Featured Tribe - Koasati of Alabama

Koasati, An Upper Creek tribe speaking a dialect almost identical with Alibamu and evidently nothing more than a large division of that people. The name appears to contain the word for 'cane' or 'reed,' and Gatschet has suggested that it may signify 'white cane.' During the middle and latter part of the 18th century the Koasati lived, apparently in one principal village, on the right bank of Alabama river, 3 miles below the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa, where the modern town of Coosada, Ala., perpetuates their name; but soon after west Florida was ceded to Great Britain, in 1763, "two villages of Koasati" moved over to the Tombigbee and settled below the mouth of Sukenatcha creek.

Romans and other writers always mention two settlements here, Sukta-loosa and Occhoy or Hychoy, the latter being evidently either Koasati or Alibamu. The Witumka Alibamu moved with them and established themselves lower down. Later the Koasati descended the river to a point a few miles above the junction of the Tombigbee and the Alabama, but, together with their Alibamu associates, they soon returned to their ancient seats on the upper Alabama. A "Coosawda" village existed on Tennessee river, near the site of Langston, Jackson county, Ala., in the early part of the 19th century, but it is uncertain whether its occupants were true Koasati.

In 1799 Hawkins stated that part of the Koasati had recently crossed the Mississippi, and Sibley in 1805 informs us that these first settled on Bayou Chicot but 4 years later moved over to the east bank of Sabine river, 80 miles south of Natchitoches, La. Thence they spread over much of east Texas as far as Trinity river, while a portion, or perhaps some of those who had remained in Alabama, obtained permission from the Caddo to settle on Red river. Schermerhorn (Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., 2d s., 11, 26, 1814) states that in 1812 the Koasati on Sabine river numbered 600, and in 1820 Morse gave 350 on Red river, 50 on the Neches, 40 miles above its mouth, and 240 on the Trinity, 40 to 50 miles above its mouth. Bollaert (1850) estimated the number of warriors belonging to the Koasati on the lower Trinity as 500, in 2 villages, Colete and Batista.

In 1870 50 were in Polk county, Tex., and 100 near Opelousas, La. They were honest, industrious, and peaceful, and still dressed in the Indian manner. Powell (7th Rep. B. A. E., 1891) says that in 1886 there were 4 families of Koasati, of about 25 individuals, near the town of Shepherd, San Jacinto County, Tex. As part of the true Alibamu were in this same region it is not improbable that some of them have been included in the above enumerations. Those of the Koasati who stayed in their original seats and subsequently moved to Indian Territory also remained near the Alibamu for the greater part, although they are found in several places in the Creek Nation, Okla. Two towns in the Creek Nation are named after them.

Quotes

Resolution of the Fifth Annual Meetings of the Traditional Elders Circle, 1980

"There are many things to be shared with the Four Colors of humanity in our common destiny as one with our Mother the Earth. It is this sharing that must be considered with great care by the Elders and the medicine people who carry the Sacred Trusts, so that no harm may come to people through ignorance and misuse of these powerful forces."

Pawnshop moccasins lead Lakota woman down dream-filled path

By: Mary Pierpoint

ALBUQUERQUE, N. M. - In 1996, a chance encounter at a Mobridge pawnshop started Aberdeen, S.D., native Beverly Moran (Good Bear Heart Woman) on a journey she never could have envisioned.

All she saw that day was a pair of fully beaded moccasins she believed could start her on her lifelong dream of dancing in pow wows. At the time, she didn't realize that the $70 moccasins would one day bring her full circle in understanding her Lakota heritage and win her national acclaim as an artist. Eleven years later, the Standing Rock Sioux tribal member was one of six Indian artists in the country to be awarded a fellowship by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.

The pawnshop moccasins soon became the foundation for Moran's first beaded Northern Traditional elk skin dress. Although she had hired someone to do the beading for the yoke of the dress, she soon found she needed to make a purse and other accessories to go along with it before she could dance in competition. Her daughter, Andrea (Morning Star), then 2, also wanted to dance and so Moran was soon busy beading hair ties and other accessories for the little girl.

After putting in a full day at the office as a government employee, Moran worked at night on various beading projects. It was slow going at first, since she was self-taught, but soon she began envisioning pieces that held on to their traditional roots and expanded them to incorporate her own personality. Now living in Albuquerque, the mother-daughter pair began winning at pow wows. Moran feverishly used every spare moment to create new and more stunning fan handles, hair ties, purses, belts and other items to keep up with her growing daughter's dance regalia and traveled on weekends to compete at pow wows.

Read more here: http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415342

Clinton Campaign Announces Nevada Native American Leadership Council

Tribal Leaders Group to Serve as Advisory Body

Nevada -- Hillary Clinton's Nevada Chair Rory Reid today announced the formation of the campaign's Nevada Native American Leadership Council, a group of Nevada tribal leaders united in support of Senator Clinton's bid for the presidency. The Council will serve as an advisory body for the campaign in Nevada regarding Indian Country, and play an active role in reaching out and organizing Native American communities for the January 19th Democratic caucus.

The group of founding council members introduced today includes tribal leaders, administrators and activists who are leaders in Indian Country throughout Nevada.

"I am honored to be a part of this Leadership Council and to support Senator Clinton," said Genia Williams, Chairperson of the Walker River Paiute Tribe. "She clearly understands that each tribe is different and a sovereign entity, and recognizes the importance of the government-to-government relationship with the tribes. Senator Clinton has reached out personally to Nevada's tribes to discuss issues of concern to each sovereign nation. She is the most experienced and prepared candidate in the race, and understands the unique challenges facing Indian Country. This is evidenced by her co-sponsorship of the American Indian Health Improvement Act and many other actions. I am excited to support Hillary Clinton and am confident she will be an outstanding president."

"We are thrilled to have the support of this outstanding group of tribal leaders," said Reid. "These individuals bring to the campaign a wealth of knowledge not only of the issues facing Indian Country, which is essential to the Nevada landscape, but also deep roots in the state to help connect Native Americans with the caucus process. These individuals will be invaluable counselors and supporters for Senator Clinton's efforts in the state."