Basket Diplomacy

Before the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana became one of the state’s top private employers — with its vast landholdings and economic enterprises — they lived well below the poverty line and lacked any clear legal status. After settling in the Bayou Blue in 1884, they forged friendships with their neighbors, sparked local tourism and struck strategic alliances with civic and business leaders, aid groups, legislators and other tribes. Coushattas also engaged the public with stories about the tribe’s culture, history and economic interests that intersected with the larger community, all while battling legal marginalization exacerbated by inconsistent government reports regarding their citizenship, treaty status and eligibility for federal Indian services. Well into the 20th century, the tribe had to overcome several major hurdles, including lobbying the Louisiana legislature to pass the state’s first tribal recognition resolution (1972), convincing the Department of the Interior to formally acknowledge the Coushatta Tribe through administrative channels (1973), and engaging in an effort to acquire land and build infrastructure.