East Texas Quarterly Magazine Summer 2014 | Page 18

Admission to the pow wow is $7.00 each day. Children
three and under are free. For more information about
the pow wow and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of
Texas, call 936-563-1100.
The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Tribe of Texas
occupies a 4,593.7-acre reservation on U.S. Highway
190 half way between Woodville in Tyler County and
Livingston in Polk County. In 2005 the names of more
than 1,000 Alabama-Coushattas were recorded on
the tribal roll, of whom approximately 500 lived on
the reservation.
Throughout history, the tribe has been ruled
by both a principal chief and a second chief
who are elected by the people and serve
lifetime terms. The Tribal Council was established
in 1957 and is now recognized as the main
governing body. The seven tribal members selected to

Johnson has served for the past 43 years on the Big
Sandy school board in Dallardsville, and continues
to serve. As Mikko Atokla, Johnson is committed to
preserving the tribe’s rich history, culture, every
child beginning school will have every
opportunity made available to them to further their
serve as members of the council are elected by academic careers. Johnson is a member of the Beaver
popular vote and serve three year rotating terms. The Clan.
Tribal Council holds regular meetings twice a month
to conduct the business of the Tribe.
The Alabama-Coushatta were once two distinct
tribes, but both were members of the Upper Creek
The principal chief (Mikko Choba) of the tribe is Confederacy of Indians, and are both of the Muskogean
Colabe III Clem Fain Sylestine Bronson. He was born Nation. The tribes came from what is now the state of
on the Alabama-Coushatta reservation on Nov. 4, Alabama and moved west together.
1927, and is a member of the Granddaddy Long Legs
Clan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Austin In the early 1800’s, the Texas Congress granted land to
College in Sherman, TX. An educator and coach each tribe along the Trinity River. White settlers took
at Southmayd High School, Holland High School, over this land which ultimately left both tribes
Shepherd High School, Woodville and Goodrich homeless. Sam Houston then recommended that the
school districts, he retired in 1988. He served as Mikko state of Texas purchase 1,280 acres for the Alabama
Atokla (second Chief ) for two decades.
tribe and set aside 640 acres for the Coushatta tribe.
The Coushatta land was never plotted
The current Mikko Atokla is Herbert Johnson, Sr. or surveyed; and so, through marriage
special
permission,
the
Coushatta
Johnson served as tribal security director for 21 years. or
He served two terms on the Tribal Council and was a were allowed to live on the land with the Alabama.
member of the tribe’s volunteer fire department. The two tribes came together to form the

16 East Texas Quarterly