Marskville, LA – (Oct. 31, 2017) – The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Language and Culture
Revitalization Program (LCRP) hosted its 2nd Annual Intertribal Basketry Summit on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Paragon Casino Resort.
Master weavers throughout regional Native American communities joined Tunica members in a modern-day effort to keep their cultural traditions alive. The summit serves as an informal forum for participants at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels to share elements of their culture and demonstrate southeast basketry techniques using pine needle, river cane and palmetto.
This year, master weavers from Native American communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Oklahoma attended to demonstrate and discuss their unique styles. To add to the experience, basket weavers set-up tables to sell their basket creations on-site to the public.
In addition to weavers from the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, representatives from the following tribes participated:
- Coushatta of Kinder, LA
- Alabama-Coushatta of Livingston, TX
- Chitimacha Tribe of Charenton, LA
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Clifton Choctaw of Louisiana
- United Houma Nation of Louisiana
Additionally, two non-tribal weavers who learned the art from Choctaw elders in Louisiana and Mississippi participated.
“Thank you to all who participated in the second year of this exciting event which allows Native Americans to share their ancestors’ basketry styles in a communal and engaging way,” said Marshall Ray Sampson, Vice Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. “We hope that by encouraging our people to continue learning the art of basketry, the tradition will live on for generations to come.”
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About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe
The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.