Kowassaatiha | |
|---|---|
Tribal flag
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| Total population | |
| 910[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Louisiana) | |
| Languages | |
| English, Koasati | |
| Religion | |
| Traditional tribal religion, Protestant Christianity[2] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Koasati people |
The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana (Coushatta: Kowassaatiha) is one of three federally recognized tribesofKoasati people. They are located in Allen and Jefferson Davis Parishes, Louisiana. The tribe hosts an annual pow wow during the second weekend in June.[3]
The Coushatta Indian Reservation is located on 154-acres in Allen Parish, Louisiana. Approximately 400 people lived on the reservation in the 1990s.[2] The reservation has a tribal police department, fire department, and court house. There is also a tribal medical facility, fitness center, and event center.
The Koasati language is part of the Apalachee-Alabama-Koasati branch of the Muskogean languages. An estimated 200 people spoke the language in 2000, most of whom lived in Louisiana.[4] Historically, the language was spoken exclusively among tribal members and was never written down.[5]
In 2007, along with McNeese State University, the tribe received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for documenting endangered language (DEL); this provided necessary resources to document and preserve the Koasati language.[6]
The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana is headquartered in Elton, Louisiana. The tribe is a sovereign nation and is governed by a democratically elected five-member council. The current administration is as follows:
F. A. Little, Jr. (Louisiana Coushatta, 1936–2024), a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, served as chief judge for the tribe for nine years.[8]
The tribe owns and operates the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana. The casino is home to the Koasati Pines golf course. The casino operates 8 restaurants and 4 hotels, and is the largest casino in the state. The casino employs over 2500 local residents, and it is one of the top five largest private employer in Southwest Louisiana.[9][2][10]
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Municipalities and communities of Allen Parish, Louisiana, United States
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| Indian reservation |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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Municipalities and communities of Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, United States
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| Indian reservation |
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| Footnotes | +This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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