Indians of Louisiana

Louisiana's indigenous history stretches back millennia, but much of it has been systematically erased from dominant narratives. This book, written by the Inter-tribal Council of Louisiana, recovers that lost heritage with authority and care. The authors trace the remarkable diversity of tribes that called this region home, from the Caddo and Natchitoches in the west to the Choctaw and Houma in the east, examining their origins, spiritual practices, governance structures, and the ways they adapted to one of North America's most challenging landscapes. The text does not shy away from the cataclysm of European contact, documenting the diseases, displacements, and deliberate policies of erasure that transformed these societies. Yet the tone remains one of resilience and continuation, not merely mourning. These nations persist. For anyone seeking to understand Louisiana beyond the narrow margins of colonial history, those who recognize that the state's true story begins long before the first European ships entered the Mississippi, this book is essential.