Updated: May 26, 2006 Here we are, nine months behind hurricanes Katrina and Rita and just a few days in front of the 2006 hurricane season. The last nine months has been a time of celebration and consideration. Considerable healing has occurred from the two storms, but more work remains to finish rebuilding and begin healing from the last 300 years. It's confusing driving down the road in any of the indigenous communities. One house will look clean and repaired while the next remains little changed from mid September. In St. Bernards, Plaquemines, and lower Jefferson parish, the devastation persists. In Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes further west, its more of a mixed bag. Much of the wind damage from Katrina has at least been patched up, but the flood damage from Rita persists. Remember 10,000 homes were flooded in Terrebonne Parish alone. There is alot to clean up and not many resources to make that happen. Meanwhile, the heart of the native people - their traditional land - continues to wash away at the rate of 33 football fields every day! The community of Isle de Jean Charles now floods at a very high tide. How much longer does The Island have? Cultural preservation in the face of land loss and further community fragmentation is an urgent priority for all communities. To address rebuilding and cultural preservation needs, the Four Directions Free Store is open several days a week in Grand Caillou-Dulac. Over 1200 people are being served every week! People of all ethnicities are welcome and some are traveling from communities over an hour away. We just completed an agreement with Common Ground to supply volunteers and resources to assist with our goals. We have also brought in other Native American leaders and activists to assist the bayou tribes with empowerment and cultural preservation. We have so much gratitude for their strength and passion. Finally, we can't stress enough how great the need is, and how much there is to do. We continue to operate on a shoe-string budget (our account is less than $1000 as we speak). Resources continue to bypass the native communities in favor of New Orleans and Mississippi. If you can, please stop this injustice and contribute to our work. Thanks for reading and thanks for being involved. We need to join each interested person from the four directions to create change and help the elders, families, fishermen, and community members who remain invisible. Remember, we are all connected. BACK        NEXT

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