Welcome to the official site of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. We hope that you enjoy learning about our tribe’s history and culture, in addition to our attractions, news and events.
The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. The Tunica-Biloxi gained federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana and is now one of four federally recognized Native American tribes in the state of Louisiana.
Today, the tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois. The Tunica-Biloxi Indian Reservation is located just south of Marksville in east-central Louisiana with approximately 1,717 acres of Trust and Fee property in Avoyelles and Rapides Parishes. The modern Tunica-Biloxi tribe is composed of Tunica, Biloxi, Ofo, Avoyel and Choctaw.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry, Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the tribe has been able to assist local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades.
The museum in the Cultural & Educational Resources Center (CERC) houses the “Tunica Treasure,” a vast collection of Native American European trade goods and other artifacts deposited as grave goods by the Tunica from 1731 to 1764.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana hosts a variety of public events including, the annual Pow Wow held in May and the Tunica-Biloxi Political Action Committee Barbecue Cook-Off in the fall and spring.