Louisiana Attakapas Eagle Tribe
When the Spanish Explorer Cabez de Vaca reached the Louisiana coast and began to explore its land, rivers and marshes, he soon encountered the areas earliest residents. They were called Attakapas by the Choctaw. They were a relatively passive people that lived off of small game, fish and shellfish and even larger game such as deer and buffalo on occasion. Over the next 300 years the bands of the Attakapas were being constantly pushed from their camps and old hunting grounds by the explorers, other tribes moving into no mans land, the European settlers and beginning in the 1800's the timber companies and land speculators. The decendants of these people that once were thought to be extinct are alive and well today and have began our celebration of our culture and our heritage . The Band of the Calcasieu (Eagle), have organized and are now registered with the State. We celebrate our Native American Culture as the tribe of the Louisiana Attakapas Indians.
Jed Duhon (Chief White Plume)
Welcome To Louisiana Attakapas Eagle Tribe
Louisiana Attakapas Eagle Tribe
Louisiana Attakapas Tribe was made up of 4 Bands
1.) Calcasieu Rivers Tribe mean (Crying Eagle) but it is now Called (Attakapas Eagle Tribe).
2.) Opelousas Prairie Tribe means (Black Leg Band)
3.) Mermentau Tribe (Gator Band).
4.) Grand Bayou Tribe (Serpant Band).
The name "Attakapas" Meaning in Choctaw "man eater,"
The Smithsonian Institute recorded for a final time in 1909 the language. Armogene Reon from The Calcasieu District provided a lot of information for the dictionary. The Reons were settled just south of Black Bayou on what is now Big Lake road. They made their living selling crabs, fish, Shrimp, furs, Ducks in the winter time and farmed vegetables in the summer for their own use. The Descendants of this family still owns the land in that area. I was lucky to get Armogene Reon's old shot gun from a cousin. It is a 1897 model Winchester and was the first shot gun they had that would shoot 4 shells instead of 2 like the old double barrel. The old Folks said Armogene told them (We are gonna get fat now) when he got the gun.
(By: Chief J.E. Duhon)
The Attakapas ate Shrimp, fish, Crabs and Oysters. The men hunted deer, bear, Alligator and buffalo which provided meat, fat, and hides. They processed the meat, bones and skins to prepare food for storage, as well as to make clothing, tools, sewing materials, arrow cases. They speared alligators in the eye. The people put alligator oil on exposed skin to repel mosquitoes. In common with other southeastern cultures, the Attakapas traded with neighboring people. Eagle tribe people living on the Prien Lake , Calcasieu Lake, Big Lake the Gulf area, the Bayous and the Rivers.
(By: Martha LeJeune)
Call Us at 1-337-526-7815
5201 Lane Rd.
Iowa, La. 70647