Images within the coloring book feature native Louisiana wildlife and their traditional names in the Biloxi language.
For high-resolution images of the coloring book’s launch, click here.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) are happy to announce an all-new coloring book has been published for educators and students to utilize while having fun learning traditional Biloxi language.
The 64-page educational coloring book depicts native Louisiana wildlife while helping reawaken the Biloxi language. This comes after a similar collaboration in 2022, when the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe’s Language & Culture Revitalization Program (LCRP) and LWF released a coloring book primarily for the Tunica language.
“The Tunica-language coloring book was such a success with schools and students across Louisiana that we had to recreate it with the Biloxi language, as well,” said John Barbry, Director of Development & Programming for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. “A longstanding mission for the Tribe has been to promote education of our history, culture and language that have been passed down by our elders—and I believe these coloring books do just that while allowing today’s students to have fun while learning.”
The coloring book includes a Biloxi-English translation index, a pronunciation guide and a “Note to Educators” page suggesting how the book connects with Louisiana education standards. Students will find terms within the book that appear in many Biloxi stories. Most prominently, the otter that appears on the cover of the coloring book plays a significant role in many Biloxi stories, especially in “The Otter and the Sun.” Each animal depicted in the book has been highlighted by the LWF as a native species of Louisiana.
“The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe shares our interest and passion for recognizing and preserving Louisiana’s wildlife,” said Rebecca Triche, Executive Director of LWF. “Our collaboration on a second coloring book allows us to educate students about Louisiana’s native wildlife and revive the Biloxi language.”
The book would not have been possible without the hard work of LWF Executive Committee member Marty Floyd and LWF Communications Director Jimmy Frederick. Back in 2021, Floyd got the idea for the initial Tunica-language coloring book and worked diligently to create 59 original illustrations featuring mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and other aquatic animals and insects. The same dedication was shown with the illustrations in the new Biloxi-language coloring book and its publication this year.
The books are being distributed by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and can also be found in the gift shop at the Tunica-Biloxi Resort in Marksville. A digital PDF version of the book can be downloaded by clicking here or by visiting the LWF’s website.
Louisiana Wildlife Federation will distribute a copy to each public library in Louisiana and make a printable version available on their website at lawildlifefed.org
A special thank you to the National Wildlife Federation and the Rapides Wildlife Association for helping to underwrite the production of the coloring book.