BusHNELL] THE CHOCTAW OF BAYOU LACOMB, LOUISIANA 7 



Bayou Casfine. — The Creoles claim the name was derived from 

 Castagne, the name of an early French settler. But the Choctaw say 

 it was taken from their name of the ba3"ou, Caste ("fleas"), so named 

 on account of the large number of fleas found there. Now, as the 

 name has been shown to have been in use when the French first 

 entered the region, we should accept the Choctaw explanation as 

 probably correct. 



Chinchuba creek. — Given the same name by the Choctaw. Chin- 

 chuba in the Choctaw language means ''alligator." 



CJiefuncte river. — Known by the same name by the Choctaw, the 

 word meaning "chinkapin" (Castanea 'pumila). 



Ponchitoawa creelc.— The same in Choctaw. The word is trans- 

 lated "singing hair." 



Bogue Falaya. — From the Choctaw hogu, "river," and falaya, 

 "long." 



Cane hayou. — Known to the Choctaw as chela'ha, "noisy;" said 

 by them to be so named on account of the noise caused by the wind 

 blowing through the canes. 



Bayou Laconib. — Called by the Choctaw hutchu'wa, "squeezing." 

 Their settlement is also known by the same name. 



Pearl rwer.— Known to the Choctaw at the present time as Hatcha. 

 The same name is applied to the settlement. 



LaTce Pontchartrain. — The Choctaw name for the lake, as well as 

 for any wide expanse of water, is Okwa'ta (o/twa=water, the suffix ta 

 meaning "large" or "wide"). The name of the Gulf of Mexico, as 

 given on the Lamhatty map of 1707,'* is Ouquodky. 



MATERIAL CULTURE 

 Habitations 



The primitive habitations of the Choctaw who lived on the north 

 shore of Pontchartrain are described as having been of two types, 

 circular and rectangular. The frames were formed of small saplings; 

 the tops and sides were constructed of palmetto thatch.'' 



According to the present inhabitants, many of the circular houses 

 were large, affording shelter for many persons. Only one door was 

 made, this in most cases facing the south. A fire was kindled on the 

 ground within the lodge, the smoke passing out through an opening 

 made for the purpose at the top near the center. 



The later form of habitation is shown in plate 12, &. It will be seen 

 that the sides, formed of thin planks, are arranged in the same way 

 as the palmetto thatch of former days. 



a American Anthropologist, n. s., x, no. 4, 570, 1908. 



b A house of this kind is pictured in plate 3, from a photograph taken near Mandeville, St. Tammany- 

 parish, about 1879, which was secured by the late Dr. A. S. Gatschet. The palmetto house is said to 

 have been in use within the last ten years. 



7840— Bull. 48—09 2 



