We arrived in Dulac this morning for the final leg of our trip- a 4 night stay in this “end of the earth” Louisiana town. Inhabited mostly by Houma Indians (around 80 percent), this small town was devastated by  Hurricane  Ike this past August. Most people live in trailer homes and physical damage is evident on most. I’m working in a group off five on a trailer about five minutes from the community center, where we stay. The trailer sits on risers about eight feet off the ground and was not very affected by the hurricane, but is nonetheless in dire need of help from volunteers. Nine people live in the home, crammed into bunk beds. Bernard, the husband, works on an oil rig, but judging from poor upkeep and other obvious observations it’s quite apparent the family struggles financially. Over the past two days my group has torn down old paneling and replaced it with new ones. A plumber has also been working to install a new sink, which looks very nice.

One of the major problems facing the Houma is their inability to obtain Federal recognition. Lobbying by oil companies has prevented all efforts, for should the Houma achieve proper representation these companies will be forced to pay royalties on their oil to these families. This is a fine example of the corrupting influence of money in politics. I’m glad to be able to give my time to this community, but on a grander scale there is still so much work needed.