Yazoo tribe
Encyclopedia
The Yazoo were a tribe
of the Native American
Tunica people
historically located on the lower course of Yazoo River
, Mississippi
. It was closely connected to other Tunica peoples, especially the Tunica, Koroa
, and possibly the Tioux.
Nothing is definitely known concerning their language, believed to be related to Tunica
, a language isolate
. In 1699 Father Antone Davion, of the Quebec Seminary of Foreign Missions, established a mission
among the Tunica. He also reached out to allied tribes, such as the Taensa. The Yazoo, however, like the Chickasaw
were under the influence of the English traders from Carolina
. In 1702 they aided the Koroa
in killing Father Nicholas Foucault and three French companions. The seminary temporarily withdrew Father Davion from the area.
In 1718 the French established a fort near the village of St. Pierre to command the river. In 1722 the young Jesuit Father Jean Rouel was given the Yazoo mission, near the French post. He remained there until the outbreak of the Natchez War in 1729.
The Yazoo and Koroa joined with the Natchez
in attacking the French. On 28 November, the Natchez attacked Fort Rosalie
, killing more than 200 people, including the Jesuit Father Paul Du Poisson. They carried off as captives most of the women and children. On learning of the event, the Yazoo and Koroa, on 11 December 1729, waylaid and killed Father Rouel and his black slave. The next day they attacked the neighboring post, killing the whole garrison. The tribes buried Father Rouel's body. His bell and some books were afterward recovered and restored by the Quapaw
. Father Stephen Doutreleau
was attacked on 1 January 1730, but escaped.
The Natchez War was a disaster for French settlements in Louisiana. They allied with the Choctaw
and in retaliation, defeated the Natchez and the Yazoo. Some Natchez and Yazoo refugees took shelter among the Chickasaw. The Chickasaw captured many other Yazoo and sold them into slavery
to Carolina-based traders.
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Tunica people
Tunica people
The Tunica people were a group of linguistically and culturally related Native American tribes in the Mississippi River Valley, which include the Tunica ; the Yazoo; the Koroa ; and possibly the Tioux...
historically located on the lower course of Yazoo River
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi.The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's mouth. The exact meaning of the term is unclear...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. It was closely connected to other Tunica peoples, especially the Tunica, Koroa
Koroa
The Koroa were one of the groups of indigenous people who lived in the Mississippi Valley prior to the European settlement of the region. They lived in the northwest of present-day Mississippi in the Yazoo River basin. They were believed to speak a dialect of Tunica.The Koroa may be the tribe...
, and possibly the Tioux.
Nothing is definitely known concerning their language, believed to be related to Tunica
Tunica language
The Tunica language was a language isolate spoken in the Central and Lower Mississippi Valley by in the United States by Native American Tunica peoples. There are no known speakers of the Tunica language remaining.When the last known fluent speaker Sesostrie Youchigant died, the language became...
, a language isolate
Language isolate
A language isolate, in the absolute sense, is a natural language with no demonstrable genealogical relationship with other languages; that is, one that has not been demonstrated to descend from an ancestor common with any other language. They are in effect language families consisting of a single...
. In 1699 Father Antone Davion, of the Quebec Seminary of Foreign Missions, established a mission
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
among the Tunica. He also reached out to allied tribes, such as the Taensa. The Yazoo, however, like the Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
were under the influence of the English traders from Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
. In 1702 they aided the Koroa
Koroa
The Koroa were one of the groups of indigenous people who lived in the Mississippi Valley prior to the European settlement of the region. They lived in the northwest of present-day Mississippi in the Yazoo River basin. They were believed to speak a dialect of Tunica.The Koroa may be the tribe...
in killing Father Nicholas Foucault and three French companions. The seminary temporarily withdrew Father Davion from the area.
In 1718 the French established a fort near the village of St. Pierre to command the river. In 1722 the young Jesuit Father Jean Rouel was given the Yazoo mission, near the French post. He remained there until the outbreak of the Natchez War in 1729.
The Yazoo and Koroa joined with the Natchez
Natchez people
The Natchez are a Native American people who originally lived in the Natchez Bluffs area, near the present-day city of Natchez, Mississippi. They spoke a language isolate that has no known close relatives, although it may be very distantly related to the Muskogean languages of the Creek...
in attacking the French. On 28 November, the Natchez attacked Fort Rosalie
Fort Rosalie
Fort Rosalie was a French fort built in 1716 in the territory of the Natchez Native Americans. The present-day city of Natchez, Mississippi developed at this site. As part of the peace terms that ended the Natchez War of 1716, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville required the Natchez to...
, killing more than 200 people, including the Jesuit Father Paul Du Poisson. They carried off as captives most of the women and children. On learning of the event, the Yazoo and Koroa, on 11 December 1729, waylaid and killed Father Rouel and his black slave. The next day they attacked the neighboring post, killing the whole garrison. The tribes buried Father Rouel's body. His bell and some books were afterward recovered and restored by the Quapaw
Quapaw
The Quapaw people are a tribe of Native Americans who historically resided on the west side of the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Arkansas.They are federally recognized as the Quapaw Tribe of Indians.-Government:...
. Father Stephen Doutreleau
Stephen Doutreleau
Stephen Doutreleau was a French Jesuit missionary who ministered to Native Americans and colonists in present-day Illinois, Mississippi and Louisiana for 20 years.-Life:...
was attacked on 1 January 1730, but escaped.
The Natchez War was a disaster for French settlements in Louisiana. They allied with the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
and in retaliation, defeated the Natchez and the Yazoo. Some Natchez and Yazoo refugees took shelter among the Chickasaw. The Chickasaw captured many other Yazoo and sold them into slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
to Carolina-based traders.