48:
191:, an 18th-century French historian and ethnographer, but it is still debated if these are all the same tribe. Du Pratz said that this tribe resided on lakeshores that had a black appearance due to the leaves that covered the bottoms of the lakes. This connects to one theory of how they received the names "black leg, black hair, black skull," etc. This is also debated as other historians and explorers have stated that the people of the tribe would paint their legs black to contrast with their lighter skin.
208:
stabbing herself which saddened the great spirit and hung her hair in an oak tree, turning gray and spreading through the trees over time. This story served as an example of the importance of
Appalousa territorial history. This history also emphasized its profitability and economics which led French traders to establish the city of Opelousas in 1740.
409:
Historians have come together to dismiss the fate of the
Appalousa and other tribes of the southwestern region of Louisiana, writing that the Appalousa and Atakapas no longer exist. These smaller Native tribes were struck with disease, malnutrition, and colonization which may have contributed to this
194:
As settlers pushed into
Mississippi further west, the territory that the Appalousas resided in came to be known as the Opelousas district which remains a district in Louisiana today. The name is also used for St Landry Parish in Louisiana. An 1890 history of southwest Louisiana reported, "Mr. Alfred
372:
Their languages were linguistically similar as both
Opelousa and Atakapa are Choctaw words. It is unclear whether the word "Opelousa" itself is unclear whether it is a Choctaw word, but translations from Choctaw include "black above", "black legs", and other variations. In 1805, John Sibley, Indian
442:
tribe (that may have belonged to the larger
Muskhogean tribe). As the latter refused to trade flints that they had an abundance of, some Avoyels were captured and according to some, they were eaten, although it is unknown and debated whether acts of cannibalism occurred in the Appalousa or Atakapa
170:
from 1690 to 1734 and spent 40 years living among the
Indians, wrote the Appalousa lived just west of two small lakes. This description is thought to apply to Leonard Swamp (east of present-day Opelousas). During the period, this was the westernmost channel of the Mississippi River. Due to mineral
216:
There is very little known about the practices and religion of the
Appalousa tribe; however, tracing genealogy in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana lists Appalousas Indians that were buried and baptized. This list includes Appalousa Indians as well as Indians from other tribes across Louisiana. Joseph
385:
The origin of the name "Appalousa" is unknown but speculated to be
Choctaw, with "aba" meaning "above" or "api" meaning "body" or "leg" followed by "lusa", meaning "black." The meaning of Opelousa changes depending on which Choctaw elements are correct, "aba" and lusa have translations to "black
207:
The
Atakapa origin story, which they shared with neighboring tribes, describes two forbidden lovers from different tribes, one an elite woman and the other a warrior. The women's father did not approve and followed them to swamplands where they met and killed the warrior. The woman retaliated by
405:
tribes of the surrounding region and acted as a middleman between them in trade. They received fish from the
Chitimacha and Atakapa which was traded with the Avoyel for flint because they had an overabundance of it although it was most likely traded and exchanged with other tribes.
225:
According to findings from a few historians, the Appalousa population in 1715 was roughly 130 men, and by 1908, there were 9 people in the tribe. There is debate over the population growth of the tribe but what is consistent is their slow decline towards the early 19th century.
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Their 18th-century village had about 40 men. They raised corn, cattle, and pigs. From American State Papers, a member of the Appalousa and Atakapa region in 1814, said that both tribes had villages on the north and south parts of the bayou.
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According to Claude Medford, a Choctaw craftsman, around the 1920s, the Appalousas camped at Ringrose plantation, sold palmetto stems and cane split baskets to the owners of the plantation and engaged in games of stickball with the
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deposits and the great number of leaves covering the bottom, the lake waters appeared black. The Appalousa who hunted and fished in the lake found their legs became stained black from these waters. Appalousa and
466:
233:(former governor of Louisiana), a small wandering tribe, 1715 the population was about 130 men/warriors, 1805 the population was about 40 and 1814 the tribe was at about 20 members.
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The first record of Appalousa territory was found in the 1690s and it was not until 1712 that both the Opelousa and Atakapa regions were recorded as settlements in Louisiana.
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tribe. The only diet known is fish, more specifically flounder, a favorite of the region, which they also used in trade for flints. The Appalousa went to war with the
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Tribes in Texas used the Appalousa as middlemen in selling horses stolen from the Spanish to the French in New Orleans. Had relations with the Atakapas,
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conclusion. Historians and researchers also pass on theories of intermarriage and interracial relations with the French. However,
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358:. (This area had been colonized by the French since the mid-18th century.) Their language is completely undocumented.
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Agent of New Orleans territory, said that the word Appalousa meant "black head" or "black leg" and while similar to
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Indian village north of Opelousas on 1820 map of Louisiana may be associated with the Appalousa people (
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844:"The Lake Charles Atakapas (Cannibals): Period of 1817 to 1820 | Alexander Street, part of Clarivate"
621:"The Lake Charles Atakapas (Cannibals): Period of 1817 to 1820 | Alexander Street, part of Clarivate"
17:
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Louaillier states that within his recollection there were more Indians to be seen in the streets of
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343:
196:
143:
8:
748:
Hebert, Rev. Donald J., "Appendix C: Rummaging through old church records of Opelousas",
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53:
671:
555:
467:"Indian Tribes of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Adjacent Coast of the Gulf of Mexico"
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that the Opelousa spoke a language different from all others but many understood
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Willis, an African American Baptist preacher was among the tribe prior to 1812.
