Description
The Alabama or Alibamu (Alabama: Albaamaha) are a Southeastern culture people of Native Americans, originally from Alabama. They were members of the Muscogee Creek Confederacy, a loose trade and military organization of autonomous towns; their home lands were on the upper Alabama River. The Alabama and closely allied Coushatta people migrated from Alabama and Mississippi to the area of Texas in the late 18th century and early 19th century, under pressure from European-American settlers to the east. They essentially merged and shared reservation land. Although the tribe was terminated in the 1950s, it achieved federal recognition in 1987 as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Its 1,137 members have about 4,500 acres (18 km2) of reservation.
Language
The Alabama language is part of the Muskogean language family. Alabama is closely related to Koasati and distantly to Hitchiti, Chickasaw and Choctaw. Also known as Alibamu, an estimated 100 speakers, primarily from Texas, still speak the language.
Culture
Alabama men were hunters and sometimes fought wars to defend their territory. Alabama women were farmers and also did most of the child care and cooking. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine. In the past, the chief was always a man, but today an Alabama Indian woman can participate in government also. The Alabama people lived in square-shaped villages of houses and small farm plots. Alabama houses had plaster and rivercane walls with thatched roofs. These dwellings were about as strong and warm as a log cabin. The Alabamas also built a larger circular lodge for town meetings, and most villages had a lacrosse field with benches for spectators. An Alabama village was usually surrounded with palisades to guard against attack.