Chakchiuma

The Chakchiuma were a Native American tribe of the upper Yazoo River region of what is today the state of Mississippi.^[1] They are at times confused with the Choctaw.^{[citation needed]}

The Chakchiuma are thought to be the ancestors of the Houma tribe and some believe Houma is an alternate pronunciation of Chakchiuma.^[2]

History

The first historical reference to the Chakchiuma is found when Hernando de Soto sent a contingent of troops against them while he was staying with the Chickasaw.^[3] At this early time the tribe is known as the Sacchuma and Saquechuma in the sources.^[4]

In 1700 the Quapaw were convinced by English traders to try to take some of the Chakchiuma as captives to sell to these traders so they could ship them to the English colonies to be used as slaves. The Quapaw failed in this endeavor.^[5]

The Chakchiuma participated on the French side in the Yazoo War.^[6] In about 1739 the Chakchiuma were involved in hostilities, primarily with the Chickasaw, that led to their destruction as an independent tribe and their being incorporated into the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes.^[7]

Historical populations

Based on Bienville's claim that there were 400 families of the Chakchiuma in 1702, this would place their numbers at that date around or above 2000. By 1704 their numbers had fallen to only 80 families, which almost certainly was below 500 people.^[8]

Sources

1. ^ Gibson, Arrell M. "The Indians of Mississippi" in McLemore, Richard Audrey, ed. A History of Mississippi (Hattiesburg: University and College Press of Mississippi, 1973) p. 69
2. ^ Pritzker, Barry M. Native Americans: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture and Peoples (Denver: ABC-CLIO, 1998) Vol. 2, p. 550
3. ^ Swanton, John R. Indians of the Southeastern United States as Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 137 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1946) p. 105
4. ^ Swanton. Indians of the Southeastern U. S. p. 105
5. ^ Swanton. Indians of the Southerastern US p. 106
6. ^ Swanton, John R. Indians of the Southeastern United States as Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 137 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1946) p. 106
7. ^ Swanton. Indians of the Southeastern US p. 106
8. ^ Swanton. Indians of the Southerstern US p. 107