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313:
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The Historic Indian Tribes of Louisiana: From 1542 to the Present Louisiana
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argues that descendants of these tribes assimilated and intermarried with
377:, their language was unheard of but understood Atakapa as well as French.
150:, in the 18th century. At various times, they allied with the neighboring
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The Appalousa are referred to as also the Lopelousas and Oqué-Loussas by
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Sun Circles and Human Hands: The Southeastern Indians Art and Industries
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541:
398:
155:
94:
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tribes originated in the same region in central-southwest Louisiana.
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Kniffen, Fred B.; Gregory, Hiram F.; Stokes, George A. (1994-09-01).
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Fundaburk, Emma Lila; Foreman, Mary Douglass Fundaburk (2001-02-22).
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The tribe may have painted or stained their lower legs a dark color.
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Goddard, Ives. (2005). "The indigenous languages of the Southeast",
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Bulletin - Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology
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Louisiana Place Names of Indian Origin: A Collection of Words
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Louisiana Place Names of Indian Origin: A Collection of Words
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The population decreased due to conflict with whites and the
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hair" but using "api" and "lusa" translates to "black legs."
580:"Opelousas Indians Baptisms/Burials in St. Landry Parish La"
540:. New Orleans: Gulf Publishing Co. p. 51 – via
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tentatively classified the Opelousa language as Atakapa.
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Quarles, Benjamin. “Joseph Willis: Pioneer Churchman.”
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874:
761:
537:Southwest Louisiana, biographical and historical
136:Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands
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199:than there are negroes at the present days."
27:Historical Native American tribe in Louisiana
229:First mentioned in an unpublished report by
361:In the early 20th century, anthropologists
67:extinct as a tribe, likely merged into the
752:, Vol 1B, Complete Revision, 1996. p. 762.
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792:Cultural Representation in Native America
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473:. Government Printing Office (Washington)
460:
458:
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496:. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1910.
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875:
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893:Unattested languages of North America
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606:, vol. 12, no. 5, 1949, pp. 110–11.
76:Regions with significant populations
888:Native American tribes in Louisiana
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24:
647:The Indian Tribes of North America
25:
904:
613:
548:
789:Jolivétte, Andrew (2006-08-11).
354:(itself a language isolate) and
166:Michel De Birotte, who lived in
867:Anthropological Linguistics, 47
809:
782:
768:. University of Alabama Press.
755:
742:
728:. University of Alabama Press.
722:Read, William A. (2008-10-12).
715:
701:. University of Alabama Press.
695:Read, William A. (2008-10-12).
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650:. Genealogical Publishing Com.
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637:
596:
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534:Perrin, William Henry (1891).
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346:reported in an 1805 letter to
189:Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz
142:. They lived near present-day
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1:
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220:
513:. Somerset Publishers, Inc.
507:Ricky, Donald (1999-01-01).
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750:Southwest Louisiana Records
644:Swanton, John Reed (2003).
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393:Relations with other tribes
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848:search.alexanderstreet.com
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32:Appaloosa (disambiguation)
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610:Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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604:Negro History Bulletin
672:"Opelousas Territory"
556:"Opelousas Territory"
113:Related ethnic groups
510:Indians of Louisiana
471:Gale Primary Sources
146:, west of the lower
144:Opelousas, Louisiana
30:For other uses, see
584:genealogytrails.com
107:Indigenous religion
42:
795:. AltaMira Press.
367:Frederick W. Hodge
81:central-southwest
40:
829:978-0-8071-1963-1
802:978-0-7591-1414-2
775:978-0-8173-1077-6
735:978-0-8173-5505-0
708:978-0-8173-5505-0
657:978-0-8063-1730-4
520:978-0-403-09864-4
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37:Ethnic group
344:John Sibley
877:Categories
869:(1), 1–60.
853:2022-05-13
681:2022-05-13
630:2022-05-13
589:2022-06-01
565:2022-05-13
542:HathiTrust
477:2022-05-13
447:References
436:Muskhogean
399:Chitimacha
221:Population
156:Chitimacha
134:) were an
95:unattested
330:Glottolog
295:ISO 639-3
256:Louisiana
231:Bienville
197:Opelousas
168:Louisiana
162:Territory
158:peoples.
140:Louisiana
132:Appalousa
89:Languages
83:Louisiana
18:Appalousa
443:tribes.
430:Conflict
247:Opelousa
240:Language
212:Religion
128:Opelousa
101:Religion
41:Opelousa
883:Atakapa
416:Creoles
375:Atakapa
352:Atakapa
263:Extinct
179:History
173:Atakapa
152:Atakapa
119:Atakapa
69:Atakapa
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440:Avoyel
424:Tunica
403:Avoyel
401:, and
356:French
252:Region
130:(also
824:ISBN
797:ISBN
770:ISBN
730:ISBN
703:ISBN
652:ISBN
515:ISBN
381:Name
365:and
336:None
301:None
154:and
126:The
321:07p
305:mis
138:in
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