American Indian languages
American Indian culture
What's new on our site today!
Opelousa Indian Language (Opelousas)
The Opelousa Indians were a small tribe of central Louisiana, relatives of the Atakapas.
There are no remaining records of the Opelousa language, but it was probably a Gulf language.
8th-century Indian agent John Sibley reported that Opelousa was distinct from Atakapa and that many Opelousas were bilingual in the two languages.
The Opelousas have not existed as a tribe since the late 1700's, when they were ravaged by an epidemic. Most of the survivors are said to have merged
with the Atakapa tribe, who were also victims of the same epidemic.
Sponsored Links
Opelousa Indian Tribe History:
Article on the Opelousa tribe from the Handbook of American Indians.
The Opelousas:
Article on the Opelousa Indians from the University of Louisiana.
Opelousa Tribe:
Opelousa tribal profile, timeline, and links.
Indian Tribes of the Lower Mississippi Valley:
Book on the history of the Gulf and Mississippian tribes, including a chapter on the Opelousa.
Back to Native Americans of Louisiana
Back to the list of American Indian tribes
Back to our American Indian websites for kids
Native houses
Ojibwa tribe
Delaware Indian reservations
Chickasaw people
Indian tattoos
Would you like to sponsor work on the Opelousa language page?
Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2015 
Contacts and FAQ page
Opelousa Culture and History Links