St. Tammany Parish LA

North America Indian Names of Places in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana

The post examines the significance and origins of North American Indian place names in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, particularly those derived from the Choctaw and Chickasaw languages. It highlights how these names reflect the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Native American tribes, while noting that many translations have become corrupted over time. The text provides numerous examples of place names alongside their original meanings, illustrating the deep historical connections embedded in the geography of the region.

Choctaw Burial Customs

The Choctaw, part of the Muskhogean group, occupied regions of Mississippi and Alabama until their removal in the 19th century. Their burial customs involved exposing the deceased on scaffolds for months, during which relatives mourned. Once the flesh was removed, bones were cleaned, painted, and placed in bone houses. After a significant period, a communal funeral took place, with bones arranged in mounds. These practices, which varied regionally, contributed to the numerous burial mounds found in their former territory, reflecting their unique relationship with death and the afterlife.

Slave Narrative of Charlie Moses

Charlie Moses, at 84, recounts his painful memories as a slave under the cruel Jim Rankin in Marion County, Mississippi. He describes relentless labor, severe beatings, and inadequate sustenance. Moses emphasizes the fear Rankin instilled not only in slaves but his own family, emphasizing the suffering endured by his community. After the Civil War and his eventual freedom, he traveled across Louisiana for work before becoming a preacher in Brookhaven. Despite his newfound freedom, Moses remains haunted by the horrors of slavery.

List of Words used by the Choctaw

This post provides a brief list of words utilized by the Choctaw community at Bayou Lacomb, including terms for various objects and colors. Notable entries include “arrow” (ino’keb), “black” (losab), and “blue” (ocha). Such vocabulary reflects the cultural and practical aspects of the Choctaw language, showcasing their connection to the environment and daily life.

Louisiana Choctaw Habitat

St. Tammany Parish, located on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, features bayous, marshes, and forests home to diverse wildlife, including deer and various bird species. The climate is generally mild with long, hot summers. Within this region, the Choctaw tribe maintains two small settlements: one near Bayou Lacomb and the other at Pearl River station, housing only a small remnant of their population today. This area showcases the rich natural habitat that characterizes the historic presence of the Louisiana Choctaw.

Choctaw Divisions of the Year

The women of Bayou Lacomb assert that the Choctaw year was traditionally divided into thirteen moons, though twelve is often cited. The year begins in December rather than January, and while many names of the moons have been forgotten, a few are recalled, such as the Corn Planting Moon in April and the Cold Moon in December. The Choctaw year is also divided into two main seasons, further subdivided into four: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

History of the Bayou Lacomb Choctaws

The history of the Bayou Lacomb Choctaws is closely intertwined with that of the Acolapissa tribe, who inhabited St. Tammany parish during French colonization. They spoke a similar language and shared customs with the Choctaw. References from early explorers indicate their presence along the Pearl River and nearby bayous. Although the exact lineage of the modern inhabitants remains unclear, they claim ancestral ties to these tribes and have maintained a continuous presence in the area since European contact, highlighting their historical significance.

Choctaw Beliefs Concerning Eclipses

The Choctaw people perceive solar eclipses, referred to as ashe okleleqa, as the sun becoming dirty from its daily toil. They believe the eclipse allows the sun to rest and cleanse itself, resulting in a brighter appearance afterward. Similarly, lunar eclipses are understood through the term nînaahukwa oklelega, where the moon is also seen as dark and in need of cleaning. This reflects the Choctaw worldview linking celestial events to the maintenance of cosmic order.

Louisiana Choctaw Mounds

mound excavation section

The Bayou Lacomb area contains several mounds, with the largest located near Chinchuba Creek, north of Lake Pontchartrain. This circular mound, approximately 90 feet in diameter and 4-5 feet high, was excavated revealing two fire beds indicative of habitation. Artifacts included shell deposits from edible clams, animal bones, and fragments of pottery, suggesting food preparation and use. Notably, a biconical clay pipe was discovered, marking it as an early type from the region. Other shell deposits and pottery were also found nearby, hinting at the Choctaw’s historical presence.

