Tawasa people facts for kids
The Tawasa Indian Tribe, also known as the Alibamu Indian Tribe, was a group of Native American people. They lived near the Alabama River in Autauga County, Alabama. Around the late 1600s and early 1700s, about 330 members of the tribe lived in or near areas called Tawasa and Autauga Towns.
The tribe's numbers decreased in the early 1700s because of fighting and people moving away. About 60 members joined the Alabama tribe at Fort Toulouse. Later, this group moved south and joined other tribes in Florida. It's not clear where all the remaining Tawasa people went, but some evidence suggests that some ended up in Oklahoma, along with some Creek people who moved there.
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A Look Back: Tawasa History
In the early 1500s, the Tawasa tribe moved from place to place. The explorer Hernando de Soto found them in central Alabama. Almost 200 years later, other tribes attacked the Tawasa. Some Tawasa people were captured and forced to move.
Those who escaped found help from the French. They moved to southern Alabama, near Mobile, to find freedom. About ten years later, the tribe moved again. They went back closer to where they first lived in central Alabama. The Tawasa stayed there for about 100 years.
Then came the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814. After this agreement, the tribe moved once more. This time, they went northeast of their old home, near Wetumpka. At this point, the tribe split up. Some members joined the Creek people, some joined the Seminole people, and others' paths are not known.
The Tawasa Language
The Tawasa people had their own language, called Tawasa language. Other tribes noticed that the Tawasa language was very similar to theirs. For example, it was much like the language spoken by the Alabama tribe. However, some words and ways of speaking in Tawasa were also very similar to the Hitchiti tribe's language.
The Story of Lamhatty
The Account of Lamhatty is a special document. It shares the memories of a Tawasa man named Lamhatty. He was captured and enslaved by Creek Natives. A historian named Robert Beverly wrote down Lamhatty's story. Beverly met with Lamhatty to learn about his travels and experiences with different tribes.
The document describes the tribes Lamhatty met. It also includes maps of where these tribes lived. Lamhatty was originally part of the Tawasa Tribe. After he was captured, he was sold to another tribe called the Shawnee Indians. Lamhatty stayed with the Shawnee tribe until he escaped. He found safety with the English in Virginia. This is where Lamhatty met Beverly, who then helped record Lamhatty's amazing journey.
Tribes Like the Tawasa
- Pawokti
- Alabama
