JULY 1, 1944

NATCHEZ STORYTELLER WATT SAM DIED

One of the last native-speakers of the Natchez language, Watt was born on October 6, 1876, in Braggs, Oklahoma (OK). In 1907, he worked with anthropologist John R Swanton who collected information about the Natchez religion. As Watt had lived his entire life among the Cherokee and Creek near Braggs and was fluent in both languages, his stories may have reflected more than Natchez traditions. In the 1930s, Watt worked with Mary Haas, a linguist who collected grammatical information and texts. In 1931, Victor Riste made several recordings of Watt speaking the Natchez language. In 1970, these recordings were rediscovered by his great-nephew and Natchez scholar Archie Sam and linguist Charles Van Tuyl. As the tradition among the Natchez was that language was passed down through the mother, Watt did not teach any of his children the language. Sam is buried in Tahlequah, OK.

Sources:

“Watt Sam,” Mississippi Ancestral Trackers Native American Tribes.  Retrieved 4/4/2023, Mississippi Ancestral Trackers Native American Tribes

Wikipedia

Photo:  John R. Swanton, 1908.  Likely Public Domain, alternatively Fair Use.