Adai is the name of a Native American people of northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas with a Southeastern culture. The name Adai is derived from the Caddo word Hadai meaning ‘brushwood’. Evidence indicates that the emergence of the Adai Caddo Indian Nation first appeared in the early 1500s. The Adai were among the first peoples in North America to experience European contact—and were profoundly affected by their presence and interactions. Early encounters with the Adai Caddo Indians were chronicled by Spaniards explorer Cabeza de Vaca in the 16th century. It would be more than 400 years subsequent to these early writings that the Adai Caddo Indian Nation would officially be recognized as an authentic tribal nation by the State of Louisiana.
What is known is that the Adai Caddo Indians subsequently, 14 families moved away from their original homelands and migrated with the Spanish to reestablish the Capital of Texas at Bexar (today’s San Antonio Texas), after closing the former Presidio de Los Adais that served as the capital of Texas for almost 50 years that was located in the Texas and Louisiana regions but soon returned to join their tribe and of their history also connects the Adai Caddo Indian Nation to French explorers Iberville and Joutel in the 17th century. These explorers had exchanges with the Adai Caddo people that included trade and settlement. Although little is recorded in American History books, oral history discloses how the Adai Caddo as an independent Indian Nation having a notable role in shaping American culture and influencing the destinies of both Texas and Louisiana territories.
The Adai Indian Cultural Center showcases the history of this culture. Come for a visit.