Louisiana’s tribes face challenges in gaining state and federal recognition, navigating complex bureaucratic processes that require extensive historical and cultural documentation. Tribes contend with stringent criteria and political opposition on their path to recognition. The struggle highlights broader issues of indigenous rights and identity, as well as the need for a more accessible and equitable recognition process at the state and federal levels.

State recognition

The Task Force on State Recognition of Indian Tribes in Louisiana, also known as the Native American Commission, was created in 2018 to suggest improvements to the state’s tribal recognition process. Its objectives include evaluating current criteria, assessing the historical and cultural appropriateness, and ensuring fairness and transparency. The task force includes 11 state-recognized tribes, four federally recognized tribes, state government officials, historians, legal experts, among others to to bring multiple perspectives to the Louisiana state recognition process.

Unable to establish criteria for recognizing tribes, the task force met for the last time in February. Fred Simon, primary chief of the Natchitoches Tribe, said the inability to achieve a quorum was due to disinterest of federally recognized members in state matters, absenteeism and illness. 

The federal recognition process

Federal recognition is challenging  and vital as it grants tribes legal standing and sovereignty in the eyes of the U.S. government. It means access to federal funding, health and education services, and the ability to govern their lands independently. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Federal Acknowledgement (OFA) administers the process, requiring tribes to meet seven criteria. These include proving historical continuity, demonstrating a distinct community, showing political influence, possessing a governing document, descending from a historical tribe, having unique membership not belonging to other recognized tribes, and not being previously federally recognized.

 The struggle of Louisiana’s tribes

The challenges Louisiana’s state-recognized tribes face in their quest for federal recognition are rooted in both history and contemporary political landscapes. The United Houma Nation, the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb, and the Clifton-Choctaw have had varied experiences in efforts, reflecting the complex interplay of historical documentation, legal battles, and political advocacy.

The United Houma Nation, with a membership exceeding 17,000 people, has been seeking federal recognition since 1979, making it one of the longest unresolved cases. Despite clear evidence of a continuous tribal community and culture, the process has been stalled by bureaucratic delays and documentation demands. The tribe’s history, marked by European contact in the 1600s and a long-standing presence in southern Louisiana, has been well-documented, yet the federal government seeks  more precise documentation of political authority and governance through history. The process is also hindered by the oil and gas sector, which influences land and resource rights.

The Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb in western Louisiana has faced similar hurdles. Their application process has highlighted the challenges of proving historical continuity and distinct community status, given the limited written records from the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite strong cultural traditions and community bonds, the tribe struggles with the federal requirement for continuous and clear political governance documentation.

The Clifton-Choctaw’s smaller size and more isolated geographical location have made it difficult to gain the political and public support necessary to push their recognition forward. The tribe has faced historical documentation continuity but also the task of navigating the complex political landscape that influences the federal recognition process.

Louisiana tribes’ pursuit of recognition is complex, marked by a task force’s struggle to set criteria and historical challenges. Their efforts continues despite facing systemic hurdles.

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Brandi Liberty is an enrolled member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska and a descendant of the United Houma Nation in Southern Louisiana. She is the owner of The Luak Group and its subsidiary...