The Choctaw-Apache Community of Ebarb is located in western Sabine Parish and includes in its ancestral territory the municipalities of Converse, Noble, and Zwolle, and the communities of Ebarb, Blue Lake, and Grady Hill. Officially recognized by the state of Louisiana in 1978, the Tribe is the second largest of eight officially recognized American Indian groups within the state. The Tribe is currently seeking federal recognition by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Members of the tribe live within the ancestral boundaries, the remainder live elsewhere in the state and in the United States. The two primary schools in which our children are enrolled (Ebarb and Zwolle) have combined tribal student population of over 700, and both schools receive some funding under Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, programs.

Historically, members of the tribe are descendants of Apache slaves who were sold at slave markets in French and Spanish colonial era Natchitoches and Los Adaes. Oral history tells us that Choctaw ancestors arrived in the region during the late 1700's and early 1800's, many in search of better hunting territories. Additionally, the first Indian agent of the Louisiana Purchase territory, Dr. John Sibley, gave refuge to Choctaw in an effort to protect them from persecution by their Creek neighbors, and subsequently moved two families into the area during the middle 1820's. Recent research into the tribe's history has brought to light that many of the Indian ancestors were natives of the Spanish mission and presidio of Los Adaes, adding a strong Adais identity to the Tribe. This fact dates the tribe's ancestry to the early 1720's and gives the distinction of being one of the few native Indian groups of the state.

The first weekend in May of each year, the Tribe hosts a traditional powwow at Zwolle High School. This event is attended by many Indian friends from across the country, representing 20 or more different tribes, and is an alcohol and drug free event suited for families. The general public is invited to attend and to enjoy the music, dance, food, and arts and crafts.