An entire culture may be los due to costal erosion
By sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
September 22, 2008 9:32am CST
This is a sad story.
The Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians live on an island called Isle de Jean Charles (it is in southern Louisiana). Their community floods all the time.
This tribe has lived on Isle de Jean Charles since the early 1800s. Every year a bit of it washes away, made worse when it is hit by hurricanes. They had one chance to get hurricane protection, but the Corps of Engineers called the project off. Up until the mid-1950s the island was only reachable by boat. Deep family roots run though the community. They don't make a lot of money, but love their lives. These people are born, live and die by the water.
If you are interested in the full story (which is really interesting, especially if you enjoy history), here is the link:
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/tribal_chief_on_isle_de_jean_c.html
The tribe leader wants the people to move. Of course, he can't force them. There is an area not that far away - Pointe-aux-Chenes in Montegut, LA - that some of the people have moved to.
If you were in this situation, would you stay or go? If everyone decides to move, will this culture be lost forever, or do you think that since some people have moved already, the tribe itself will stay intact?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@smacksman (6053)
•
22 Sep 08
If the new life is as attractive as the old then I see no reason that the relocation should be a happy one. There are bound to be differences and it is easy to complain about them - that is natural.
The important thing would be to incorporate a new tradition which would be official visits to the old island to honour the past. Visits to be looked forward to.
The elders will need to lead their people with sympathy and understanding and have arguments ready formulated in their minds to answer the doubts which will certainly come.
Forewarned is forearmed.
@smacksman (6053)
•
22 Sep 08
I dropped a few words there that changed my meaning.
I meant to say that 'I have no reason to doubt that the relocation should be a happy one.'
@deathtofluffy (74)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I would stay if I was them or try to save the island by going and somehow getting protection from rising sea levels from either the government or collaborative efforts of other people and organizations. If everyone decides to move, there is a chance that the tribe will die out. There is also a chance however that they will stay intact. It's all really their choice. You make 90% of your destiny. The other 10% is pure luck :)
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
23 Sep 08
if they are a tribe and the tribe has a leader why don't they follow him?
in my homeland some native tribes think the same, they want to die and buried on the very land they were born, but the only problem there is mostly natural disaster like earthquake etc
in this case coastal errosion happens every day it's just a natural thing to happen but on top of natural disaster, so they probably will be washed away sooner than they think
I guess it's their decision to stay or not, as you said some people already moved so the culture isn't really lost
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I think if they are losing the land, they should move, but some people are stubborn and won't move until it is too late, I hope that isn't the case with these people..I don't know how someone becomes a leader in this tribe, but if the leader says it is time to move, then the people should follow..
@sweethomecatring (1563)
• India
22 Sep 08
This so called life. Life in these tribes is limited in there area only. I born,liver and die there within their culture. There grown up is in such circumstances and they mold their life in that fashion that even if they get a chance to move some where else, their behavior, their way of living and their actions may not be accepted in the civil societies in the cities I think with this fear they are not able to move out. For their rehabilitation The Govt. should make some tourist spots there in the island and when the different type of people would go their and they may also create some desire to live in a different way and may made to move out and in this process the culture will survive and they would be above get out from this darkness.
