Apalachee
The Apalachee were a Native American tribe located in northwestern Florida, historically associated with the Muskogean language family. Their name, derived from the Choctaw term meaning "[people] on the other side," reflects their cultural and geographic identity. The Apalachee were known for their advanced agricultural practices, cultivating crops such as corn, beans, pumpkins, and squash. They first encountered European explorers in the 16th century, beginning with the Spanish expedition of Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528, which was characterized by hostility. Subsequent interactions, including those with Hernando de Soto in 1539, highlighted both the Apalachee's agricultural prowess and the tensions with Spanish colonizers.
By the early 1600s, many Apalachee had converted to Roman Catholicism, although resistance and conflict remained, culminating in a rebellion in 1647. The tribe faced significant challenges in the early 18th century, including devastating attacks from English forces and their Indigenous allies, leading to mass casualties and enslavement. Over time, the Apalachee as a distinct group diminished, with their population dispersing or merging with other nations. Today, around 300 descendants live in Louisiana, organized into two groups that are seeking federal recognition as an Indigenous nation.
Apalachee
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Southeast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Muskogean
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northwestern Florida
The Apalachee, a branch of the Muskogean language family, lived in northwest Florida along the Apalachee Bay. Their name comes from the Choctaw word a’palachi (“[people] on the other side”). The Apalachee were among a group of advanced Indigenous peoples who migrated from west of the Mississippi River to the Southeast around 1300.
Their first recorded contact with Whites was in 1528, with an expedition led by the Spanish explorer Pánfilo de Narváez. The encounter was marked by hostility and fighting on both sides. When another Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto, came through in 1539, he and his men were also given a hostile welcome. De Soto noted in his journal that the Apalachee were skilled agriculturalists who grew corn, beans, pumpkins, and squash. His forces walked two days through one immense stretch of cornfields. By the early 1600s, the Apalachee had been visited by missionaries, and most had converted to Roman Catholicism. While many Apalachee eagerly accepted Christianity, and at least seven chiefs were baptized, there was still tension between the Indigenous Americans and the Spanish. In 1647, a rebellion occurred; several missionaries were killed, and the churches were destroyed. The missionaries persevered. In 1655, there were approximately 6,000 to 8,000 Apalachee living in eight towns, each built around a central Franciscan mission.
In 1703, the Apalachee were attacked by a company of a hundred Whites and about 100,000 Indigenous Americans of various nations. The force was sent by the English governor of Carolina, who wanted to disrupt Spanish influence in the area. Some two hundred Apalachee were killed, and another 1,400 were carried off into slavery and resettled near New Windsor, North Carolina. All the major Apalachee towns, missions, groves, and fields were destroyed. A year later, another raid killed several hundred more Apalachee. Small bands drifted away, joining other nations or establishing independent villages. When the Yamasee War broke out, those who had been made enslaved people joined the Lower Creeks and were eventually absorbed. By the end of the nineteenth century, the nation was no longer a distinct entity.
About 300 descendants of the original Apalachee Indigenous people live in Louisiana in the twenty-first century. They are split into two groups: the Apalachee Indians of the Talimali Band and the Talimali Band of the Apalachee Indians of Louisiana. The latter is seeking federal recognition as an Indigenous nation.
Bibliography
Apalachee Indians of the Talimali Band: Home, www.apalacheetalimaliband.com. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"History of the Apalachee Tribe." FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory, 6 July 2023, marinelab.fsu.edu/marine-ops/apalachee/history-of-the-apalachee-tribe. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"The Apalachees of Northwest Florida." Exploring Florida: A Social Studies Resource for Students and Teachers, fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/apalach/apalach1.htm. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Talimali Band of the Apalachee Indians of Louisiana, talimaliband.com. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.