_Choctaw_—
The Choctaw were the second largest tribe in the Southeastern United
States. They were excellent farmers who lived in permanent towns in the
territory which is now Southern Mississippi and Southeastern Alabama.
Although they were non-nomadic they developed and maintained extensive
trade routes with other tribes as far away as Canada. Some of our modern
road and highway routes follow those established by this tribe.
The women did most of the farm work, fetched the water and cut firewood.
They spun cloth for long skirts from buffalo wool and strong herb
fibers, silk grass or mulberry bark. It was a thick canvas-like material
which could be worn with either side out.
The men did the hunting, built the houses, made wood and stone tools,
and helped the women in the fields. They were fond of games, wrestling
and jumping contests as well as ball and chunkey games.
Their houses were circular with clay mixed with straw sides and thatched
roofs. Cane seats about 2 feet off the ground lined the walls inside.
During the day they were used for seating and for beds at night. The
space under these seats was used to store vegetables. In the center of
the house was an open fireplace.
Their society was divided into different classes or castes. There were
the chiefs, one to preside over war ceremonies and another over peace
ceremonies, the upper class (“their own people” or “friends”), and 5
classes of slaves.
The Choctaw women had their babies alone and it was not until later
times they accepted the practice of mid-wives. When the mother was about
to give birth the father retreated to another house and would not eat
until after sunset. He also abstained from pork and salt until the baby
was born.
When the baby was born the mother washed him and placed him in a cradle
with a bag of sand tied over his forehead to flatten it. This is why the
Choctaw were called “flat heads” by neighboring tribes.
Mothers were not allowed to discipline their sons. This was the duty of
the maternal uncle who acted as the boy’s teacher. All the boys were
schooled morning and afternoon in tribal legends, hunting with bows and
arrows, and other manly tasks.
In 1540 the Spanish explorer, DeSoto, began trading with them. The
Choctaw were intrigued by Spanish goods, especially metal. They also
established trade with the French and by the 1700’s had adopted many
French ideas, life styles, cultural attitudes and incorporated French
words into their language. Unlike their Indian neighbors, the men
continued to wear their hair in full length styles.
The Choctaws served as guides for the European expeditions across
Louisiana which resulted in many Choctaw words being used as name
locations throughout our state.
As colonization increased pressures to choose alliances with either the
French to keep the English and their powerful allies, the Chickasaw and
Creek Nations, from closing trade routes to the north and Canada.
From 1754-1763 the Choctaws were in almost constant warfare. In 1763 the
French and Indian wars ended with France ceding all her lands east of
the Mississippi River to the English. This resulted in half the Choctaw
towns being allied to the French and the other half with the English.
War pressures eroded inter-tribal tranquility in the Choctaw Nation,
leading to civil war.
When the French retreated to New Orleans they in effect deserted their
Choctaw allies. On January 3, 1786, the Treaty of Hopewell was
negotiated with the United States Government recognizing the Choctaw
Nation as a nation and defining the eastern boundary of the Choctaw
Lands.
Hostilities with their former Indian allies during the wars, coupled
with increasing pressures from settlers desiring their lands, led the
tribe to migrate west of the Mississippi River in search of farm land
and tranquility.
Between 1801 and 1830 they were methodically negotiated off their tribal
homelands in Alabama and Mississippi. In 1830, they signed the treaty of
Dancing Creek, agreeing to leave their homelands and not return. The
following year the greater part of the nation moved to lands along the
Red River in Oklahoma granted by the treaty. There they established a
small republic modeled after that of the United States government.
However, this republic came to an end when the State of Oklahoma was
organized.
A considerable number of Choctaw remained in Mississippi while smaller
bands migrated to northern and central Louisiana.
Prior to 1778 Choctaw communities moved from north Central Louisiana to
LaSalle, Rapides, Jackson, and Grant Parishes in the vicinity of two saw
mill towns, Jena and Eden. Other Choctaw communities were scattered
throughout the Florida parishes north of Lake Pontchartrain.
_Jena Band_—
Although they function autonomously, the Jena Band of Choctaw continue
to maintain a close relationship with their parent tribe, the
Mississippi Band in Philadelphia, Mississippi and continue to speak
their native language.
In 1974 they incorporated as a non-profit organization and are currently
preparing for federal recognition as a separate tribe from the
Mississippi Band.
They are basically rural people, but maintain a community at Jena,
Louisiana on Highway 167, approximately 46 miles northeast of
Alexandria.
The Jena Band of Choctaws are a founding member of the Inter-Tribal
Council.