PHOTO GALLERY: Camp Coushatta

Published 11:57 am Friday, June 9, 2023

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Thomas Tullier, 7, and his sister Delta, 5, of Elton make beaded necklaces and bracelets Thursday at the jewelry making station at Camp Coushatta. Jewelry with bright colored beads were used as gifts, for trade and as a status symbol. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Rhett Fontenot, 9, of Basile and Brooks McGehee, 4, of Basile play a game of stickball Thursday at Camp Coushatta. Stickball was used as an early form of recreational sports for Native Americans and continues to be played today. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Blakely Trahan. 5, of Jennings spins a top Thursday at the toys and games station at Camp Coushatta. Early toys and games were made of turtle shells, corn cobs, feathers, sticks and wood to entertain children. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Camp Coushatta staff member Randall Easley, 10, of Elton explains early Native Americans used palmetto leaves to build shelters. Easley is among several Coushatta youth who are spending the summer learning about and sharing their heritage with others. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Rhen Fontenot, 7, and her sister, Ruth, 4, of Basile practice throwing a tomahawk Thursday while visiting Camp Coushatta. Native Americans used the tomahawks for weapons, tools and during celebrations and ceremonies. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Zoe Fisher, 10, of Eunice and Kenzie Johnson, 12, of Elton make fry bread Thursday for visitors to Camp Coushatta. The camp helps Coushatta youth reconnect to their past while sharing their culture and traditions with those attending the camp. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Bruce John, 16, of LeBlanc helps Rhett Fontenot, 9, of Basile learn to shoot a bow and arrow Thursday at the archery station at Camp Coushatta. The bow and arrow replaced the spear as the primary hunting tool and weapon for the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Visitors to Camp Coushatta learn about basket making from staff members. The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana is most recognized for their long-leaf pine needle baskets used for storage, trade and art. Coushatta youth are sharing their traditions and culture as part of the free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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Visitors to Camp Coushatta on Thursday check out the weapons and tools used by early Native Americans. Early Native Americans used a variety of weapons and tools, each one different depending on where they lived. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June at the Coushatta reservation, just north of Elton.

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sla Trahan, 8, of Jennings plays a drum Thursday during a visit to Camp Coushatta just north of Elton. Drums, similar to the one Trahan is playing, were made of wood and animal skin and usef for special ceremonies, celebrations and spiritual gatherings. The free, single-day camp is held 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays in June.