Ouachita tribe
Encyclopedia
The Ouachita are a Native American
tribe from northeastern Louisiana along the Ouachita River.
and along the Black River
. Around 1690, the tribe is believed to have settled at Pargoud Landing near present-day Monroe, Louisiana
.
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville
, a French-Canadian colonizer, encountered the Ouachita in 1700. He first met members of the tribe transporting salt to Taensa
. Bienville traveled on to the principal Ouachita village, which he described as housing 70 people in five houses.
Ultimately, the Ouachita assimilated into the Natchitoches tribe by the 1720s. Today's descendants are enrolled in the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma today.
The Ouachita are known for their traditional practice of burying horses.
of Oklahoma and Arkansas and Ouachita River
of Arkansas and Louisiana were named for the tribe, as was Lake Ouachita
. The Washita River
and Washita County, Oklahoma
, were also named for the tribe, as well as the town of Washita, Oklahoma
.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe from northeastern Louisiana along the Ouachita River.
History
The Ouachita were loosely affiliated with the Caddo Confederacy. Their traditional homelands were the lower reaches of the Ouachita RiverOuachita River
The Ouachita River is a river that runs south and east through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana.-Course:...
and along the Black River
Black River (Arkansas)
The Black River is a tributary of the White River, about 300 mi long , in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas in the United States. Via the White River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed...
. Around 1690, the tribe is believed to have settled at Pargoud Landing near present-day Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
.
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienvillepronounce] was a colonizer, born in Montreal, Quebec and an early, repeated governor of French Louisiana, appointed 4 separate times during 1701-1743. He was a younger brother of explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville...
, a French-Canadian colonizer, encountered the Ouachita in 1700. He first met members of the tribe transporting salt to Taensa
Taensa
The Taensa were a people of northeastern Louisiana. They lived on Lake Saint Joseph west of the Mississippi River, between the Yazoo River and Saint Catherine Creek...
. Bienville traveled on to the principal Ouachita village, which he described as housing 70 people in five houses.
Ultimately, the Ouachita assimilated into the Natchitoches tribe by the 1720s. Today's descendants are enrolled in the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma today.
The Ouachita are known for their traditional practice of burying horses.
Namesakes
The Ouachita MountainsOuachita Mountains
The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range in west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. The range's subterranean roots may extend as far as central Texas, or beyond it to the current location of the Marathon Uplift. Along with the Ozark Mountains, the Ouachita Mountains form the U.S...
of Oklahoma and Arkansas and Ouachita River
Ouachita River
The Ouachita River is a river that runs south and east through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana.-Course:...
of Arkansas and Louisiana were named for the tribe, as was Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita is a reservoir created by the damming of the Ouachita River by Blakely Mountain Dam . The lake is located near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Lake Ouachita is the largest lake completely in Arkansas, as the larger Bull Shoals Lake extends into Missouri. Lake Ouachita has over of shoreline...
. The Washita River
Washita River
The Washita River is a river in Texas and Oklahoma, United States. The river is long and terminates into Lake Texoma in Johnston County , Oklahoma and the Red River.-Geography:...
and Washita County, Oklahoma
Washita County, Oklahoma
Washita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 11,508. Its county seat is New Cordell. It was formerly located in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma....
, were also named for the tribe, as well as the town of Washita, Oklahoma
Washita, Oklahoma
Washita is a rural community in Caddo County, Oklahoma, located west of Anadarko on a bend in the Washita River. The post office opened October 31, 1900. The ZIP Code is 73094....
.