Yatasi facts for kids

The Yatasi are a group of Native American people who originally lived in northwestern Louisiana. They were part of a larger group called the Caddo Nation. Today, many Yatasi people are part of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma. Their name in the Caddo language is Yáttasih.

A Look Back: Yatasi History

Before Europeans arrived, the Yatasi people lived in the area south of what is now Shreveport, Louisiana.

First Meetings with Europeans

In 1686, a French explorer named Henri de Tonti visited the Yatasi villages along the Red River. The Yatasi welcomed the French. At that time, the Yatasi were in a conflict with another group called the Kadohadacho.

In the early 1700s, the Chickasaw tribe fought against the Yatasi. Many Yatasi people were killed. Because their numbers became smaller, they joined with other tribes like the Ouachita and Natchitoches at a trading post.

Trading with Europeans

The Yatasi traded with the French and later with the Spanish. They exchanged things like bear fat, buffalo hides, and deer hides. In return, they received items such as cloth, blankets, metal tools, weapons, and glass beads.

In 1770, a Spanish official met with the Yatasi chief. The Yatasi and Kadohadacho tribes agreed to let Spain have ownership of their lands. They also promised not to give weapons or ammunition to certain other tribes, like the Comanche and Wichita.

After the United States took control of Louisiana, a person named Dr. John Sibley became the "Indian agent." His job was to manage relations with the Yatasi and other nearby tribes. The Yatasi continued to be involved in the fur trade, selling furs from animals like bears, deer, beavers, and otters.

Yatasi Language

The Yatasi people spoke a Caddoan language. This language was similar to those spoken by nearby groups, like the Adai. We know a little about the Yatasi language from a nine-page list of words. This list was put together by Albert Samuel Gatschet in the 1880s and is now kept in an archive.

Other Names for the Yatasi

The word "Yáttasih" comes from the Kadohadacho language and means "Those other people." Over time, the Yatasi were also known by other names, such as Yataché, Natasse, Yatache, and Yattasses. There might have been two other Yatasi groups called Nada and Choye.