| |
| |
|
|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Proud members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of |
|
|
Texas are gathering in Austin for Alabama-Coushatta Day at the |
|
|
State Capitol on February 7, 2023; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, One of three federally recognized tribes in Texas, |
|
|
the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe was originally two tribes, the Alibamus |
|
|
and the Koasatis, who had a similar culture but lived in adjacent |
|
|
lands in Alabama; starting in the 1760s, the two tribes began to |
|
|
migrate westward into what is now East Texas; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 1813, the tribes fought on the side of the |
|
|
revolutionaries in the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, and |
|
|
the new Mexican government granted them tracts of land in gratitude |
|
|
for their service; two decades later, Sam Houston granted the |
|
|
tribes land between the Neches and Sabine Rivers in exchange for not |
|
|
siding with Mexico during the Texas Revolution; members of the |
|
|
tribes served as guides for the Texan army and helped to feed |
|
|
refugees who had fled from Santa Anna's troops; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Today, there are 1,200 members of the |
|
|
Alabama-Coushatta, half of whom live on the reservation's 10,200 |
|
|
acres in the Big Thicket of East Texas; the tribe is a fully |
|
|
functioning sovereign government, providing a full complement of |
|
|
health and human services, and it is responsible for 250 jobs, |
|
|
including teachers, doctors, and peace officers; members also |
|
|
maintain a health clinic, a day-care center, a solid waste |
|
|
facility, three churches, and retail shops; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Home to one of the most scenic recreational areas in |
|
|
the Lone Star State, the reservation is visited every year by |
|
|
thousands of people who enjoy the fine opportunities for camping, |
|
|
hiking, and picnicking; the reservation is also home to the Naskila |
|
|
Gaming facility and an annual powwow and music festival; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich heritage as they work to |
|
|
build a better tomorrow, the people of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe |
|
|
may indeed take great pride in their unique contributions to the |
|
|
history and culture of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
|
hereby recognize February 7, 2023, as Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of |
|
|
Texas Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the |
|
|
visiting members of the tribe. |