Category: Blog

by: Belinda Brooks

by: Belinda Brooks

A group of faithful Butte Indians met today at the home of Brad Desadier in preparation of next’s weeks first tribal cultural day event. Scheduled activities are Native American crafts and dance, nature walks, hut building, games and hot dog lunch served on grounds. Visiting guests will be Bryant Billiot’s Native American Cultural Group from South Louisiana.

All Butte Indian families are invited to attend. No charge for entry. Bring folding chairs and coolers with drinks if you like. Children will be served hot dogs for lunch. You are welcomed to bring your own food items should you want something other than hot dogs. We have grills and several families will be camping out on Friday night before the event starts on Saturday.

Location of event: 4073 Harrisonburg Rd., Montgomery, LA 71454

Date: Saturday, July 20th, 2019 – 10AM-4PM

Night cameras caught these visitors at Butte Hill recently. The chief has offered to pitch a tent for Charlia, his wife, and me to camp out one night. We’re not interested in that offer. bb

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by Belinda Brooks

Saturday, May 25, branches of the Martin family met to hold their annual Martin Family Reunion. The event was held at the Goldonna Town Hall. Special guests were Butte Indians of Bayou Bourbeaux Chief, Rodger Collum; his wife, Charlia Collum; and, Vice Chief, Belinda Brooks. A special meeting was held to discuss the history of Butte Tribe. Family members spoke of ancestors and times that have gone past. Fond memories were shared. Billy Martin told the story of a conversation that his father had with him when he was growing up. Billy’s father told him, “Son, if anything ever happens to the family after I pass away and we are in desperate need of help, go to Clarence Desadier. Should Clarence have passed and Rodger (Collum) have not come of age, go to Perry Desadier.” Billy said that their family always knew the line of family leadership. It was plainly stated publicly and known by all that Rodger had been raised by the elders to lead the family. And, what a fine job he has done! Stories of his protection of his family and family possessions of land and property are never ending. So proud of our CHIEF RODGER COLLUM who was chosen by the elders to serve his family, his tribe. Rodger has given untold hours of time, money and labor to help his family survive. He did it for love and not a title. Thanks, Rodger, for the burden that you have carried all these years. Your family loves and supports you. bb

Documented ancestors of the Butte Indians are as follows:

Chitimacha – Marie Anna Theresa De La Grande Terre

Louisiana Natchez Missionary de Saint Cosme traveled to Mobile in November 1707.   On the trail, he was attacked by a band of Chitimacha Indians who murdered him by hacking him to death. De Saint Cosme was feared and hated by local Indians due to his violent mistreatment of his indigenous slaves.

In January 1708, Bienville sent the a battle ship, Esperance, with arms and munitions to St. Denis at Fort La Boulaye. The arms and munitions were gifts sent with the intention of enticing other Indian tribes to make war upon the Chitimacha. Two days later with his combined force, St. Denis attacked a small Chitimacha village while they slept, killing the men and taking the women as well as innocent young children prisoners to be sold individually for 200 livres in Mobile as slaves.   The boat “Esperance” later ran aground and was destroyed by a storm at the port in Massacre Island.

Marie Anne Theresa de la Grande Terre was captured during the raid of the Chitimacha village by St. Denis.   Marie Theresa was bought by a French soldier, Jacques Guedon dit Nantois.  They later moved to the new fort at Natchitoches and were married at Fort Adaes in 1721. It was at this time the priest gave her the Christian name of Marie Anne Theresa. De la Grande Terre is the designation of the Chitimacha tribe which means “of the big land.”

Jacques Guedon and Marie Theresa settled the fort at Lake End on a bluff overlooking the Bayou Pierre. It was there that they raised their family among other Native American families. They later moved back to Natchitoches were buried there. One of their daughters, Louise Marguerite Guedon who married Alexis Grappe, and their children became the founding families of the Butte Tribe communities which was establish in the mid-1700s.  

American Indians of Texas Spanish Colonial Missions aka “Mission Indians.”

In the Butte family area, there are several names that would call attention to Texas Mission Indian bloodline:  Desadier, Perez, Cordova, Pardee and Sanchez to name a few.  Documented ancestors are: White Smoke & Two Moons, Joseph Pereda Desadier & Marie Luisa Perez, Maria Vicenta Perez (wife of Charles Simon), Bernard Sanchez & Modeste Simon, Charles Carlo Cordova & Marie Porcilla Desadier, along with others not mentioned here.  Ask a council chief if you have a question about your ancestor.

Our records date back to the early 1700s.  These records include various San Antonio missions’ birth, marriage and death records.

Regarding these Texas Spanish missions, the Spanish captured many Native American and made them slaves.  These slaves were forced into the Spanish culture.  The plan of the Spanish government and missionaries was to have the Native American Indians people move into their missions and have them assume the Spanish culture and religion.  After 10 years of being on their own, and showing that they had forsaken their old ways, the Indians would be considered “Espanol” not “Indios.”  On census records, one can see the transition as the years went by.

History has much to say about our Mission Indian ancestors.  For now, it is important to know that our ancestors escaped the Spanish Missions in fear of future attacks by the Apache, Commanche, Osage and Wichita Indians who were raiding missions in search for horses, weapons and better hunting grounds.  Our ancestors ended up in Nacogdoches. Some traveled south to Opelousas.  All eventually found their way home to Bayou Bourbeaux in Natchitoches Parish.