Natchez people
Encyclopedia : N : NA : NAT : Natchez people
The Natchez Nation was a powerful Native American people in the early days of European colonization. Although suffering a turbulent history since European contact, the Natchez Nation still represents a vital part of the United States Native American community.
The Natchez (w-nahk'-che) exist as a loose confederacy of interdependent families principally within the Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Nations of Oklahoma. The current leadership of the Natchez Nation consists of a War Chief, Peace Chief (the Great Sun) and 4 primary Clan Mothers. These "Sun's" as the Natchez refer to them have included K.T.(Hutke) Fields (Principal Peace Chief / Great Sun, 1996...), Eliza Sumpka (Primary Clan Mother), William Harjo LoneFight, Robert M. Riviera (Principal War Chief, 1997...),Watt Sam, Archie Sam, White Tobacco Sam and others within the historic period.
History
Historically, the Natchez were located in about nine separate towns along St. Catherine's Creek (east and south of modern Natchez, Mississippi), The male leader was referred to as 'The Great Sun'. The royal bloodline was matrilineal, meaning 'The Great Sun' achieved his office through kinship to a woman; a man did not pass his titles to his son, but rather they were inherited by his nephew (his sister's son).The Great Suns were so revered by the Natchez people that at the death of a Sun, many practiced voluntary suicide. At the death of Tattooed Serpent in 1725, two of his wives, one of his sisters (nicknamed La Glorieuse by the French), his first warrior, his doctor, his head servant and the servant's wife, his nurse, and a craftsman of war clubs all chose to die with him. His brother, the ruling Sun at the time, apparently wanted to die as well, but was reportedly convinced by the entreaties of his French allies to remain alive.
The Natchez were a formidable force when they first made contact with Spanish explorers and then French colonists. Unlike many other groups, the Natchez initially enjoyed very warm diplomatic relations with the French, and the two groups were briefly allies. Relations worsened, however, and diseases and warfare took their toll; after three wars with the French—in 1716, 1722 and 1729—Natchez society was in flux and the peoples scattered. In 1729, perhaps one-half of the population remained of the pre-1716 era. Most survivors settled with the Creek, with English colonists or in Chickasaw towns; the latter two groups ended up with the Cherokee within fifty years due to subsequent intraethnic conflict. Those living with the Upper Creek fled with these peoples after the Red Stick War ended in 1814 and also took refuge with the Cherokee.
The First Natchez War, in 1716, was called the "Incident of 1716". When the Natchez began growing tired of the French colonial practice of rape and theft, four Natchez warriors retaliated against four French fur traders. Governor Cadillac ordered Bienville and the military to punish the Natchez.
Language
The Natchez language is a language isolate. A distant relationship to the Muskogean languages has been posited, though is not considered proven. Its two last fluent speakers were Watt Sam and Nancy Raven who spoke it up until the 1930s. The language is well documented in fieldwork with Sam and Raven conducted in the 1930's by Mary Haas. It now exists primarily as a ceremonial language. Efforts are being made to reintroduce it into common usage.See also
- Avoyel, a small tribe of the Natchez Confederacy whose members are still represented among the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
External links
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