Choctaw Beliefs Concerning Thunder and Lightning

In Choctaw mythology, thunder and lightning are represented as two birds: Heloha, the female thunder, and Mcda’tha, the male lightning. A loud noise indicates Heloha is laying an egg in the clouds, her nest. Severe tree damage is attributed to Mcda’tha due to his strength, while minor damage is linked to Heloha. Additionally, the appearance of a comet was seen as a portent of great trouble or war.

Choctaw Death and Burial Practices

Choctaw burial practices generally involved minimal mourning, with bodies interred quickly, though important figures were displayed for a day. Objects like a hunter’s gun were buried alongside the deceased. Mourning durations varied by age, lasting up to a year for parents and three months for children. Beliefs about the afterlife included notions of a good spirit, Aba, and a bad spirit, Nanapolo, with violent deaths preventing entry to heaven. Mourning involved specific rituals, including public expressions of grief and ceremonial gatherings to mark the end of mourning.

Choctaw Artifacts

The Choctaw currently produce a limited range of artifacts, many of which reflect a decline in ancient artistic traditions. By 1900, the primary items crafted at Bayou Lacomb included wood artifacts such as mortars, pestles, drums, and blowguns; leather items like straps and skins; stone tools such as arrowheads and knives; as well as pottery and baskets. Modern tools have largely supplanted traditional methods, indicating a significant shift in their craftsmanship practices.

Choctaw Tanning Method

two tanning processes

The Choctaw tanning method involves processing skins through several stages. Initially, the hair is removed, and the skin is beaten with a mixture of eggs and cornmeal before being stretched between two posts for scraping. To soften the skin, it is worked over a smooth stake. Optional smoking enhances durability, with skins placed over a pit filled with hot ashes and rotten oak. Historical references note similar methods among other Southern tribes, indicating a shared tradition in skin preparation.

Choctaw Pottery

Pipes made by Ahojeobe; small silver ornament

The Choctaw people hold a superstition regarding pottery-making that forbids anyone but the creator from seeing the object before it is fired, as it may crack otherwise. While pottery bowls are no longer made, pipes continue to be crafted, notably by Ahojeobe, using locally sourced white clay. The process involves shaping the clay, drying, decorating, and then firing it in hot ashes before immersing it in grease to create a distinctive black finish. This tradition connects to the historical use of similar materials by other Indigenous groups.

Choctaw Usage of Horns

spoons

The Choctaw traditionally create spoons from cow horns, known as wak lape’she sti’mpa. Historical references, such as James Adair’s 1775 work, mention their use of wooden and buffalo horn utensils, highlighting that spoon-making is a long-standing cultural practice among the Choctaw.

Choctaw Baskets

The Choctaw are skilled basket makers, though their craft has declined in quality compared to previous generations. Traditionally made from narrow strips of cane, they now often use palmetto due to the scarcity of local cane. The baskets have become crude, with vibrant aniline dyes replacing natural colors. Common forms include small handled baskets exchanged in local stores. While some older basket styles, such as covered and wall-hanging baskets, are no longer produced, their historical significance remains.

Choctaw Dyes

Before acquiring aniline dyes, the Choctaw solely used yellow, red, and black for their crafts, along with natural cane for color combinations. Yellow dye came from the roots of Rumex crispus, while red was derived from ashes of red oak and black gum mixed with yellow-dyed material, altering its hue. Although the Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb currently do not produce black dye, historical accounts suggest it was made from northern tree bark. They also crafted a red paint from various oak barks, primarily for decoration.

Choctaw Dress and Personal Decoration

small silver ornament

The Choctaw utilized natural materials for personal decoration, such as cypress bark for cords and hammered silver coins for ornaments. Men’s hairstyles featured long braids, while women wore their hair long and styled it traditionally. Both genders engaged in body painting using vivid colors for ceremonial occasions, with no specific designs or meanings. Tattooing was limited and primarily ornamental, featuring simple patterns. The Choctaw’s fondness for bright colors extended to their use of glass beads, ribbons, and brass bells in their attire.

Okwa Naholo

The Okwa naholo, or “White People of the Water,” inhabit clear, deep pools in rivers like the Abita, contrasting with the surrounding muddy waters. These beings are described as resembling light-skinned individuals and are said to draw children into their depths. A notable account from Heleema, a Choctaw woman, recounts her near drowning by the Okwa naholo as a child. Those who remain in the pool for three days undergo a transformation, becoming unable to survive outside the water, living like fish thereafter.