Atakapa
The Atakapa were Indigenous people who historically inhabited the southwestern Louisiana coast and southeastern Texas. Their name, meaning "people who eat people," is a translation of their own name for themselves, although the extent to which cannibalism was practiced is debated among scholars. They were a semi-nomadic people whose subsistence relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering. Their territory spanned the coastal marshes, prairies, and bayous, providing abundant resources.
The Atakapa were organized into distinct bands, each with its own territory and leadership. They were known
European contact with the Atakapa began in the late 17th century, primarily through French explorers and traders.
Despite the historical disruptions, descendants of the Atakapa people continue to live in Louisiana and Texas.