Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana to Honor the State of Israel

By Lauren de Albuquerque
Managing Editor
The Times of Southwest Louisiana

 On Mon., Nov. 17, the Sovereign Nation of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana will become the first Native American tribe to recognize, honor, and welcome official representatives of the State of Israel. 

“This unprecedented initiative will firmly establish the Coushatta Tribe’s role on both the national and international stages, while also opening the door to new business relationships and future economic development initiatives,” said Kevin Sickey, Chairman of the Tribal Council of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana.

The Honorable Asher Yarden, Consul General of Israel to the Southwest, will represent the State of Israel at the event.  Yarden and other members of the Israeli delegation will tour the Coushatta Tribe installations on the Coushatta Reservation in Elton and join with Coushatta Tribal Council leaders for a press conference beginning at 9:15 a.m. in the Coushatta Administrative Building.  A special signing ceremony will follow at 10 a.m. in the same location, and lunch will be served. Various local and state leaders will be on hand for the event, which is open to the public.

During the ceremony, Coushatta leaders and Consul General Yarden will sign a proclamation in recognition of “common histories” and a “shared spirit of endurance.”

“The Coushatta of Louisiana are very proud that we will be able to welcome and honor representatives of the State of Israel,” said Kevin Sickey. “Though the circumstances and challenges that we have faced are different, the Coushatta of Louisiana and the people of Israel have many things in common. In much the same way that our forefathers overcame enormous difficulties to found and build the Sovereign Nation of Coushatta, the Israeli people have overcome tremendous hardship and heartbreak in order to forge a strong identity as a free and sovereign nation.”

 David Sickey explained that the proclamation is a way to honor the similarities and officially declare that the two nations will be tied together for years to come. In addition to the valuable cultural exchange, he said, the Coushatta Tribe hopes to build on the relationship by exploring possible business and investment opportunities as a way to expand on the Coushatta Tribe’s revenue base for the future.

 The agreement with the State of Israel is the latest and most important step in an ongoing effort by the Tribe to build relationships with other governments and explore new business opportunities. In June, 2008, the Coushatta entered into a cooperative agreement with the Jefferson Davis Parish Economic Development Commission – the first formal agreement addressing economic development efforts between the two neighboring governments.