Kowassaatiha | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 910[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Louisiana) | |
| Languages | |
| English,Koasati | |
| Religion | |
| Traditional tribal religion,Protestant Christianity[2] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| OtherKoasati people |
TheCoushatta Tribe of Louisiana (Coushatta:Kowassaatiha) is one of threefederally recognized tribes ofKoasati people. They are located inAllen andJefferson Davis Parishes,Louisiana. The tribe hosts an annualpow wow during the second weekend in June.[3]
The Coushatta Indian Reservation is located on 154-acres inAllen 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.
TheKoasati language is part of theApalachee-Alabama-Koasati branch of theMuskogean 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 withMcNeese State University, the tribe received aNational 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 inElton, 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 inKinder, Louisiana. The casino is home to the Koasati Pines golf course. The casino operates multiple restaurants and hotels, and is the largest casino resort in the state.[9] The casino employs over 2300 local residents, and it was the second largest employer in Southwest Louisiana in 2018.[10][2]
Municipalities and communities ofAllen Parish, Louisiana,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities |
| |
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |