Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands


Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, Southeastern cultures, or Southeast Indians are an ethnographic classification for Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited the area now part of the Southeastern United States and the northeastern border of Mexico, that share common cultural traits. This classification is a part of the Eastern Woodlands. The concept of a southeastern cultural region was developed by anthropologists, beginning with Otis Mason and Franz Boas in 1887. The boundaries of the region are defined more by shared cultural traits than by geographic distinctions. Because the cultures gradually instead of abruptly shift into Plains, Prairie, or Northeastern Woodlands cultures, scholars do not always agree on the exact limits of the Southeastern Woodland culture region. Shawnee, Powhatan, Waco, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Karankawa, Quapaw, and Mosopelea are usually seen as marginally southeastern and their traditional lands represent the borders of the cultural region.
The area was linguistically diverse, major language groups were Caddoan and Muskogean, besides a number of language isolates.

List of peoples

  • Acolapissa, Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Ais, eastern coastal Florida
  • Alafay, Florida
  • Amacano, Florida west coast
  • Apalachee, northwestern Florida
  • Atakapa, Louisiana west coast and Texas southeastern coast
  • *Akokisa, Texas southeast coast
  • *Bidai, Texas southeast coast
  • *Deadose, eastern Texas
  • *Eastern Atakapa, western coastal Louisiana
  • *Orcoquiza, southeast Texas
  • *Patiri, eastern Texas
  • *Tlacopsel, southeast Texas
  • Avoyel, Louisiana
  • Bayogoula, southeastern Louisiana
  • Biloxi, Mississippi
  • Chacato, west Florida
  • Caddo Confederacy, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
  • *Adai, Louisiana and Texas
  • *Cahinnio, southern Arkansas
  • *Doustioni, north central Louisiana
  • *Eyeish, eastern Texas
  • *Hainai, eastern Texas
  • *Hasinai, eastern Texas
  • *Kadohadacho, northeastern Texas, southwestern Arkansas, northwestern Louisiana
  • *Nabedache, eastern Texas
  • *Nabiti, eastern Texas
  • *Nacogdoche, eastern Texas
  • *Nacono, eastern Texas
  • *Nadaco, eastern Texas
  • *Nanatsoho, northeastern Texas
  • *Nasoni, eastern Texas
  • *Natchitoches, Lower: central Louisiana, Upper: northeastern Texas
  • *Neche, eastern Texas
  • *Nechaui, eastern Texas
  • *Ouachita, northern Louisiana
  • *Tula, western Arkansas
  • *Yatasi, northwestern Louisiana
  • Calusa, southwestern Florida
  • Cape Fear Indians, North Carolina southern coast
  • Catawba, North Carolina, South Carolina
  • Chakchiuma, Alabama and Mississippi
  • Chawasha, Louisiana
  • Cheraw, North Carolina
  • Cherokee, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, later Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, northern Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Mexico, and currently North Carolina and Oklahoma
  • Chickanee, North Carolina
  • Chickasaw, Alabama and Mississippi, now Oklahoma
  • Chicora, coastal South Carolina
  • Chine, Florida
  • Chisca, southwestern Virginia, northern Florida
  • Chitimacha, Louisiana
  • Choctaw, Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of Louisiana; later Oklahoma
  • Chowanoc, North Carolina
  • Congaree, South Carolina
  • Coree, North Carolina
  • Croatan, North Carolina
  • Cusabo coastal South Carolina
  • Eno, North Carolina
  • Etiwan, South Carolina
  • Grigra, Mississippi
  • Guacata, eastern coastal Florida
  • Guacozo, Florida
  • Guale, coastal Georgia
  • Guazoco, southwestern Florida coast
  • Houma, Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Jaega, eastern coastal Florida
  • Jaupin, North Carolina
  • Jororo, Florida interior
  • Keyauwee, North Carolina
  • Koasati, formerly eastern Tennessee, currently Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas
  • Koroa, Mississippi
  • Luca, southwestern Florida coast
  • Lumbee, North Carolina
  • Machapunga, North Carolina
  • Matecumbe, Florida Keys
  • Mayaca, Florida
  • Mayaimi, interior Florida
  • Mayajuaca, Florida
  • Mikasuki, Florida
  • Mobila, northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Mocoso, western Florida
  • Mougoulacha, Mississippi
  • Muscogee, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, later Oklahoma
  • *Abihka, Alabama, later Oklahoma
  • *Alabama, formerly Alabama, southwestern Tennessee, and northwestern Mississippi, now Oklahoma and Texas
  • **Pakana, central Alabama, later Texas
  • * Apalachicola Province,, Alabama and Georgia
  • ** Apalachicola, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina
  • ** Hitchiti, Alabama and Georgia
  • ** Oconee, Alabama and Georgia
  • ** Sabacola, Alabama and Georgia
  • *Chiaha, Creek Confederacy, Alabama
  • *Eufaula tribe, Georgia, later Oklahoma
  • *Kialegee Tribal Town, Alabama, later Oklahoma
  • *Osochee, Creek Confederacy, Alabama
  • *Talapoosa, Creek Confederacy, Alabama
  • *Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Alabama, Georgia, later Oklahoma
  • *Tukabatchee, Muscogee Creek Confederacy, Alabama
  • Naniaba, northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Natchez, Louisiana and Mississippi later Oklahoma
  • Neusiok, North Carolina
  • Norwood culture, Apalachee region, Florida, c. 12,000 BCE — 4500 BCE
  • Ofo, Arkansas and Mississippi, eastern Tennessee
  • Okchai, central Alabama
  • Okelousa, Louisiana
  • Opelousas, Louisiana
  • Pacara people, Florida
  • Pamlico, formerly North Carolina
  • Pascagoula, Mississippi coast
  • Pee Dee, South Carolina and North Carolina
  • Pensacola, Florida panhandle and southern Alabama
  • Potoskeet, North Carolina
  • Quinipissa, southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Roanoke, North Carolina
  • Saluda, South Carolina
  • Santee, South Carolina, South Carolina
  • Santa Luces, Florida
  • Saponi, North Carolina, Virginia
  • Saura, North Carolina
  • Saxapahaw, North Carolina
  • Secotan, North Carolina
  • Seminole, Florida and Oklahoma
  • Sewee, South Carolina coast
  • Shakori, North Carolina
  • Shoccoree, North Carolina, possibly Virginia
  • Sissipahaw, North Carolina
  • Sugeree, North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Surruque, east central Florida
  • Suteree, North Carolina
  • Taensa, Mississippi
  • Tawasa, Alabama
  • Tequesta, southeastern coastal Florida
  • Timucua, Florida and Georgia
  • *Acuera, central Florida
  • *Agua Fresca, interior northeast Florida
  • *Arapaha, north central Florida and south central Georgia?
  • *Cascangue, coastal southeast Georgia
  • *Icafui, coastal southeast Georgia
  • *Mocama, coastal northeast Florida and coastal southeast Georgia
  • **Saturiwa, northeast Florida
  • **Tacatacuru, coastal southeast Georgia
  • *Northern Utina north central Florida
  • *Ocale, central Florida
  • *Oconi, interior southeast Georgia
  • *Potano, north central Florida
  • *Tucururu, central? Florida
  • *Utina, northeast central Florida
  • *Yufera, coastal southeast Georgia
  • *Yui, coastal southeast Georgia
  • *Yustaga, north central Florida
  • Tiou, Mississippi
  • Tocaste, Florida
  • Tocobaga, Florida
  • Tohomé, northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Tomahitan, eastern Tennessee
  • Topachula, Florida
  • Tunica, Arkansas and Mississippi
  • Utiza, Florida
  • Uzita, Tampa Bay, Florida
  • Vicela, Florida
  • Viscaynos, Florida
  • Waccamaw, South Carolina
  • Waccamaw Siouan, North Carolina
  • Wateree, North Carolina
  • Waxhaw, North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Westo, Virginia and South Carolina, extinct
  • Winyah, South Carolina coast
  • Woccon, North Carolina
  • Yamasee, Florida, Georgia
  • Yazoo, southeastern tip of Arkansas, eastern Louisiana, Mississippi
  • Yuchi, central Tennessee, then northwest Georgia, now Oklahoma

