Welcome to Charenton and the Chitimacha Reservation

Welcome to Charenton and the Chitimacha Reservation. . , Did you know that when you travel the sweeping curve of Bayou Teche into Charenton you're entering another nation? The Chitimacha Tribe's land once encompassed the entire Atchafalaya Basin and now consists of the Chitimacha Reservation near Charenton, a sovereign nation governed by a tribal council. Charenton got its name from French sugar planter Alexandre Frere, who saw similarities between Charenton-le-Pont, a Paris suburb, and the swampy area that was then called Indian Bend. Land loss for the Chitimacha dates back to the late 1600s and continued through 1846, when the tribe sued the U.S. Government for confirmation of title to 1,093 acres. By 1916, Chitimacha land had been whittled down to 261.54 acres, but they are the only federally recognized tribe in Louisiana to still occupy a portion of their aboriginal homeland. Today, the Chitimacha are known for their river cane basketry, on display at the Chitimacha Museum. The reservation's first gaming enterprise, Bayouland Bingo, started in 1985 and grew into Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel, the first land-based casino in the state., Legend of the Snake , Have you heard the Bayou Teche legend of the snake? The Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana tell the tale that many years ago there was a venomous snake so long that its size was measured in miles. Its head lay at Morgan City and its tail at St. Martinville. This snake had been an enemy of the Chitimacha, and one day the chief called his warriors together to prepare for battle. In lieu of guns, the Chitimacha used clubs and bows and arrows tipped with garfish teeth to fight the serpent. They fought courageously, but the snake turned and twisted for days to survive. Dying a slow death, the beast broadened, curved and deepened the place where its huge body lay. The winding curves of Bayou Teche are proof of the exact position the snake placed itself when overcome by Chitimacha warriors. , "More is known of the customs and life-style of the Chitimacha than of other Louisiana tribes. They made their houses of poles thatched with palmetto foliage on the roofs and walls... The women of the tribe planted crops such as maize and sweet potatoes, but the tribe subsisted mainly on the wild foods that grew near their villages and the fish and game found in their own streams and swamps." - The Louisiana Experience, Mary Alice Fontenot and Julie Landry, 1983, Language Restoration , From 1932-34, Ben Paul and Delphine Ducloux were recorded speaking the Chitimacha language on wax cylinders as part of a study by American linguist Morris Swadesh. The foundation of the Chitimacha Language Restoration Program, this study led to the development of lesson books, grammar guides, a word finder and recordings for tribal use. The Chitimacha language is now taught at the Yaamahana/Child Development Center and Tribal School. A grant from Rosetta Stone has also made the language available to interested tribal members around the globe., The First Canoe , The Chitimacha learned how to make their canoes from the Great Spirit, who they believe made the world. One day, the spirit came and took six men out to the woods. He told them to take some mud, place it around a cypress tree and set the trunk on fire. When the tree had fallen, he showed them how to pick the right parts for a canoe. The Chitimacha burned off the bottom and ends, using the mud to control the fire. When the burning was complete, the Great Spirit told them to take clam shells and scrape off the charred parts. The canoe was then set upright and a fire was made on top to burn to the desired depth inside. This huuta, as it's called in Chitimacha language, was the primary mode of transportation for navigating the bayous and hunting and fishing. Large canoes were up to 30 feet long and could hold 15-30 people. , Legendary Charenton Beach , Charenton had its own dance hall and resort in the 1920s and '30s called Charenton Beach. Located on Grand Lake (formerly Chitimacha Lake), the pulse of water from the spillway warped the floor so that dancers had to learn to move with the grain. The Fourth of July was a popular holiday out at Charenton Beach and in 1935, 700 couples were recorded in the elevated dance hall. A Federal Writer's Project further documented the site and its demise after the 1927 flood. The 1939 Atchafalaya Basin Levee Project had Charenton Beach located inside the levee. Once the project was finished, the flood waters just kept getting higher, and the popular dance hall finally went under., Corn Soup , 12-16 ears of corn , 1 block margarine , Salt meat , 2 onions , 1 can diced tomatoes , Melt margarine in a pot and then sauté onions for about 10 minutes. Add the scraped corn in the pot and cook on low fire for about 15 minutes. Add water to the corn and let it come to a boil, then add the diced tomatoes. Boiled salt meat and add it to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste., Tribal Music , Music and dance are an important part of Chitimacha history and culture. The tribe made music using flutes, drums, gourd rattles and alligator skins. Flutes or "horns" were constructed of river cane. Drums were made in ancient times by stretching a deerskin over the top of a large clay pot, later, the end of a hollow log took the place of the pot. Alligator skins were prepared by drying the skin and music made by scratching it with a stick. Drums and rattles were often used in Chitimacha ceremonies to initiate boys into manhood, bless the corn or honor the deceased., The TECHE Project recognizes Kimberly Walden, Shane Bernard, Patti Holland, Tami St. Germain, Chloé St. Germain-Vermillion and Erin Bass for their contributions to the content of this panel. , For more information, visit: , Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana | chitimacha.gov Cajun Coast VCB | cajuncoast.com The TECHE Project | techeproject.org