SAVE THIS DATE: -------- JUNE 13, 2009
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GREEN CORN FESTIVAL
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LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER GROUNDS
Atakapa-Ishak (uh-TAK-uh-paw - ee-SHAK)
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Na tol a-wi-shokipen!
Translation: "My dear tribesmen, may you be well".
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ANCIENT INDIANS tribes did inhabit Southwest Louisiana. Artifacts were significant enough for two (2) archeological digs. One was on the north shores of Lake Charles before Harrah's was built. Another dig was on the Calcasieu River in Moss Bluff area. Before the topography was disturbed in Moss Bluff, in the woods, arrowheads were common finds and also in Sam Houston State Park.
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My family's roots (documented through land transactions) can be traced back in time as inhabitants of Southwest Louisiana - MOSS BLUFF before Louisiana gained state-hood in 1802. My true heritage is unknown. Were my families of slavery or were they NATIVE AMERICANS of this region? Could I be a descendant of the ATAKAPA? Many of us really don't know.
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Mrs. Orsot is neither White, Black nor Colored. She is an ATAKAPA INDIAN. As a neighbor, she giggles at the Historical Plaque (Pine Street Pavilion) on the lake here in Lake Charles which claims the ATAKAPA to be extinct. She begans to tell the story as it really happened: "My grandfather was the ATAKAPA Chief who knew of the soldiers coming in to 'slaughter' them. When soldiers got there, the village lay about moaning & groaning with the spots. Thinking that they were already dying of the dreaded SMALLPOX disease, they immediately left them to finish dying - instead of killing them. Afterwards, the ATAKAPAS scattered themselves for their own protection."
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Laughingly, she continues, "They didn't really have the smallpox, they had 'stained' themselves with the berries from the Mulberry trees. They 'fooled' the soldiers and that time it worked!"
4 comments:
You Go Madam, please more of the story. I am so happy that some stories are finally told..Teach sister teach....
D
It's true. Much of our history was never written (especially in the text books); but, we are survivors of many injustices.
My grandmother always told me that if you put it up there (your head); then, nobody can EVER take it away. You have a 'head' ... use it for more than a hat rack. As the years passed, I finally realized just what it was she was saying to me and now I share that 'head' with others.
I am trying very hard to locate music from the Atakapa. I would love to talk with you about their history here in Calcasieu Parish. For some reason the e-mail link will not work for me.
Please contact me at bayoucutee@yahoo.com or ckitchens@laspirits.com.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Connie Kitchens
Utterly composed subject material
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