1940 C C Bel Rd
Kinder, LA 70648
337-584-2261
http://www.coushattatribela.org/
The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana is also known as the Koasati. They are a Native American Tribe who is mostly settled in the State of Lousisiana. Majority of the tribal members are residing in the Allen Parish which is found on the north of the Elton Town in Louisiana. Another group of the Coushatta Tribe is settled in a reservation area located near Livingstonm Texas along with the Alabama people. There is also another tribe residing in Oklahoma known as the Alabama-Quassarte. Most of the tribal members are agriculturalists. They have mastered the art of cultivating the land to grow maize and some of the other food crops. The tribe has also mastered the art of supplementing their diet by means of the hunting game. The tribe is also very much known in their special skill in basketry. It was in the twentieth century when the tribe started cultivating the land to grow rice as well as crawfish on their territories. Their Native tongue, the Koasati is also known as Coushatta. The language originated from the Muskogean which is an indigenous language family coming from the Southeastern United States. The Muskogean language is actually divided into two branches namely the Eastern and the Western. The language is still widely spoken by the Coushatta people up to these days. Most of the speakers are from those who are residing in the Allen Parish. It was linguist Geoffrey Kimball who first estimated the number of the native speakers of the language. According to him, there are about four hundred people who are still speaking the native tongue of the tribe. According to him, majority of these people are residing in Louisiana. Their language is closely linked to the Alabama Language as well as the Mikasuki language. There are even some native speakers of the Koasati who claim to have understandings of the Mikasuki language. In the coming of the twenty first century, there are reports that reveal that the young people interested in learning the language has declined. During the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries, some of the members of the Coushatta or the Koasati united with some of the members of the Creek Confederacy. Thus, these members became known as the "Upper Creeks". These people are said to have close relationships with those of the Alabama Indians. Because of the added pressure and hostility from the European settlers, the tribe was forced to move out of their places in the east. There were likewise some Spanish explorations who claim to have records of the early connection with the tribe. The Spanish named the tribe as "Coste" and their neighbors were said to be the Chiaha, the Chiska, the Yuchi, the Tasquiqui and finally, the Tali. The town which was discovered is most likely to be linked to Tennessee Valley. Nowadays, the tribe is still active with their enterprises such as gaming businesses and other forms of agriculture.
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