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The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe is a small community of Indians that live along Bayou Pointe-au-Chien
in South Louisiana. We created this website for tribal members in an effort to provide news and announcements and link those
living outside of the community to the community via the world wide web. If you are a visitor here, welcome to our site and
enjoy! On our site you will find information on Tribal Council meetings, community
activities, elections, and other items of interest.
The Tribe is currently involved in many projects to increase the self-sufficiency of
the Tribe: a book project, research and planning for federal recognition, and emergency planning for future natural
disasters. The Tribe would like to open a community center that can be used for tribal meetings, wakes, emergency relief
planning, and community events.
DONATIONS MAY BE MAILED TO:
POINTE-AU-CHIEN INDIAN TRIBE
PO BOX 416
MONTEGUT, LA 70377
Tropical Storm Lee Exposes Tribal Community's Vulnerability
Sept. 4, 2011
Tropical Storm Lee brought flooding throughout the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Community. Pointe-au-Chien
flooded on the 3rd, but waters continue to rise on the 4th.
The Tribal Community has become more vulnerable due to the lack of natural protection from the reduction in
the barrier islands, salt water intrusion caused by the haphazard cuts by oil companies, and the rerouting of the Mississippi.
Only recently has levee work begun at the lower part of the village.
The rising waters was documented by the Houma Courier in this story: http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20110904/ARTICLES/110909841/1211/NEWS01?Title=Local-officials-cautiously-optimistic-as-storm-meanders.
| Oil at Lac Chien on May 23, 2010 |
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| Tribal Members reported oil on the lake to USCG, copyright PACIT 2010 |
Oil Invades the Tribal Community
On Sunday, May 23, 2010, Tribal Members reported oil in Lake Chien. Tribal members have been working
to protect our tribal fisheries, our tribal homelands, and our sacred sites. We are not sitting by idly, but are taking
active measures to try to protect our homeland. We are concerned about the upcoming hurricane season. Because
we are not federally recognized, our efforts are impeded, but the government can fix this by bestowing federal recognition
on the Tribe, which would allow for more direct assistance to the tribe in clean up and assessment measures.
Historically, the Tribe was a hunting, fishing, agricultural, and cattle community. Today, the Tribe
relies primarily on fishing due to the devestation of the land by oil companies, lack of protection of the barrier
islands, and the lack of fresh water replishment which has resulted in salt water intrusion and the devestation of the land.
But now, even the fishing lifestyle is threatened. The Tribe is concerned as to the future impacts, but we are
doing our best to try to protect what we have left.
As of May 29, 2010--THE SHRIMPING SEASON HAS CLOSED so fishermen are now out of work. A sheen of oil was spotted
below Felicity Island on May 29, 2010. (Lac Felicite and Felicity Island are named after Felicite Billiot, Alexander
Billiot's sister. She was interviewed by Swanton in the early 1900s when he visited Pointe-au-Chien).
On June 19, the Shrimping Season reopened in the Cut-Off Canal. Shrimpers who have contracted their boat(s) with
BP for oil spill prevention and clean up, however, cannot use the same boats to shirimp, crab, or fish.
As of August 17, the shrimping season has reopened in the inner bayous. Not many fishermen have returned to fishing. There
has been oil spotted below Pointe-au-Chien, and there has been no testing by the EPA as to the whether there are dispersants
in the water. There have also been reports of dead seagulls south of Pointe-au-Chien, some of which had no oiling.
Concerns of PACIT:
- Protect Village, Sacred Sites, Fishing Grounds, and Cultural Sites.
- Plan needed for evacuation and relocation to keep tribal members together in the event of flooding--even with a tropical
depression--for an unknown period of time.
- Workforce training and development in the event the oil spill contaminates fisheries for an extended period of time.
- Build tribal center to be used for relief and recovery efforts.
- Health issues associated with change in diet and stress from oil spill.
- Houses that haven't been elevated are at risk for condemnation if oil enters the community.
- Long term effects of oil spill on seafood and animals.
