Trudeau Landing
Encyclopedia
The Trudeau Landing Site (16-WF-25), also known as Tunica Village and Trudeau, is an archaeological site
in Tunica
, unincorporated
West Feliciana Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. It was once occupied by the Tunica tribe.
s deposited as grave goods by the Tunica from 1731 to 1764 when they occupied the site. A lawsuit, with help from the State of Louisiana, was begun by the tribe for the title to the artifacts. A decade was to pass in the courts, but the ruling became a landmark in American Indian history, and helped lay the groundwork for new federal legislation, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
, passed in 1990. It was also used to prove the ancient heritage of the Tunica peoples, and helped them to gain state and federal recognition
. A museum to house the artifacts was built by the Tunica-Biloxi
in Marksville, Louisiana
.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in Tunica
Tunica, Louisiana
Tunica is an unincorporated community in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. Its elevation is 66 feet .The United States Postal Service operates the Tunica Post Office along Louisiana Highway 66....
, unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
West Feliciana Parish
West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,111 people, 3,645 households, and 2,704 families residing in the parish. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 4,485 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was once occupied by the Tunica tribe.
Tunica treasure
In the 1960s graves at the site were dug up by a local self described treasure hunter. The Tunica, who felt he had stolen tribal heirlooms and desecrated the graves of their ancestors, were outraged. In 1970s the site was excavated by archaeologists, uncovering large amounts of pottery, European trade goods and other artifactArtifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
s deposited as grave goods by the Tunica from 1731 to 1764 when they occupied the site. A lawsuit, with help from the State of Louisiana, was begun by the tribe for the title to the artifacts. A decade was to pass in the courts, but the ruling became a landmark in American Indian history, and helped lay the groundwork for new federal legislation, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act , Pub. L. 101-601, 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq., 104 Stat. 3048, is a United States federal law passed on 16 November 1990 requiring federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding to return Native American "cultural items" to...
, passed in 1990. It was also used to prove the ancient heritage of the Tunica peoples, and helped them to gain state and federal recognition
Federally recognized tribes by state
Federally recognized tribes are those Indian tribes recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs for certain federal government purposes.-Description:...
. A museum to house the artifacts was built by the Tunica-Biloxi
Tunica-Biloxi
The modern Tunica-Biloxi tribe live in Mississippi and east central Louisiana. The modern tribe is composed of descendants of Tunica, Biloxi , Ofo , Avoyel , and Muskogean Choctaw. They speak mostly English and French...
in Marksville, Louisiana
Marksville, Louisiana
Marksville is a city in and the parish seat of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,537 at the 2000 census. Louisiana's first land-based casino, Paragon Casino Resort, opened in Marksville in June 1994...
.