Story of a people (continued-6)
FACTS:
The following was extracted from the petition of the United Houma Nation for federal acknowledgement.
In addition to regional strategic change , local economic development near Burnside, Louisiana made the tribe’s (Houmas) move increasingly necessary. Development was continuing apace, judging from an 1803 description of the site in the last days of the Spanish dominion.
…the hamlet of Lafourche [is] located on the banks of the river near a river which bears its name. Its inhabitants, to the number of three hundred, have a heavy trade in pelts. Travelers find good inns there, and the inhabitants ( sic ) stores in which to keep their merchandise and products. The inhabitants of the provinces of Attakapas and Opelousas send their products down thither by water. These consist of indigo, cotton, and all the other products which I have already described.
Specific policy of the United States to provide incentive for the tribes to relocate came only following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In an act of March 26, 1804, the U. S. congress divided the purchase area into two territories–the Territory of Orleans and the Territory of Louisiana. The act “provided also for the removal of such Indians as desired to make the change. The plan was to give them acre for acre lands beyond the Mississippi in exchange for their old domains on the East side.” Carrying out the wishes of the Washington government during the territorial era in Louisiana was W. C. C. Claiborne. “Although he had not received specific guidelines from Washington, Governor Claiborne faithfully carried out the benevolent and paternalistic Indian Policies of his Washington mentor, Thomas Jefferson.”
Evidence that the “governor was concerned generally with the welfare of the small Indian tribes in the Orleans Territory…” comes in part from his treatment of the Houma delegations to his office. Oral tradition collected 1977 to 1981 documents the visit by the tribe’s leaders, which continued the historic link between the tribe and whatever government was in power in New Orleans.
Claiborne wrote to U. S. Secretary of War Henery Dearborne on April 4, 1806:
I have in this day drawn upon you in favor of Richard Claiborne an order for 48 dollars payable at five days’ sight; this sum has been paid by me, for two uniform Coats which I presented to two chief of a friendly tribe of Indians, called the hamos; they reside on the waters of the Mississippi in the county of Acadia within this territory, and have been in the habit of receiving small presents from Governors….
The County of Acadia had been formed the year before. It included the First and Second German coasts on both sides of the river with the church parishes of Ascension and St. Jacques.
The presentation of “uniform coats” marks a significant carry-over from the Spanish era of Indian diplomacy. The primary symbols of chiefly authority used by the Spanish, in addition to uniforms, included medals (which the Houma tribe received from earlier governors) , flags, staffs of office and commission papers.
OPINIONS:
This is part six of “Story of a People.” If you wish to read the first five segments, click on archives and visit the entries made on June 6, 10, 11, 15 and 16, 2006.
Visit with us tomorrow as we examine Facts and Opions on Lafourche Parish local government and issues. The Story of a People will be continued on future dates.
