Langley Indian Marriage, Allen Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Nancy Fruge


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[From The Daily American, Thursday, September 12, 1907]

Ceremony Legalized a Tribal Rite

Large Concourse of Friends Witnessed the Ceremony, Followed by Barbecue
and General Festivity.

Last Saturday morning at Kinder, between the hours of 10 and 12, a great
number of friends, both white and Indians, gathered at the home of Mr.
Jackson Langley's, an Indian of near Kinder, to witness an unusual
ceremony.
There were twelve persons united in holy bonds of wedlock by their
ceremony. They were as follows:
Mr. Jackson Langley and Miss Linnle Polite.
Mr. Robert Williams and Miss Sophia Thompson.
Mr. Toto Polite and Miss Emma Saul.
Mr. Ben John and Miss Sinnie Polite.
Mr. James Baptiste and Miss Elizabeth Jack.
Mr. Baptiste Cellstine and Miss Salile (?) Langley.
Mr. H. A. Keys of Kinder, officiated with Mr. G. W. Ford of Burissa as
interpreter. As the house was not commodious enough to accommodate such
a convocation of people, we repaired to the shade of a large tree, where
the nuptial knot was tied.
After the justice of the peace had finished his part of the work we
crossed the road to the shade of another tree where a long table had
been prepared and partook of the food which was plentiful and wholesome
enough to load the sideboard of any queen. The food consisted of well
barbecued beef, chicken, bread, pies, cakes, pickles and many other
delicious things.
The women were attired in becoming costumes make of good, nice materials
and trimmed with laces. The men were dressed in business suits with the
usual accessories.
These Indians have been living together for a few years as man and wife
under the tribal law, but becoming dissatisfied and being informed that
the tribal law was null they decided to procure marriage licenses and
have legal ceremonies performed.
This is a part of the nobel work which is being done by the young man
who is teaching for them. He seems as much interested in the moral
culture of the elder ones as in the literary training of the young ones.

One who has been there.