    Federally recognized tribes

  1. Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas
  2. Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma
  3. Caddo Nation of Oklahoma
  4. Catawba Indian Nation, South Carolina
  5. Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
  6. Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma
  7. Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
  8. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
  9. Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana
  10. Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina
  11. Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana
  12. Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma
  13. Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
  14. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi
  15. Muscogee Nation, Oklahoma
  16. Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama
  17. Seminole Tribe of Florida
  18. Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
  19. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma
  20. Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana
  21. United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma

    History

The following section deals primarily with the history of the peoples in the lengthy period before European contact. Evidence of the preceding cultures have been found primarily in archeological artifacts, but also in major earthworks and the evidence of linguistics. In the Late Prehistoric time period in the Southeastern Woodlands, cultures increased agricultural production, developed ranked societies, increased their populations, trade networks, and intertribal warfare. Most Southeastern peoples were highly agricultural, growing crops like maize, squash, and beans for food. They supplemented their diet with hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants and fungi.
Belonging in the Lithic stage, the oldest known art in the Americas is the Vero Beach bone found in present-day Florida. It is possibly a mammoth bone, etched with a profile of walking mammoth; it dates to 11,000 BCE.

Poverty Point culture

The Poverty Point culture inhabited portions of the state of Louisiana from 2000–1000 BCE during the Archaic period. Many objects excavated at Poverty Point sites were made of materials that originated in distant places, indicating that the people were part of an extensive trading culture. Such items include chipped stone projectile points and tools; ground stone plummets, gorgets and vessels; and shell and stone beads. Stone tools found at Poverty Point were made from raw materials that can be traced to the relatively nearby Ouachita and Ozark mountains, as well as others from the more distant Ohio and Tennessee River valleys. Vessels were made from soapstone which came from the Appalachian foothills of Alabama and Georgia. Hand-modeled lowly fired clay objects occur in a variety of shapes including anthropomorphic figurines and cooking balls.