The Nations of the Great River
A Shared History of French Colonial Louisiana
To mark the publication of the new issue of Gradhiva, dedicated to French Louisiana and the Native American Nations of the Mississippi Valley, a public discussion will be held on the CRoyAN project and the collaborative research conducted between French scholars and Indigenous partners. This event is part of the program accompanying the exhibition “1725: Native American Allies at the Court of Louis XV,” on view at the Palace of Versailles from November 25, 2025, to May 3, 2026.
Event poster of "The Nations of the Great River. A Shared History of French Colonial Louisiana", with Jonas Musco and Paz Núñez-Regueiro © photo, Julien BRACHHAMMER
The discussion will examine the new perspectives developed through the CROYAN project, focusing on Indigenous collections held in French institutions, colonial archives, and contemporary cultural revitalization initiatives led by several Native American Nations, including the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Quapaw Nation, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
Drawing on rare sources—including historical maps, diplomatic objects, archival documents, and material heritage—the speakers will offer new perspectives on the history of French Louisiana, 18th-century alliances between France and Indigenous nations, and the ways in which these legacies continue to inform research, artistic practices, and cultural transmission within the communities concerned today.
The discussion will take place on November 21, 2025, in the Jacques Kerchache Reading Room and will extend the conversations initiated during the symposium “The CRoyAN Project: New Collaborative Approaches in North American Indigenous Contexts,” held on November 19 and 20, 2025, at the Musée du quai Branly–Jacques Chirac.
with Jonas Musco and Paz Núñez-Regueiro © photo, Julien BRACHHAMMER
Informations
Date
november, 21, 2025
Place
Salon de lecture Jacques Kerchache
Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac
37 Quai Jacques Chirac, 75007 Paris
Time
5:30 pm
Admission
Free (within the limits of available places)
Organizers
Speakers
French, Choctaw, Miami, Peoria, and Quapaw contributors to issue No. 40 of Gradhiva
