The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area is made up of 15 parishes in south-central Louisiana. In 2006, Congress designated the area as a region with significant natural, scenic, cultural, historical, and recreational resources that offer a unique blend of European, African, Caribbean, and Native American cultures.

Atchafalaya (pronounced like “jambalaya:” “uh-CHA-fuh-lie-uh”) is the Choctaw word for “long river.”