years ago – Earliest inhabitants of the area were probably nomads who hunted big game.

6,000 years ago. – Tribes of the Muskhogean language family occupied the east-central and south-east region, Tunican tribes lived along the coast and in the northeast, and tribes of the Caddoan group inhabited the north and northwest.

2,000 years ago – Farming in the area.

700 BC – Excavation at Poverty Point reveals that a highly organized society lived there.

The Louisiana region was settled by Indians in prehistoric times, at least as early as 6,000 years ago.

Tribes of the Muskhogean language family occupied the east-central and south-east region, Tunican tribes lived along the coast and in the northeast, and tribes of the Caddoan language group inhabited the north and northwest.

The earliest inhabitants of the area we now call Louisiana were probably nomads who hunted big game as early as 10,000 years ago.

Archaeologists tell us that farming in the area began around 2,000 years ago with the cultivation of crops such as squash, sunflowers, beans and maize.

Excavation at Poverty Point reveals that a highly organized society lived there from around 700 B.C.

Groups of indigenous peoples lived and farmed in the area up until the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century.

RESOURCES
Sources of records on US Indian tribes

 

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Places to visit native american culture exhibits in Louisiana, USA

Here is a list of places to visit in Louisiana, USA to learn about native american culture.