Native Americans of

Louisiana

General Information

• Believed that the first Indians came to this area several thousand years ago.

• six major tribes• Each tribe lived in a definite area and

had its own language.• Some of the Muskhogen language was

known by all groups, so it served as a common language for the different groups.

Six Major Tribes

• Atakapa

• Caddo

• Chitimacha

• Muskhogee

• Natchez

• Tunica

Atakapa

• name means “eaters of men”• largest of the six tribes• lived in the southwest portion

of the state• most war like tribe

CaddoCaddo

• lived in the northwestern part of the statelived in the northwestern part of the state• used horses for transportationused horses for transportation• men hunted bears, deer, alligator, and buffalomen hunted bears, deer, alligator, and buffalo

ChitimachaChitimacha

• lived in south Louisiana

• were related to the Muskhogean group

• fishing provided the most food

• learned to grow corn and sweet potatoes from other Indians

• wove baskets

MuskhogeeMuskhogee

• language was known by most of the Indian groups

• lived along the Mississippi River

• made weapons out of granite

• built cabins

NatchezNatchez

• lived in the eastern part of the state

• possessed a high degree of culture

• played a ball game where they tried to keep a ball from hitting the ground

TunicaTunica

• lived in the northeast point of the state

• hunted, fished, and grew crops

• traded with their neighbors

• traded salt

Houses

• built in a large circle around an open space

• had very little furniture

• used pottery jars and pots for cooking and storage

• keep a small fire burning in the home year round

Houses

• The Indians of South Louisiana built their houses of canes, wood, or reeds. Used grass, cornhusks, or palmetto leaves for roofs.

Houses

• The Indians of South Louisiana built better homes. They used heavy wooden posts and a framework of clay or mud.

Tools

• had a few crude tools

• stone knives, hatchets, and stone-pointed spears

• bone fishhooks

• nets made of cedar chips

• funnel shaped fish traps

Weapons

• bows made of wood

• cane arrows with hard points

• stone knives, hatchets, and stone-pointed spears

Food

• grain, fruits, berries, nuts

• bear, deer small animals, alligator

• buffalo

• wild honey

• beans, sweet potatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, melons

Clothing

• used animal skins for clothing

• cloth woven from grass and mulberry

• men wore shirts and pants, pants only, or breechcloths

• women wore long fringed skirts with loose tunics.

• moccasins were worn by most.

• children dressed like their parents.

ContributionsSome things we would not have without the Native

Americans:• Irish or sweet potatoes• tobacco• squash• beans• tomatoes• chocolate

• pineapples• rubber• peanuts• tapioca• cotton• quinine