Tacatacuru facts for kids

The Tacatacuru were an important group of Native American people. They lived on Cumberland Island in what is now Georgia during the 1500s and 1600s. They were part of a larger group called the Timucua, specifically a subgroup known as the Mocama. The Mocama people spoke a special language called the Mocama dialect of Timucuan. They lived along the coasts of southeastern Georgia and northern Florida.

The Tacatacuru were among the first Native American groups to meet French explorers. This happened when Jean Ribault's team arrived in 1562. They seemed to get along well with the French. The French later built Fort Caroline in 1564, near what is now Jacksonville, Florida.

Later, the Tacatacuru became very involved with the Spanish mission system. One of the first Spanish missions in Spanish Florida, called San Pedro de Mocama, was built in their land. Like other tribes, they faced many challenges. New diseases from Europe and wars with other groups greatly affected them throughout the 1600s.

By 1675, the Tacatacuru had left Cumberland Island. They moved south and joined other Timucua groups. Sadly, they eventually lost their unique identity as a separate tribe.

Where the Tacatacuru Lived

The Tacatacuru people lived on Cumberland Island. They also lived in the nearby coastal areas of mainland Georgia. Their main village was located near the southern end of Cumberland Island.

Archaeologists believe they have found the likely spot of this main village. It stretches north from the Dungeness area along the shore. Spanish records show that the Tacatacuru had at least seven other villages on the island. They also had eleven more villages on the mainland.

Other Mocama-speaking Timucua groups lived nearby. The Saturiwa lived to the south. Their territory was around the mouth of the St. Johns River in modern-day Jacksonville, Florida. East of the Tacatacuru, on the mainland, lived people who spoke the Yufera and Itafi dialects of Timucua. These included the Ibi and the Cascangue or Icafui. The Guale people lived to the north of the Tacatacuru.

Tacatacuru History and Encounters

Cumberland Island and the surrounding areas have been home to people for thousands of years. Early groups lived there before the Tacatacuru. They often set up seasonal camps for fishing. The Tacatacuru, like other Mocama peoples, were part of the Savannah archaeological culture.

Meeting the French Explorers

The Tacatacuru first met the French Huguenot expedition led by Jean Ribault in 1562. Ribault's lieutenant, René Goulaine de Laudonnière, wrote about meeting the native people of the "Seine River." This river is now known as the St. Marys River. However, his writings do not mention the names of the native leaders at that time.

The Tacatacuru met the French again in 1564. This was when Laudonnière returned to build the Fort Caroline colony. The Tacatacuru Chief mentioned in French records from this time might have been the same leader who met the first expedition. Or, it could have been his successor.

The Tacatacuru seemed to have good relationships with the French. They also got along with the Saturiwa, whose land was where Fort Caroline was built.

Spanish Arrival and Missions

Spanish forces from St. Augustine destroyed the French fort in 1565. After this, the Tacatacuru, like the Saturiwa, became unfriendly toward the Spanish. Both groups helped Dominique de Gourgue in his attack on the Spanish in 1567.

Later, the Tacatacuru made peace with the Spanish. The Spanish then built a fort and a mission called San Pedro de Mocama on Cumberland Island. This mission was near the main Tacatacuru town. It was one of the very first missions in Spanish Florida. It was also very important. The church built there was as big as the one in St. Augustine.

For a while, the Spanish soldiers at the fort marked the northern edge of Spanish power. They helped defend against the Guale people. In the late 1500s, the Tacatacuru chief, Don Juan, strongly supported working with the Spanish. He joined them in fighting back against the Guale during a revolt in 1597.

Don Juan died three years later. His niece, Doña Ana, became the new leader. The Tacatacuru remained important in the early 1600s. In 1601, the Spanish noted that the Cascangue and the once-powerful Saturiwa were now under the control of the Tacatacuru.

Decline and Relocation

The San Pedro de Mocama mission was still active in 1655. The Tacatacuru do not seem to have joined the Timucua rebellion the next year. However, increasing pressure from other tribes caused problems for the Tacatacuru.

By 1675, all the remaining Tacatacuru had left Cumberland Island. They moved closer to St. Augustine for safety. The Yamasee people then occupied Cumberland Island. The remaining Tacatacuru joined other tribes in Florida. They eventually lost their independent identity as a distinct group.