Story of A People (continued)
FACTS:
Part of the following information is an extract from the petition of the United Houma Nation for federal acknowledgement.
During the eighteenth centry, many of the Houmas migrated south and established the village Chufuhouma where the city of Houma stands today. The Houmas lost most of their land due to white encroachment. In 1859, the chief of the Houmas, Rosalie Courteaux (her present day grave site is located on a bayou bank in lower Terrebonne parish} purchased a large parcel of swampland for her people. Unable to read or write, and speaking only french, the Houmas were vulnerable to land manipulations and continued to lose their land. The discovery of oil on their land accelerated the loss.
As Indians, the Houmas did not fit well into the black and white pattern of segregation in Louisiana. After decades of struggle over the issue of education, the Houma children were finally admitted to the public schools in 1963.
Throughout the struggles over land, education, and trapping rights, both the Houmas and friendly whites appealed to the federal government for help. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has continued to ignore its responsibility to this Indian people.
OPINIONS:
In my opinion, Our political leaders who are going around today saying we want our fair share of oil royalties from the Gulf of Mexico, are facing some of the same bureaucratic challenges as the Houmas faced for centries.
Congratulations Brenda Dardar Robichaux on your re-election, as the United Houma Nation’s Principal Chief.