NCAI PASSES RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE COORDINATION WITH TRIBES DURING OIL SPILL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
See text of NCAI RESOLUTION -- COORDINATION WITH STATE RECOGNIZED TRIBES
More information will be updated soon, but here are some news stories on the impacts to Pointe-au-Chien people:
"Determined to Make a Living Before Oil Arrives," May 10, 2010
AP Article, May 18, 2010, Cain Burdeau, "Spill Reinforces Oil Bad Will for Native Americans"
Article about our cousins and neighbors, the Isle de Jean Charles Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha, "Oil Threatens French-speaking
Cajuns, Native Choctaw,"
"Alaskans Paint Sobering Picture of Oil Spill Aftermath," May 25, 2010
Tribal Member Russell Dardar Collects Oil, "Oil Spotted Below PAC," May 26, 2010
"BP Sets up Staging Area in Pointe-aux-Chenes," May 27, 2010
Tribal Secretary Michelle Matherne on one of her last nights shrimping, "Shrimpers wonder which net will be the last,"
May 30, 2010
CNN, Patrick Oppman: "Oil Spill Threatens Native American Land," June 1, 2010
Indian Country Today, "Gulf Oil Disaster Propels Tribes into Action," June 3, 2010
Daily Comet, "Residents Unite to Save Land, Water," June 3, 2010
Washington Post, "Gulf Oil Spill Touches Isolted Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe and Its Past," June 4, 2010
"Cultural Extinction: Fear of No Recovery in the Gulf," June 23, 2010
"At the Gulf's Bedside, A Louisiana Indian Opens Up on the Oil Damage -- and BP keeps others quiet, " June 23, 2010
Shreveport Times, "Oil Spill Hurting Louisiana Seafood Industry," June 27, 2010
Darh Jamail, Center for Research on Globalization, July 5, 2010
Numerous Article from Tribal Member Russell Dardar's Trip to Alaska in early August 2010 regarding the oil spill:
- KTUU, Louisianans Visit Alaska for Help Coping with Gulf Oil Spill, August 1, 2010, http://www.ktuu.com/news/ktuu-louisianans-tap-alaskans-expertise-080110,0,5380051,print.story
- WWLTV.com, In Alaska, Effects of Exxon Valdez Loom Over Louisiana Visitors, August 2, 2010, http://www.wwltv.com/news/In-Alaska-effects-of-Exxon-Valdez-loom-over-Louisiana-visitors-99797934.html. There is also a video at this site featuring tribal member Russell Dardar.
- WWLTV.com, Louisiana Leaders Learn Long-Term Impact of Oil Spill in Alaska, August 6, 2010, http://www.wwltv.com/news/La-leaders-learn-long-term-impact-of-oil-in-Alaska-100170399.html. There is also a video at this site.
- KTUU, Louisianans Leave Alaska with Mixed Emotions, August 8, 2010, http://www.ktuu.com/news/ktuu-louisianans-leave-with-mixed-emotions-080810,0,3836984.story"
"Dead Bird Islands Cover Louisiana Bay," August 29, 2010, http://bpoilspill.us/2010/08/29/dead-bird-island/
WWLTV, Oil Still in Coastal Terrebonne Marshes, Oct. 11, 2010, http://www.wwltv.com/news/Oil-Still-in-Coastal-Terrebonne-Marshes-104734939.html
| Oil on Fishing Basket from Lac Chien, May 23, 2010 |
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| copyright, PACIT 2010 |
HELP POINTE-AU-CHIEN REBUILD FROM THE 2005 AND 2008 HURRICANES THAT CAUSED
EXTREME FLOODING AND DESTRUCTION.
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WAYS TO HELP:
1. Donate to our building fund.
2. Help our voice to convince leaders that we need to rebuild the
barrier islands, and we need a levee!
3. Help us to protect our burial grounds that are threatened from
the loss of land.
4. Help us to obtain federal acknowledgment from the federal government
so that we can have a real voice in responsing to emergency disasters. This is also important in maintaining
our culture and livelihood.
Donations for Culture Preservation and Rebuilding can be made to
Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe
PO Box 416
Montegut, LA 70377
OR
CLICK ON THE PAYPAL BUTTON BELOW
**All donations are tax deductible under the Tribe's 501(c)(3) status.
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Donate to the
Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe's cultural preservation and relief efforts.
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