_Tunica_—
Tradition and early records indicate this tribe lived in the
northwestern Mississippi and neighboring parts of Arkansas. By 1682 they
had concentrated on Yazoo River a few miles above its mouth, though
parties were scattered throughout northeastern Louisiana to boil salt
which they traded. They had a village on the Ouachita as late as 1687.
In 1706, fearing attacks by the Chickasaw and other Indians allied to
the English, the Tunica abandoned their villages and moved to the Houma
town site opposite the mouth of the Red River. They were well received
by the Houma, but shortly afterward rose against their hosts killing
more than half and driving the rest away.
Sometime between 1784 and 1803 they again abandoned their villages and
moved up the Red River to the Marksville Prairie, where settled on a
strip of land formerly owned by the Avoyels. This land was recognized as
the Indian Reserve and their mixed-blood descendants have continued to
occupy land. A part of them went farther west and joined the Atakapa and
another part moved to the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma where they
established themselves along the Red River.
_Avoyel_—
Their main village was near the rapids of the Red River, a short
distance above the present city of Alexandria. Another village was
located near the city of Marksville.
Their name which signifies “Stone People” or rather “Flint People”,
indicates they were active in the manufacture or trade of arrow points,
and raw flint materials. It was not until 1700 that Iberville met some
members from this tribe when they acted as middlemen in providing a
market for horses and cattle plundered from the Spaniards.
In 1767 they were still occupying a village near the “rapids” of the Red
River. Although they spoke a Natchezen language the tribe merged with
the Tunicas south of Marksville by 1805, except for 2 or 3 women who
made their homes with French families on the Ouachita. It was not until
1932 that the last known person of Avoyel blood passed away.
_Biloxi_—
A Siouan tribe located on the Pascagoula River and Biloxi Bay in 1690’s
probably formerly residents Ohio Valley.
In early 1700-1703 they settled on Pearl River at site formerly occupied
by Acotapissa then drifted back to Pascagoula River near the Pascagoula
tribe.
They lived near the same tribe in that general region until 1763 when
both tribes moved across the Mississippi, the Biloxi settling first near
the mouth of the Red River. They must have soon moved to the
neighborhood of Marksville. They established 2 villages; one on a half
section adjoining the Tunica. Soon afterward they sold or abandoned this
site and moved to Bayou Rapides and then to the mouth of the Rigolet de
Bon Dieu, crossed to the south side to Bayou Boeuf in 1794-96 below a
band of Choctaws.
Soon after 1800 they sold their lands to William Miller and Colonel
Tulton. Although the sale was confirmed by United States government May
5, 1805, the Biloxi remained in the immediate neighborhood and gradually
died out or fused with the Tunica at Marksville and Choctaw where they
still reside. A large group moved to Texas.
In 1886 a few Biloxi were discovered living on Indian Creek 5-6 miles
west of Lecompte, Louisiana by Bureau of American Ethnology.
_Grigra (Gris)_—
A small Tunican tribe which had given up its independent existence
before the arrival of the French in Louisiana. They moved to what is now
Mississippi and became a part of the Natchez Nation. Even though they
inter-married, language etiquette was used to set them apart from the
original Natchez Indians who were regarded as the noble class.