Author: Belinda Brooks

By Joshua L. Johnson, BTBB Reporter

Marking the location of the Louisiana historical territory of the Butte Tribe of Bayou Bourbeaux (BTBB) ancestors is the purpose for the new sign that has been placed at the intersection of LA Hwy 84 & 1226 at Trichell Community in Natchitoches Parish. For the past 200 plus years, this location has seen Butte descendants pass through its portals. Hundreds of these descendants remain residents of this community today.

The sign designed by Vice-Chief Belinda Brooks features Butte’s tribal totem, the black bear, Kojak; the Butte tribe’s seal; and, the name of the current Butte chief since the early 1970’s, Chief Rodger Collum. A very special thank you goes out to Chief Rodger Collum who coordinated this project in such a timely manner. Assisting him with the erection of the sign was Mike Carter, Keith Hernandez and April Womack. Their volunteer time and efforts to this project are greatly appreciated. This sign represents an important stepping stone for BTBB as well as the Bayou Bourbeaux community whose love for this tribal land is unquestionable.

by: Belinda Brooks

Chief Rodger Collum of Butte Tribe of Bayou Bourbeaux released discovery of his Native American artifacts discovered at the Collum Sacred Temple Mound on Chief Collum’s personal land in Natchitoches Parish. These artifacts range in age from ancient artifacts to more recent relics from the early Native American settlements during the European explorations in the early 1700s. This mound is only one of several mounds that are scattered throughout the Butte tribal landscape. Until recently, the leaders of the Butte tribe have kept the mounds secret from the general population. Butte Hill, the namesake of the Butte Indian Tribe, is the burial ground for ancestors, White Smoke and Two Moons, of Chief Collum.Little known by the surrounding community, over five hundred members of the Butte Indian family clans have remained within the Natchitoches area for over 200 years. Linked members are scattered throughout the surrounding Louisiana parishes which were historically known as the Chitimacha, Lower Caddo (Natchitoches) and Hasani Confederacies. Over those hundreds of years, the bloodlines of these confederacies were mixed as these indigenous people joined together and formed what is known today as the unique bloodline of the Butte Indians of Bayou Bourbeaux. Between the 2016 -2019 rainy seasons, the Collum mound showed a heavy amount of erosion as the mound itself was covered with water numerous times. When vessels began to reveal themselves unaided, Chief Collum decided that it was best to excavate to artifacts that were near the edge of the water rather than take the chance of losing them to the swift water. In the last twenty years, Butte lands have lost twelve feet of the river banks which were lost to swift running water. Another sacred mound on Chief Collum’s land has been found. As of the time of this written article, it is under water and can not be explored. The following pictures are of the artifacts taken from Collum’s Mound.

 

by: Belinda Brooks

New & exciting things always happening in the Butte Tribe. Chief Roger Collum, Mike Carter, Keith Hernandez & April Womack hung the Butte Indian tribal community-road sign at HWY 84 where it meets LA HWY 1226 in Trichell Community in Natchitoches Parish which marks the location of the home of the ancestors of the Butte Indians.

by: Belinda Brooks

 

by: Belinda Brooks

Saturday, September 28th, Pace Community Center, was the gathering place for approximately 200 Butte Indians who met to celebrate the importance family connections. The family was entertained by the Butte Drum & Singers and the Chief’s stud horse, Rock. After a Pot Luck lunch, those who wished to traveled to Butte Hill to pay homage to the burial ground of their ancestors, Chief White Smoke and his wife, Two Moons. Chief Rodger Collum stood at the head of the burial stones and told the story that was related to him many years ago at the feet of his grandparents about his ancestor, the Great Chief White Smoke.

by: Belinda Brooks

It’s OFFICIAL!!! Take a look at the Butte Tribe of Bayou Bourbeaux’s Flag. (designed by Brad Desadier)

The Story of Our Flag: The black bear in the center is the totem of our tribe. The graphics inside his body tells the story of Butte Hill, the largest mound in Natchitoches Parish which had been kept secret by the Butte Indian guardian of the mounds for the past 200 years. The guardian represents the leader of our tribe for each generation. The bayou is included in the diagram with the Louisiana crain standing by the cypress tree and the Butte eagle in flight. The last ancestors to be buried on Butte Hill, White Smoke & Two Moons, are represented by the signs on the bears rump: the cross with smoke and the two circles. The shape of our state, Louisiana, is drawn near the rump of the bear. 
Red represents our mixed blood ties to the Chitimacha, Caddo and Mission Indians which combined together to make one strong, bold red bloodline, the Butte Indians. Blue is the water that flows through our land and gives life to all nature that touches it. Gold represents the wealth of our family ties that has been passed down from generation to generation. bb