EDISTOS INDIAN IN SOUTH CAROLINA

THE EDISTOS LIVED IN RIDGEVILLE AREA AND ARE ALSO CALLED NATCHEZ KUSSO. THESE NATIVE AMERICANS ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE NATCHEZ KUSSO OF THE EDISTO RIVER. IN 1747 FIFTY NATCHEZ LIVED WITH THE UPPER CHEROKEES, AND WERE GRANTED LAND BY THE GOVERNOR. THEY SETTLED FIVE MILES FROM WALLERBORO.

THE LAST PERSON TO SPEAK THE NATCHEZ LANGUAGE WAS AN ELDERLY WOMAN NAMED ALKINI WHO DIED ABOUT 1890. EDISTO NATCHEZ KUSSO IS USED FOR THIS TRIBE, ALTHOUGH EDISTO WAS ADOPTED BY THE TRIBE IN 1970. SIX MILES FROM THEM IS FOUR HALES INDIAN COMMUNITY, WHO BRANCHED FROM CREELTOWN.

ANOTHER COMMUNITY WITH FAMILY TO THE EDISTO INDIANS WAS IN THE VILLAGE OF SUMMERFIELD. THEY HAD SAINT BARNABAS INDIAN MISSION THERE. THEY WERE CALLED SUMMERFIELD INDIANS.

AT SAINT BARNABAS INDIAN MISSION A SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS FOUNDED, THEN A DAY SCHOOL AND A CHAPEL. EARLY SERVICES WERE HELD IN A GRANDMOTHER'S HOME. THE CHAPEL WAS COMPLETED IN 1891. THE CHURCH WAS USED BY THE INDIANS FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS.

BY THE 1920'S A SCHOOL WAS STATE SUPPORTED. THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR INDIAN SCHOOLS ALONG THE MAIN HIGHWAY. ABOUT 50 NATCHEZ FOLKS MOVED EAST IN THE EARLY 1700'S. IN 1747 THEY WANTED STATE RECOGNITION AS SETTLEMENT INDIANS.

THE FAMILY NAME IS CREEL ORIGINALLY. IT IS CALLED CREELTOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF EDISTO RIVER. IN THE 40'S A SCHOOL WAS BUILT . THEIR TRIBAL COUNCIL HELPS GUIDE THEIR PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY.

TODAY THEY HAVE OVER 800 PEOPLE AND ARE LIVING IN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES. THEY HOLD A CULTURAL FESTIVAL ANNUALLY. THEY HAVE YOUNG DANCERS AND DRUMMERS. THEY HAVE BUILT A HEALTH FACILITY AND ARE ASKING FOR FEDERAL MONIES.

SCIINDIGENOUSGALLERY