Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Houma Language
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – When the first Europeans arrived in Louisiana, the Houma tribe lived closer to Baton Rouge.
“The reason Baton Rouge is called Baton Rouge, that red stick was our red stick. It denoted where our lands ended and the Bayou Goula began,” said Colleen Billiot.
But the Houma gradually moved to the bayou parishes of southeastern Louisiana. They were fishermen and trappers who began speaking Cajun French and dropped their native language.
“The Houma language in and of itself had been dormant, so not really used or known, or there were no native speakers of it for roughly a century when we started this project,” Billiot said.
Colleen Billiot is a member of the Houma tribe. She co-founded the Houma language project, which is trying to revive the Houma’s native language called Uma. It all started with a cassette tape of her great-grandmother and another woman singing a song.
“They knew one of the songs was the Chan-Chuba song, the alligator song. But they didn’t have the specifics of what they were singing. They just remembered these things from their own childhoods and their own lives,” said Billiot.
And there were more clues. 80 Houma words written down in 1917 by anthropologist John R. Swanton. That was enough to begin reclaiming a nearly lost language.
“We knew that a lot of our vocabulary was very similar to Choctaw. And so when we didn’t have a word, we would look at Choctaw. But we would transcribe it into our alphabet,” Billiot said.
Researchers have created an Uma alphabet. There is now a dictionary of more than 3000 Uma words.
“Talk about nita’ which is bear, and suba’ which is horse. And you know, familial relationship terms. You know, I told you kweni’ is like mamma, but fufu’ is pappa,” said Billiot.
The Uma language has been updated with native names for modern things like computer and cell phone, and short lessons are available online.
What’s the point of all of this? Why do you feel it’s so important to reclaim and get people using this, this language again?
“You know, language is a part of again, who you are and your culture and your community, and I think it’s a great way to bring people together and give them a sense of pride,” Billiot said.
Reclaiming the language of the Houma is likely to be a generations-long effort. But one that can connect people to their past and enhance the future of a native culture.
More information on the Houma language project can be found on Heart of Louisiana’s website.
Click here to report a typo.
Copyright 2024 WAFB. All rights reserved.
Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
Louisiana
‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers $2.8 billion
Think tank proposes capping Social Security benefits at $100,000
A Washington think tank proposed capping annual Social Security benefits at $100,000 for couples as a way to shrink a looming deficit in the retirement trust fund.
When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
-
News20 minutes agoCommunities launch cleanup after severe weather and tornadoes churn across Midwest
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoGame 21: Tigers at Red Sox, Garrett Crochet battles both Detroit and the weather
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoWhy do gray whales keep dying in San Francisco’s waters?
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoDallas Mavericks Owners Might Be Making Big Mistake in Search for New GM
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoDefense dominates, Mensah flashes in Miami’s spring game – The Miami Hurricane
-
Boston, MA3 hours ago
A crowd scientist is helping the Boston Marathon manage a growing field of 30,000-plus runners
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoDenver Nuggets Altitude broadcasts now being offered in Spanish for first time ever
-
Seattle, WA3 hours agoNeed to shred? Free drive-up/ride-up shredding Wednesday at Village Green West Seattle
