Houma Tribe hammered by hurricanes

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Members of southern Louisiana's Indian tribes are facing a grim future. The recent hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast area have seen their homes destroyed by floodwaters and their livelihoods eliminated with the cancellation of the shrimp, oyster and crab fishing seasons.

Hardest hit of the southern tribes is the United Houma Nation. Principal Chief Brenda Dardar said the 3,500 members in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes in southeastern Louisiana are destitute.

In Plaquemines Parish, members left during the mandatory evacuation on Aug. 27 before Hurricane Katrina hit on Aug. 29. Now the homes of 400 tribal members, located on the peninsula southeast of New Orleans, are under water. The homes of another 650 Houma tribal members are flooded to the rooftops in St. Bernard Parish. Other homes of tribal members have sustained flood damage in Jefferson and Orleans parishes.

"Those homes that are still standing have been underwater for weeks," she said. "There's going to be nothing left to salvage, even after the flood waters recede. There is a good chance many of these homes will be bulldozed," said Dardar.

"Tribal members from the immediate New Orleans area parishes are directly impacted and pretty much homeless. It's really a challenge to see how we can provide them with shelter while they rebuild their lives."

People are living with relatives or in public shelters. Many tribe members haven't been heard from in weeks, and are believed to be in hospitals, camps, or worse, dead in water-filled ditches or beneath rubble. "Hurricane Katrina knocked out communications and we don't know where many of our members are," she said.

Flying over the area in a helicopter two weeks after Katrina, Dardar said the total devastation she saw was heartbreaking.

"It was all blown away, gone or under water. If you didn't know the area, you wouldn't know that there was anything there before. It's going to take years to recover. Villages and settlements have disappeared," she said.

Floodwaters from Katrina were receding and the community was beginning to return home to view the damage when another hurricane, Rita, hit on Sept. 24.

The American Red Cross is helping the Houma where they can but much more is required.

"We're in bad need of everything, from everyday toiletries to clean clothes and food," said Dardar.

The Red Cross will also assist in locating lost tribal members.

"We'll post names of the missing in every Red Cross shelter in the area and hopefully get some good news," she said.

"We want to know that the immediate needs of our members are being met, so our first concern is contacting or hearing positive news of each and every one of them."

Often in Indian communities the people reside in extended family situations and are evacuated in the same manner, said Dardar.

"If we hear news of one member of the group, we can be fairly sure the rest are nearby and safe, but at this time our information is really sketchy." Sometimes the news isn't good.

"Rumour has it that some of our members have met with death from this terrible natural disaster. But until we can confirm that, we won't know.

"It's frustrating. We've lost not only our communities, but it also appears that we've lost lives too."

The Houma people are grateful for the assistance provided by the National Congress of American Indians, which conducted fundraising among its member nations. For example, the operators of the Cherokee Casino Resort in Oklahoma have hosted events at their facility, which raised more than $30,000 for the hurricane victims, and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians of California have donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross towards the relief efforts. Other tribes are setting out collection containers in retail outlets throughout their towns or hosting powwows.

The people, however, have not heard from any government representatives.

"Our government has not had any dialogue with us. The Red Crss and the other nations in Indian country are responsible for getting us through this," Dardar said. "It does not surprise us that it's our Indian brothers and sisters who are giving us a hand, nor does it surprise us that the federal government has not. As Indian people we are doing what we have always done, and it's real comforting to know that we can take care of one another."

The United Houma Nations, located in the oil-rich bayou lands, have battled for federal recognition for more than 20 years.

Aboriginal people in other countries can help. "Prayers are the number one need," said Dardar.

"We need strength to get through this so please, our partners in Canada, pray for us." But their physical needs are monumental too, she added. "We need cleaning supplies, baby items, personal hygiene items, mattresses for people to sleep on-all the way to building materials to construct new homes."

Cash donations or Walmart gift cards can be sent directly to the Houma people at United Houma Nation, Hurricane Relief, Tribal Centre Office, 20986 Highway 1, Golden Meadow, LA 70357.

"If anyone could physically send items to us, we have a small warehouse at 4400 Louisiana Highway 1, Raceland, Louisiana, 70394." The Web site at www.unitedhoumanation.org also provides information about the devastation and relief effort and offers an opportunity to donate directly.

Out of the tragedy and heartbreak, Dardar said there was one bright spot.

"The spirit of our people never wavers. They have lost everything but they are already planning on rebuilding. They are determined to relocate and start their lives over. The hurricanes have destroyed our homes, but they haven't destroyed the spirit of our people."